We’re often asked how a career as a consultant develops. Certainly, many have wondered how friends, family, and co-workers acquired their job position and careers. How happy are they with the decisions that resulted in their current role? Did they always dream of doing this type of work? Did they stumble upon a great opportunity? Did they go to college? Did college lead to this profession? If not college, what did lead to their career? Were they offered a salary they could not resist? Did they just need a paycheck, and this is where they ended up?

Journey or Destination?

Some people stay in the same job or field of work for their entire lives. However, research suggests that people change careers an average of twelve times in a lifetime. Age is a major factor in determining how long an employee has been in each role, but there are also major differences between the generations. Generation X started the trend of changing jobs more frequently, but data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that every generation has changed jobs more frequently during their younger years. This makes sense – early in a career, we see more trial and error as we develop our expertise and identify our interests. As we grow, we will likely be more selective in career moves.

What will the future hold for professionals as they enter the workforce? How will the pandemic and other technological and cultural shifts impact these trends? Only time will tell.

How To Change a Light bulb

There are many reasons that a person may decide to change careers. These might include:

• Issues with managers or the company culture
• New challenges and opportunities
• Salary or financial security
• Recognition, rewards, or benefits
• Advancement opportunities
• Flexibility
• Burnout
• Shifting priorities
• Life changes that impact their career

There are several factors to consider when deciding to make a career change, including:

• Will you start over in an entry-level position?
• Are your current skills transferable, or will you need additional training and expertise?
• How will the work location or commute impact you?
• How will the change impact your family or finances?
• Who in your network can help?

Finally, consider the reasons for planning a career change. Why do you want to change jobs? Are you reacting to a temporary problem that can be resolved through discussions with your current employer? Are you burnout from long work hours or too much work? Have your priorities changed? Are you looking for more challenges? Or is your internal compass telling you that you’ve strayed from your true path? Knowing your reason for making the change prepares you to strategically plan your transition and identify ways to overcome obstacles.

The American Work Week

We consider 40 hours a week, or 2,080 hours a year, to be a standard full-time position. That may not seem like a lot, but when you compare it to the total of 8,736 hours in a year, you quickly realize you are working for 24% of your life per year. This percentage does not include overtime, work functions, or commuting which will make that percentage even greater. Curt Mills shared his insight on his typical workweek as a Momentum Consultant:

20% of my time is in meetings such as stand-ups, sprint planning sessions, project leadership, project executive sponsors, client requirement/working sessions, and 1-on-1 touch-points.  My routine work involves the development of user stories, test scripts, testing, solutioning, and quality assurance with developers, DevOps management, planning, and general administration.  The longer-term pieces that could receive time in any given week include developing test plans, training plans, transition plans, various analysis matrices, change-request management, progress metrics, and assisting the PM with ad hoc client-supporting tasks that could encompass about anything.

With so much time invested in your career, settling should never be an option! Your career path should be enjoyable while giving you a sense of accomplishment. As Momentum Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Oswald said, “You need to be doing something you love; something that adds value to the world with the bonus of being compensated for it.”

Every consultant will have their own unique story and mix of responsibilities. Talking with those already in a field you are drawn to is a great way to learn what being in that field truly means. If you feel drawn to a career path as a consultant, feel free to reach out to talk with someone at Momentum.

Write It Down & Manifest It

It’s not uncommon to feel lost, even when you’ve chosen a career. It is very rare for someone to “just know” what they want to do for the rest… of… their… lives. Use your Personal Mission Statement as a building block to start constructing or re-constructing your career path. Your personal mission statement defines exactly what you want, need, expect, and are willing to do to achieve your goals. Now use that and write out your ideal job description. Writing out your dream job makes it real. When it’s only a nebulous concept in your brain, it’s less tangible than when you write it out. Imagine your life is perfect because you have the perfect job – what does that look like? What are your work hours? Is the work environment casual? Do you report to an office? Who are your targeted clients? Be detailed and specific – and answer your own questions with raw honesty. Once you have your dream job position outlined, start looking for companies or opportunities that align with your needs.

“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative, and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you.”

                                                                        – Gandhi

Don’t Give Up – ADAPT!

When choosing a career path, it is important to understand yourself – what makes you happy? Where do you see yourself in ten years? What are you willing to do to achieve your aspirations?

On the other hand, it is okay when you must go off course a little. Adaptability is a great characteristic to have. Angie Kenno, Momentum Director of Service Delivery, speaks of her personal experience – from her first job to her current position at Momentum – with all of the trials and tribulations in between. Discipline, motivation, problem-solving, communication, and being a team player gave her the success story she has today. Her consulting career may not have been her destiny. Still, her experience, purpose, and ethics allowed her to grow into her current role.

Let Momentum Help You

The moral of the story is that nobody knows what they are doing in this thing called life. Whether you are 18 or 108, choosing a career path tailored to you can be intimidating. Here at Momentum, we can help. Contact us today!