Career Pivot – Lessons learned. What would I do different next time?

In my last post I talked about “Just Do It” philosophy.  I Went to work for a large non-profit in a corporate fundraising position.  For a lot of reasons, there was no way I was going to be successful.  However, it was a great learning experience that I value to this day.

After one year, I resigned and planned to take 4 to 5 months off to plot my next course.  Two months into my “time off” I was found by my network for a training position at another high tech startup.  I wondered whether this was a good idea.  It was a good idea in that it gave me a chance to cruise for a couple of years doing something I knew how to do. It was a bad idea in that it was not something I really wanted to do.

Within a year, I was plotting my next Career Pivot.  I wanted to help baby boomers with their careers. I had so any friends who had been wiped out by the previous and current recession that I wanted to help. The idea was fully hatched in the depths of the current recession. What was I going to do differently this time?

1. I interviewed approximately 10 coaches and consultants in the field.  I asked about credentials, fees, business processes, ……
2. I hired a coach.  I asked a lot of people who they would recommend and the name that came up over and over is my current coach, Sherry Lowry.
3. I built a team of mentors.  I did not have one but many.
4. I asked for help every chance I could.
5. I built a team that supplied me with the skills that I did not possess or  I chose not to use.  I am a high skilled technical engineer.  I did not build my website!  Any technical aspect of building the business I outsourced.
6. I got the training that was recommended and I did not cut corners.
7. I took several months off after I quit my job to refill my tank.
8. I started taking pro-bono clients months before I quit my job. I do not take pro-bono clients anymore.  I do have a sliding fee but everyone must pay something.  I found clients worked harder when they had to pay even the smallest amount.
9. I carefully planned my finances because I knew in the first two years I would make very little money.

In 2011, I just about broke even while helping 50 clients.  My goal for 2012 is to be profitable and launch multiple products besides my career design consulting that will be of value.  You will be hearing more about my next idea of Life AFTER Career Insanity in coming posts.

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I am going to be releasing a free 14 page white paper “Don’t retire even if you can – A Baby Boomer Manifesto” in the next week.  I will be launching the new Career Pivot brand at that time. 

You can also download my whitepaper “Don’t Retire Even If you Can and What to do Instead – A Baby Boomer Manifesto”

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