Steps to Re-Invent Yourself and Your Career- Part 1

A close friend of mine was telling me recently about a conversation she had with her mother-in-law. She was telling her about some of the changes she had been making lately in both her appearance and her life. My friend has recently been trying to change some things in order to become the person she wants to be and the changes are just part of the process. Her mother-in-law suggested that perhaps she was going through a mid-life crisis. Of course, only being in her early thirties, this suggestion was met with a great deal of laughter on my friend's part. The truth is, you don't have to wait for a mid-life crisis to re-invent yourself and jump start your life and career. Here are some ways that you can re-invent and recharge yourself, your career or your job search:

• Get to know yourself - Do a self assessment and get in touch with who you are. Determine your values, your goals and what is important to you. Think about what your passion is, what things you would do, even if they didn't earn you a dime. These are the things that make you who you are.
  
  
• Take stock of your skills - List the things that you are good at. All of the skills you have learned through school, on-the-job training, real life experiences or even volunteer work. There are things that you do better than most people, so those are the things you want to be sure to keep in mind.
  
  
• Do your homework - Research what types of things people with your skills and passion can do well. There may be a job that can capitalize on your abilities that ties in with the experience you have. Find out what you would need to do to be in a position to make a change. Will it require some more education? Would you need to expand your professional network? Whatever it is, if you look around and ask questions, you are sure to find the information.
  
  
• Start slow – Change can be scary and a little overwhelming. It is important to take baby steps at first if change is hard for you. Resist the urge to try to change everything at once, because it is a sure way to fail. Just choose a few things to change first. After that, it should become much easier. If you are thinking about a career change, consider doing some freelance work while keeping your current job or doing volunteer work on the weekends. This way you can try it out and learn a little more before jumping in.

If you are stuck in a rut, feeling burned out at work and wondering if this is all there is, it may be time to re-invent yourself and bring some new energy into your life. Remember, it is the journey that is important, not the destination. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, with more Steps to Re-Invent Yourself and Your Career.

Are you feeling like you are stuck? What have you done to re-energize your job search? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Be sure to check out PhillyJobs.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.