Tag Archives: transition

Plan Ahead to Make Your Internship Worthwhile

Yes, an internship can be an excellent experience for both the college student and for the professional, one that takes on the care & feeding of this next generation. But it does take some planning and some care in ensuring that everyone gets something out of this commitment. For the students, I would recommend the following three strategies to ensure it’s a good experience for all.

First, what benefits do you think you will gain in this internship? Will it be skill development, increase of knowledge of an industry or respected references & connections? At the same time, think about what value you can bring to this company to make it worth their time to mentor/train you during your internship. What will make it worthwhile for both of you?

Second, securing an internship is just like doing a job search. You’ll get lots of practice doing that after graduation so practice now when the stakes aren’t quite so high. Learn how to target your desired industries, research opportunities, prepare your resume and then how to “sell” yourself to the hiring person. It’s a great time to practice because most professionals really like college students, especially if they have a few themselves.

Third, treat this job as seriously as if you were being paid the big bucks. Be professional each and every day. You want them to love you and invite you back. Soak up every bit of learning you can – volunteer to attend meetings, take on projects and seek out chances to shadow other people in the office. Keep smiling and building those positive relationships.

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Going Through Change “Backwards”

It might surprise you but we usually go through transitions in our lives “backwards”.  As I told you in my last blog “a change” and “a transition” are very different.  A change is an external event and a transition is the internal psychological adjustment to the change.  So the challenge is not the change but rather the emotional transition and that varies greatly depending on the timing, intensity, impact and duration of the change.  So what do I mean by going through this process by backwards? 

3 Phases of Transition

William Bridges, author of numerous books on transitions, explains that there are three phases of a psychological transition.  These are:

  • The Ending
  • The Neutral Zone
  • The New Beginning

We don’t start with embracing the new beginning as many would think.  It’s perfectly normal (and healthy) to recognize and deal with the losses of what is ending first before being able to move on to that Neutral Zone and then finally into the New Beginning.  Think about changes you’ve had in the past.  Maybe a new job, a move to a new community or maybe a new relationship.  It’s critical to “let go” of that all identity, routine and comforts before being able to move on to that new beginning.

The Whirlwind of the Neutral Zone

The middle phase is one of great turmoil but also of opportunity.  The old ways are gone but in its place is the chance for new growth.  This is the phase that we see that entrepreneur spirit – the creation of new and exciting ventures.  Think of yourself and also of your business in times of change.  I bet you were far more willing to try something new during this whirlwind of the middle phase.  It’s an opportunity – embrace it!

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Change & Transition: Knowing the Difference

Being notified that you are being laid off is a big change in your life.  And it’s even a bigger psychological adjustment if you weren’t planning on a forced vacation quite yet.  I just came back from giving a workshop on “Career Transitions” for staff in higher education facing layoffs.  I always start with helping folks understand the difference between change & transition and then the three phases of transition.  That foundation seems to be very reassuring because it shows people the path through their feelings of anxiety and uncertainty.   

Change is a Challenge

Managing the many changes in our lives is an ongoing challenge.  Hopefully, we get better at it as we get older.  We’ve been around the block a few times and we know that yes, things do work out with a bit of patience and proactive effort.  But it’s also important to recognize why sometimes a change (like a new job or a move to a new house) is relatively easy but then when the exact same change happens a couple of years later it is much harder.  Why?

The Difference Between Change & Transition

William Bridges, author of Transitions,  has written extensively on change and  transition. I love his material and have used it in every workshop I give on change management.  Bridges first explains that a “change” is an external event.  Examples are: a move, new job, new baby, getting married, going to college, a death etc.  And we may experience the same change  several times throughout our lives. 

That’s not the hard part.  The challenge is the psychological adjustment to the change.  That is the internal “transition”.  And the psychological adjustment to the exact same change may vary greatly at different times in our lives.

Why Is It So Hard Sometimes?

Several factors make the difference.  The timing of the change – is it “on-time” or “off-time”?  Was the change expected or did it come “out-of-the-blue”?  Does the change impact many areas of your life?  Is it a temporary or permanent change?  Do you have control over the change or not?  These are some of the factors that directly affect how we psychologically adjust to a change in our lives. 

Think about this for yourself.  Look at several changes that you have recently experienced.  How did you adjust to them? What seemed to make the difference?  In my next blog I’ll tell you about the three phases of transition – it might surprise you how we often go through transitions “backwards”.

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Layoffs: The Stress of Waiting

Over the last few days, I’ve talked to several people waiting to hear about possible layoffs.  It’s the end of the fiscal year and either they will be laid off  July 1st or not.  The waiting is the hardest.  Even for the most resilient and optimistic people this suspenseful time of not knowing is very difficult.

Employment changes are always challenging.  The “What Ifs” take over and you can find yourself imagining and worrying about all kinds of scenarios.  “What if I can’t find another job?”  “What if I have to move?”  “What if I can’t pay my mortgage?”  These may be very realistic concerns and the worry can quickly escalate especially in the middle of the night.

Taking Control of the Uncontrollable

The stress of the unknown is really all about control.  When you or your spouse is facing a layoff it’s easy to feel that you have little control over your future.  And that may be true as it relates to your paid employment.  But what about the rest of your life?  You (and only you) have control over that and once you take back that control there is a ripple effect on your paid work as well.  Here are three steps to get you started.

First, what isn’t changing in your life? List out the  main areas of your life (health, family &, friends, employment, hobbies, community etc.) that you spend time and energy.  I like to use the image of the 5 Olympic Circles because they connect creating synergy between the circles. And it keeps it simple with the 5 main areas of my “whole” life.

Second, have a realistic talk with yourself.  Are these other areas really changing significantly? Sometimes yes, but many times they are staying relatively the same.  Life goes on with many of the same routines and traditions – that’s actually quite reassuring.

Third, make a Plan B and a Plan C.  Have backup plans if you are laid off.  Know your options. Get an accurate picture of your financial situation.  You may be pleasantly surprised that it’s better than you had imagined.

Taking Control is Empowering

This is a new life chapter which you can design for yourself.  In my work as a career coach, I’m seeing people take this opportunity to create new career paths that they previously never thought possible.  Yes, a forced change such as a layoff is unsettling and disruptive.  But remember, that in the midst of chaos is the opportunity for incredible growth and possibilities.  It’s exciting and the sense of taking back control is incredibly empowering.

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New Job Jitters

You’re thrilled!  You have a new job after months and months of looking.  It’s exactly what you wanted and you are thankful because the money was starting to run out and your self-confidence was starting to slide as well.  So you’re set . . . or so you thought.  What are these nagging doubts all about?

My friend and colleague, Cindy Saunders, SPHR, HR Manager Tahoe Resources Inc., hit the nail on the head.  She recently published a great article “The Other Side of Unemployment: Employment” NNHRA magazine, March 2011.  Drawing from her own experience, Cindy helps us understand the conflicting emotions a new employee can be feeling in those first few weeks of a new job.  It’s not that they don’t want the job – they do – but now the fear is that they could lose the job.

But how is this different than people getting new jobs in the past?  It is . . . because highly qualified professionals are out of work much longer than in previous depressed economic times.  For even the most skilled and self-confident person the endless searching and rejections take a toll in how we can see ourselves and our abilities.

Tips for Overcoming Jitters

Cindy has excellent suggestions for the HR professionals (and she quotes me!) to ensure that these new highly valuable employees get their feet back under them and strive forth to bring their professional gifts to their new employers.  But you can do a lot on your own behalf to prepare yourself for these first few weeks of “new job jitters”.  Here are three of my favorite suggestions:

  • Be out and about.  Regularly attend professional networking events to continue practicing connecting with other professionals. And then get together with folks you meet over coffee – it gives you wonderful opportunities to present yourself and to chat about mutual professional interests.  The bonus – you are building relationships and your professional network.
  • Work in some capacity.  Consider volunteering or an enjoyable part-time position to stay comfortable with working with teams, working for a boss and taking on new challenges.  The bonus – low key work like this feeds the heart and soul and balances the rigors of job searching.
  • Go learn something.   Sign up for a skills-based class that will stretch your comfort zone and add to your resume to boot.  The bonus – a burst of self-confidence and a delicious feeling that you are still in the loop and just as valuable as anyone else.

 

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