I recently met with a young woman who has been at her job for three years. She is a registered dietician working at a hospital and it is her first job out of graduate school. She is very happy there, but, in looking ahead, she believes that there is not a lot of room for growth. She came to see me to seek advice on the next steps in her career.
It is always enjoyable to work with someone who is looking to grow and expand in her field. In this case, the client is satisfied with her job—but she realized that she did not want the role of her supervisor. Knowing this early on is helpful because there are steps she can take to prepare for taking her career in a different direction.
Expand Your Network. Joining and getting involved in a professional association is a great way meet people who have different jobs in the same field. In this case, it would be a good way for my client to meet other R.D.’s who may be in private practice or a corporate setting.
Take A Class. Workshops are terrific because they expand your knowledge and help you acquire new skills. Taking a class in an area that you are considering venturing into can give you a leg up when you are searching for a job.
Talk To Others. Informational interviews are a simple way to learn more about different positions in an industry. Contact people within your field and ask for a few minutes of their time to learn more about what they do. This is a low pressure way to meet someone—you are not asking for job, or even a job interview, just a chance to have them tell you the pros and cons of their job.
Experiment. Want to try out a new position without leaving yours? The website www.vocationvacations.com allows you to do just that. This is an easy way to check out a new job in your field without committing to it. Try for a day or a week and see if it feels like a good fit before making a big move.
—Pamela Weinberg
