In May of 1990, I was laid off for the first time. That was my introduction to the world of career transition—a world I have experienced three times since then. I wish I could say that with each merger or downsizing it got easier . . . but it didn’t. What I can say is that each time was different. Each time, I learned something new about myself—and the process of job hunting and career management. And each time, I kept saying, “There has to be a better way.”
For the past five years I’ve been on a mission to discover a better process for managing my career. I decided that one way to learn what was needed to devise a better process was to volunteer at the local community career center. I’ve also been a senior advisor and consultant to major outplacement firms. I’ve coached over fifteen hundred people who were searching for new jobs. I’ve learned so much from all of them, but one client in particular has always stuck with me.
Tim was a COO who told me that he wanted to “get back in the game.” He was tired of being on the bench. He said the longer he was out of the game, the more the game changed and he wasn’t in the thick of it. I didn’t understand what he meant until he explained that, for him, work and career were THE ultimate competition sport. He saw it as a competitive game where you had to stay in shape, continuously work your game plans, scout out the competition, know the field of play, and, above all, craft your winning plays.
Tim was so right in his sports analogy of career management. Once I started looking at the process from a competitive, contact sports angle it became obvious that the disciplines needed for sports are also necessary when managing your career. When you start to understand this concept, you see that you want to be able to lead and play on a team, remain marketable in a competitive environment, and develop and execute game-winning plays.
So, what happens when you look at career management as THE ultimate contact sport? First, you declare that you want to get into the game and win! Then you want to know the following:
- How the game has changed
- What the playing field looks like
- The rules
- How to form your winning team
- What uniforms and tools you’ll be using
- How to get into peak shape
- What plays you’ll run
- How to keep up a winning streak
I’m writing this book to give you a better understanding of the new career management game. Because here’s the thing: Everything about this contact sport has changed in the last few years. There are new rules, new playing fields, new team members, new competition. I’ve always believed that learning a new sport from an expert is crucial; for this game, I’ll be your coach. This book is your playbook. It will supply you with the necessary information, exercises, and examples to guide you in creating your personalized career management game plan. You’re closer to a breakthrough career than you think.
Ready? Game on!
