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Think it!
Believe it!
Write it!
Ask for it!

There was a point where I needed to transition my career after 25 years in recruitment, and wasn’t sure what else I could do! I thought I was stuck.

After realising I needed to take action, I had to make sure I was asking for the role I wanted, rather than simply what I’d done for the past 25 years. Where to start?

Think it!

I started with a clean slate. Then I wrote down what I actually enjoyed doing, what I was good at, and left out the tasks I didn’t enjoy.  I didn’t worry about the logistics of how it’s going to come about, just pictured what I wanted to be doing. The things I thought about were the work environment, the people I wanted to be spending time with on a daily basis, the vibe in the office and the people around me, what I could see myself doing and where, working indoors or outside, the degree of autonomy. I then thought about what did I enjoy about my current role and what would I miss if I couldn’t do it anymore. Once you’ve done this then dream a little, take it to the next level. No-one’s watching. What would you love to put on your wish list?

Believe it!
It was around this time that my chiropractor introduced me to a process called The Release Technique, which helped me to let go of some of my beliefs around what I thought I deserved and didn’t deserve. I then wrote down what would become my dream job. It was a tall order in a market where many organisations were cutting back on sales roles and certainly not investing in pure business development positions. I’d also been involved in recruitment for a long time and was looking for a career change. But I started to reflect on the feedback I’d had from colleagues, clients and candidates around why they enjoyed working with me, and I gained some clarity around my value proposition.

Write it!
Here’s what I wrote:
Business Development Manager

  • Work with an inspiring team
  • Autonomy to create
  • Partner with clients who value  and seek my involvement
  • Explore broader conversations with clients
  • Be a part of shaping strategy and ensuring a sustainable business
  • To feed my passion for helping people achieve career excellence
  • Have a collaborative culture which has an inclusive leadership team
  • Be highly successful at expanding business opportunities and being rewarded financially for my contribution
  • Share and expand my knowledge
  • Working with people who are professional and strategic
  • Work in an environment where people stop to have a laugh
  • To be inspired by the people and clients I work with
  • The opportunity to work on national projects
  • A pay increase
  • Working 4 days with the ability to work an extra day every now and again to accumulate some extra leave to cover school holidays
  • Work in the city

Ask for it!
I then contacted a range of people in my network with clarity about the type of role I was looking for. It wasn’t long before I mentioned it to one person who pointed me in the direction of my next employer who was looking for a Business Development Manager. Two weeks later I had the job!

So think big, and then think some more. Start here.

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