Job transitions are one of the most common things I work on with my clients in burnout. When they are leaving due to working conditions, the best way of describing it would be like leaving the boyfriend that treated you badly. They love the patients, their coworkers, etc., but know that if they stay they will continue to be miserable or unhappy.
In my career, I have left five positions. While most have due to relocation or a lateral move, there is one job that I left because I was concerned staying would result in me having a mental breakdown. After I left, I continued to carry the distrust, anger, and frustration for years afterward. I wanted validation for what I had experienced and for people to agree with me that the organization was abusive and the worst place to work. What I didn't realize was that my desire for validation was feeding into my own unhappiness. Although I didn't work there, I was living like I was still working there.
Usually, my clients are either in one of two categories. They are leaving a position and want help figuring next steps OR they have left the position and are still living with the pain and frustration they had from a previous position. As a burnout coach, these are the steps I walk them through to move forward in their career or what I call making the Intentional Transition.
Focus on what you want.
It is easy to focus on what you don't want. Ie, I don't want to work night shift. I don't want to work inpatient. I don't want to bullied at work. What I recommend instead is focusing on what you want and getting as specific as possible. The more specific you can get the better.
- What did I want to be when I was in nursing school?
- What does my schedule look like?
- Do I work any overtime?
- What do I want my manager to be like?
Create a plan to get there.
As much as I love the Law of Attraction, it is not enough to write down your dream job and hope it works out. Growth requires action. If you want to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, but are not a nurse practitioner yet, then you will need to make a plan to get there. Write down everything that you would need to do to get there, what barriers you might experience, and a plan to overcome those barriers. Here is an example:
Dream:
To be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Actions I Need to Take To Get There:
-Get into a NP School.
-Find a job in pediatrics.
Barriers:
-I have children.
-I work full time.
-I have limited time.
Actions to Overcome Barriers:
-Find a babysitting co-op, discuss childcare with partner, or find a daycare.
-Find a program for my NP that would allow me to work full time.
-Create a schedule that would allow me to prioritize the things that are important to me.
Be committed to becoming and getting your result.
We do not become different people because we achieve our dreams, we become different because of who we become on our journey. Getting your dream career might not happen tomorrow, next month, or even in the next year. It may be hard work, require risks, and mean you have to fail a few times. But we can choose to believe and make the journey an empowering experience. For one of my clients, she learned that she learned to stop trying to fix her coworkers. For another client, she learned that she could create her dream job by communicating to her boss. By committing to both becoming and getting your results, you can choose to view all the hard work, risks, and setbacks as part of the journey.
Thank you for reading and if you are going through a job transition, you don't have to do alone. Sign up for a free consultation where I will help you create a plan to create the job of your dreams.
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