I love the fresh beginnings associated with January 1. The new year is traditionally the time of year when we take stock of our standing in life, tally up our assets, and set goals for the coming year.
When people take inventory of their career-related assets, they typically think of skills, work experiences, degrees and credentials. But I maintain that your unique set of assets extend beyond your resume-friendly credentials to encompass all facets of your life. The town you live in, the people you know, the stuff you've accumulated in your basement -- all of this can be leveraged to help you change careers or start your own business.
If you're feeling stuck about what to do next, making a list of your assets can provide your career reinvention process with fresh juice. As you compile your list, be sure to include:
1) Who You Know: Your friends and associates can help your career reinvention by providing resources, support, counsel and job leads. Spend several days brainstorming, writing down and expanding your networking list – you’ll be amazed at how many people you know who might be able to assist you:
- Business Associates: former employers, co-workers, vendors, clients and colleagues
- Personal Contacts: Friends, family, neighbors, schoolmates, sorority or fraternity members, acquaintances you’ve made at church, temple, or through other community groups.
- Service Providers: Your hairdresser, banker, doctor, lawyer, real-estate agent, etc.
- Online Community: Contacts that you have access to through online communities such as Facebook and Linkedin.
Who are the people you plan to call on for assistance in 2010?
2) Where You Live: Think about the unique aspects of where you live and how you might be able to leverage that for your next career move. My town boasts an unusually good library, an easy train ride to New York City, free lectures on a variety of business related topics and a vibrant continuing education program -- all resources that I tap into to help me grow my business. Other towns provide their citizens with different forms of benefits -- natural beauty, inexpensive real estate or a culturally diverse population.
What are the unique features/services provided in your area that you can leverage to help your career reinvention?
3) Your Natural Gifts: All of us are endowed with unique natural gifts and talents; a keen fashion sense, a wicked sense of humor, the gift of gab, unusual patience, a discriminating palate or a smile that lights up a room.
Which of your natural gifts might provide the foundation for a new business or income opportunity?
4) The Stuff You Own: Sometimes the stuff we own can hold clues to our next career move. Do you have a collection of goods that could be sold on e-bay? Could your love of cooking, as evidenced by your massive cookbook collection, be transformed into a catering business? Maybe you have a fully outfitted home office that could be easily transformed into a small business headquarters or a house that could be marketed to the media industry for location shoots ?
What does your "stuff" say about your career-linked interests and opportunities?
5) The Causes You Support: Most of us belong to religious, community and/or cause-related organizations. As you consider the groups you have chosen to affiliate with, either through membership or financial support, think about the types of issues or causes you might want to impact through your career.
What types of businesses or organizations might be a good match for your value system?
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