Do you know your Career Limits

Do you know your career limits?  If you are considering a career change, what are some of the things you need to focus on?  Well, of course, as I have said in previous posts, you always need to stay true to yourself, and find the career that is going to make you happy.  This includes both the tangible and non tangible things.

Typically, you are going to develop strengths in areas that excite you the most.  If you love working with people, then you are probably going to develop great interpersonal skills.  Conversely, if you prefer working in a more isolated environment, then you are probably going to thrive in a career where you are self sufficient.  Either way, you have to understand what motivates you and move towards those goals.

But what about understanding your limits?   What exactly does this mean?   Let’s look at it using a specific example.  I have recently written about pursuing a career in policing.  There are a number of steps involved in this process, for instance:

• understanding what it means exactly to be a police officer and assessing if it’s the right career choice for you and your family;
• undergoing the physical ability test;
• undergoing a series of medical exams;
• participating in a behavioural competency based interview, etc.

Again, know your limits.  If you feel that you need more time to get ready for any of those steps, then take the time needed to do that.  For instance, when preparing for the behavioural interview, you will be required to talk about past experiences that demonstrate you meet certain qualities.  If you have limited experience, you might need to take some time to gain a broader range.  This could include volunteer work, or taking on more responsibility at work.

If you’re not sure how to approach this, or if you’re having trouble identifying your strengths and limits, talk to people who really know you, or have worked with you, to help you sort through this.  Don’t be afraid to seek the help of a Certified Professional Career Coach to provide you objective insight as you pursue a possible career change.

Do you know someone who is currently challenged with a career change decision? Feel free to share this post by using the share links at the top of this page. Also, if you’d like more career change assistance, feel free to check out the career coaching resource page.