When engrossed in an education program, well settled into a stable job where a consistent pay cheque is being automatically deposited into your account, or if you feel your career is “Doing just fine, thank you very much”, it tends to leave us feeling like career preparation is a long way off. No alarm bells are going off, no horns are blaring warning us to check our blind spots and no back seat drivers yelling, “Watch out!”, to wake us up and cause us to look clearly at our career future. But in my experience working with hundreds of clients, “objects in (the)mirror are closer than they appear!”

Or, a career change is closer than it appears. A change in your company is closer than it appears. The need to get moving on your career advancement is closer than it appears. The need to prepare your job search during your education program for your first position in your new field is closer than it appears.

Wikipedia describes, “The phrase “objects in (the) mirror are closer than they appear” is a safety warning that is required to be engraved on passenger side mirrors of motor vehicles in the USA, Canada and India. It is present because while these mirrors’ convexivity gives them a useful field of view, it also makes objects appear smaller. Since smaller-appearing objects seem farther away than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit closer. The warning serves as a reminder to the driver of this potential problem.

Here are some reasons why a career move that seems so far away is much closer than you think it is and what to do about it.

1. You may soon change your career. Statisticians say that individuals will change their career 7-10 times during the working life. The era of working in one place in one position for 30-40 years followed by a retirement party and a gold watch is now far off in the rear view mirror and is on the endangered list and some would argue extinct. Various circumstances like a change in clients, staffing, expansion, downsizing or a M&A can all result in unanticipated career change. With this kind of career  transition ahead of you, the next change may be much closer than it appears. (Don’t believe me? Just check out some of your contacts on LinkedIn and see how many jobs they have held. I’m just sayin)
2. You are not enjoying your current role and/or are not feeling fulfilled. I have learned that a long commute, wage parody, unpleasant work environments, unappreciated efforts, lack of promotional opportunities or simply an inability to use a set of skills you truly want to utilize can eventually get old. Within a few short weeks or months people begin to get that far away look in their eyes and start to dream of something better. When analyzing your level of discontent and rating it between 1-10 (10 being very discontent), be assured that if you rated your current career at 5 or higher, a career change is imminent.
3. You are taking part in a new education program. Adding new skills to our toolbox or making a career transition through a new academic program is a great way to get to that next plateau on your stairway to career heaven. All too often though students focus on their education so much that they do not take the time to focus on the next job they will pursue with that education. Then, the program slips by all too fast and panic sets in when they realize they are sending out resumes by the terabyte and are getting little or no reply. Following the above analogy, automakers have proven that the driver’s side mirror is close enough that can be made flat allowing the driver to see things clearly and accurately. However, the passenger-side mirror, which is further away from the driver, must be made convex and include a warning because the driver does not realize the view is very different when only a few feet further away than the driver’s side mirror. I believe the left mirror represents a student seeing their education experience clearly because it is closest and therefore captivating. The passenger mirror reveals the approaching career change that is most often much closer than students believe it do be!

What to do?

1. Buy into the fact that you must work on your career progression while you are still in your education program. The sooner you get started the better.
2. Take responsibility and do not expect your school or program to produce a position for you.
3. Begin leveraging you current network for leads in the field of your career target.
4. Set a goal to add new contacts to your network every week.
5. Always be looking! Never be completely at ease where you are! Keep your finger in the air and ear to the ground while you keep your nose the grindstone…no matter how difficult that sounds or how awkward that may look in your imagination. 🙂
6. Be proactive and pursue companies that interest you rather than waiting for someone to post a job ad. You will enjoy the journey far more and have greater results. Statistics tell us you will also make more money throughout your working life.
7. Get out of the house, away from the computer, meet people and enjoy yourself.

Don’t forget that the process of good driving is much like your career journey. So, do a shoulder check and check your mirrors for your next career change may be much closer than it appears!

Russell Garrett is the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions, a Certified Career Consultant and your DAP Career Coach. Watch for the Career Workshop Series beginning in January which will be posted on COOL. Russell is also available for online coaching appointments. For an online appointment email Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca.