Career transition: To infinity & beyond.

Learning outcomes

• Define what is meant by career change and transition.
• Understand the value of managing change and transition more effectively
• Be able to use a method for navigating and implementing career change and transition more effectively.
• Gain insight into the value and limits of career planning

Career change:

"Change is a shift in the
externals of a situation – a new site or boss or structure, for instance".

(Bridges, 1991)

Transition:

"Is psychological. It is the process that people go through as they
internalise and come to terms with the details of the new situation that the change brings about.”

(Bridges, 1991)

Change: For you this may mean

• No longer an undergraduate but a graduate.
• From a full uni student to a full time professional.
• Education to corporate
• Small world to big wide world

When change and transition goes wrong Example: Out of work graduate

When change and transition goes well Example: 6th form to uni

Question: What are your feelings about the change and transition from undergraduate to graduate?

Transition: For you this may mean

• Certainty to uncertainty
• Happiness to fear
• Confident to anxious
• Apathy to excitement
• Linear to non-linear career

Models of change & transition: Bridges transition curve

"It is vital that you understand and take account of
transition if you want to implement change successfully".

"There are steps you can take before and during transition to achieve a better transition and preferred change".

So what do we know. Some certainties in life

• Change happens. Expected and unexpected
• Transition happens: Sometimes good / sometimes bad.
• So what does successful transition look like and why?
• What does unsuccessful transition look like and why?

Models of change & transition: Schlossberg (1984)

Coping Strategies: Moving in, through and out. 4 S's (Schlossberg)

Schlossberg Diagram

Another way to move through transition and change

Transition in detail: Situation

• Trigger: Why is the event happening?
• Planned v Unplanned
• Does it involve role change?
• Duration: How long will it last?
• Previous experience of this situation?
• How much control do I have?

Transition in detail: Self

• Personal characteristics
• (How you perceive life)
• Psychological resources
• (ability and tools to cope)

Transition in detail: Support

• What social support will I need to help me through this? i.e Comfort, self-esteem, mentoring, guidance.
• Who will provide this? i.e family, friends, peers, tutors, careers.

Transition in detail: Strategies

• 3 ways of coping
• Modify the situation
• Control the meaning
• Manage stress after transition

Josh's Story. Opening Doors

Josh: Using Bridges Transition Curve

• Ending: Letting go of current high school.
• Neutral Zone: New school, new peers, door man.
• New Beginning: Public speaker, prom king, inspires others.

Josh: Using Schlossberg's 4S's

• Situation: Planned, triggered by bullying, suffering loss.
• Self: Young, male, resilient, conscientious
• Support: Mum, institution, peers
• Strategies: Modify the situation (become visible, become valued)

The link between, change, transition and career planning

You don't need the perfect plan

• Career management skills = careers TomTom, transition planning
• Millennial generation will experience multiple job roles (some don't even exist yet)
• Your career path will be non-linear i.e snake not straight line

“Our paradigm has shifted away from stability, order, uniformity and equilibrium towards a new order of instability, disorder, disequilibrium and non-linear relationships where small inputs trigger major effects”

(Admundson, 2003)

Change and transition will always happen

• Globalisation
• Rapid economic changes
• Technological advancement
• Politics
• Finally, think about it, do you ever stay the same?
• You and your career are moving targets!

Summary

• Transition is a cycle
• Models and approaches can help you
• Change & transition can be managed
• Start thinking and planning for your next change and transition