How to Make a Career Change

Leahcim Semaj, Ph.D. - Change Agent

The Old Work Order promised us that the job would last forever. Recent events have forced many to accept the reality that we have entered The New Work Order. We now have to learn to live with the reality of Downsizing, accompanied by increased outputs. The New Work Order Has Some Other New Words; Early retirement, OUTPLACEMENT, Lay offs, Outsourcing.

Over the past five years our major trading partners moved in this direction, resulting in a significant reduction in the cost of most of our imports. They found ways of using less labour to produce more goods and services, thus reducing the price to us. This we gladly accepted. It is now our time to do the same in our companies and in our country. If we do not, who will we sell our products and services to? One thing that we know is that the winner will be the knowledge workers. Who is a knowledge worker? I can best answer this question by asking you “Can you programme a computer? To this question you are only allowed two answers. The best answer is “YES”. If you can’t say this, the next best answer is “I AM WILLING TO LEARN”. If you are not willing to choose either of these answers you are in trouble. If you find your mouth forming to say “NO”, don’t even allow the words to come out. Get on the phone and call your preferred funeral home. You are obviously to go home. Anyone who is not growing and willing to learn new thing is quickly dying. Your choice.

As we experience an increase for knowledge workers, we will see a contrasting decline for production workers. Look at the back of all your appliances. See how many are now made in China. Remember 20 years ago how many were made in Japan. We used to laugh at some of the junk. Eventually they got better and better. Today China has many of these jobs because Mr. Chin will work for U$1 per day and a bowl of rice. You will not do that. You are going to want rice-and-peas-and-carrot juice.

The End Objective for the survival of many companies is the 1/2 by 2 by 3 Rule. They will have 1/2 as many people on the payroll. They will eventually be able to be paid twice as well, but this will only be based of productivity. The only catch is that you will have to produce three times as much as before. But don’t worry; you will not necessarily be working harder, just smarted.

The other reality is that we are now experiencing some significant changes in the Stages of Life;
Stage 1. 0 - 30 Years - Learning
Stage 2. 30 - 60 Years - Employment
Stage 3. 60 - 100 Years - Self Employment
No, it is not a typo, stage 3 used to be called retirement, but not any more. We are experiencing longer life expectancy. Do you have enough saved to carry you for 20 years without working? You need to examine the origin of retirement. For this we have to go back to Germany 1891 and the ideas of Bismarck. Then life expectancy was 45 years. By the same rule, today retirement should be at 95 years. It was not intended to work for too many people. Note the struggle in the USA to save Social Security from going bankrupt because people are living longer, thus outliving their benefits. Too people working to sustain those who are not. The reality then is that if you plan to eat after age 65 you better think about Self-Employment, not retirement.

What this all means is that a career change is in every ones future. In fact the projection are that those entering the world of work today will be changing careers five or six time in their life time.

Where Should You Begin? The best place is with your personality profile.

What Type Are You? There are 16 types with many variances.

The Core of Human Nature is as follows:
SJ   (Sensing, Judging)
SP  (Sensing, Perceiving)
NF  (Intuitive, Feeling)
NT  (Intuitive, Thinking)

Why not use you natural core values in selecting your next career?

SJ Core Values - Approximately 55% of the Jamaican population.
Responsibility, Service, Duty, Hard Work, Tradition, Conservative Values,
Respect for Authority.

Work That Use SJ Values
Stable and predictable environments
Clear reporting hierarchy
High level of responsibility for all
Evaluated and rewarded for good work

SP Core Values - Approximately 25% of the Jamaican population
Freedom, Fun, Excitement, Action, Variety, Autonomy, Skill

Work That Uses SP Values
Variety and change
Flexible and relaxed environments
Less bureaucracy and rules
Working alone with real things
Skilled using tools, crafts

NT Core Values - Approximately 6% of the Jamaican population
Intelligence, Competence, logic, Creativity, Independence, Excellence, Mastery,
Constant new learning, Ingenuity

Work That Uses NT Values
Highly intellectual and achievement oriented
Mastering new technologies, new projects
Using creativity to solve complex and theoretical problems
Need to work with people they respect
Best at perfecting flawed systems

NF Core Values - Approximately 14% of the Jamaican population
Harmonious relationships, Personal growth, Originality and creativity, Integrity, Personal Expression, Meanings and possibilities

Work That Uses NF Values
Able to see the positive impact on others
Tension free environment with caring people, feel appreciated and liked
Solving global problems in creative ways
Developing their greatest individual potential

Careers for Dominant Sensors: ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTP, ESFP
Need to be able to collect and use the many facts you notice
Areas that let you gather information
Use your keen powers of observation

Careers for Dominant Intuitives: INTJ INFJ ENTP ENFP
Work that allows new ways of solving problems
Use of unconventional approaches
Not limited by what has been done in the past

Careers for Dominant Thinkers: INTP ISTP ENTJ ESTJ
Allows you to use objective criteria
Fair set of standards and principles
Reward logical decisions

Careers for Dominant Feelers: ISFP INFP ESFJ ENFJ
Feel good about the work you do
The impact it has on people
How humanely and kindly you and others are treated

Next week we will show you how to create your own career handbook.