What are some of the barriers you have overcome in progressing or changing your career and how did you overcome them?

One of the most important aspects of planning for a career or job change is understanding what your barriers to success are and whether you have the appetite and strategies in place to overcome these.

We all have different priorities at different stages and times in our life and work and sometimes compromises do need to be made. It’s okay to decide that you can’t chase your dream of becoming an environmental scientist right now because you need a degree which you can’t afford the time and money for due to personal and financial constraints.

As a career coach it’s really important to help my clients understand whether these constraints are real or “perceived and challenge their thinking on perceived barriers. “I don’t have any of the skills and feel like a fraud” just doesn’t cut it for me!

It’s important that people take control of their careers and make the decisions that are right for them. Often motivation slows or dries up altogether when unanticipated challenges pop up along the career change journey and these kinds of setbacks can stop us from developing the resilience and tools to get through any future challenges. So identifying, understanding and managing the risks and challenges associated with change are just as important as understanding the experience, skills and personal characteristics you have that will enable you to unlock your potential and achieve your goals Of course career coaching involves both of these things but I do make an effort to identify the barriers early on in my coaching sessions through conversations and tools such as the Career Constraints card sort exercise. That way my clients can make informed decisions on the best way forward and break down barriers with an achievable action plan in place or go with a Plan B if the barriers are insurmountable at the current time #careercoaching #success #career #careerspheres

Career Spheres supports individuals and organisations with career planning, support, CV writing, LinkedIn profiles and interview skills.

I am deeply grateful to Leeanne for her invaluable assistance during my transition to self-employment following redundancy. Her real-life experiences and expertise in the current job market have provided me with the confidence to embrace this new chapter in my career. Leeanne listened empathetically, thoroughly reviewed my CV, suggested helpful resources, and recommended actionable steps to take. Throughout the process, she also kept me accountable, ensuring I stayed on track. I highly recommend Leeanne to anyone seeking to make a significant change in their life.

Lofi Talimalo, Auckland – June 2024 – July 2024