How to declutter your career
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
If you want to make your career a priority this year, I recommend that you start with some decluttering.
Clutter clearing will help you to achieve your goals.
If you’re planning to go for that promotion, land a new job, or try something completely different – clear the decks first.
Lost your mojo, self-belief, confidence? Then it’s time to cut through those cluttered thoughts.
Decluttering helps you to define and nail your expertise, it gives you clarity and a sense of purpose.
In this post, I’ll explain how your career gets cluttered, why you need to let stuff go, and how to get started. Usually, I start with the CV but if you want to practise on your sock drawer – be my guest.
What is career clutter?
Career clutter comes in many forms such as outdated information, stories, limiting beliefs and fixed mindsets. Anything that’s holding you back from your goals.
Your career path isn't linear – there have been twists and turns, cul-de-sacs and dead ends. You've climbed ladders and tripped over snakes.
You've learnt through mistakes, trial and error, and from other people.
Over the years you’ve accumulated skills, experience and baggage too in the form of mental and emotional clutter.
In amongst all of that is your unique blueprint and positioning. But if you can’t see it, chances are there’s clutter in the way.
Why you should declutter your career
If you have a career goal start by clearing the debris.
Let’s use your wardrobe as an example:
Imagine your wardrobe is stuffed with clothes but you’ve got nothing to wear.
You dedicate a weekend to spring cleaning and decluttering your wardrobe.
As you pull out all the garments you’re reminded of the mistakes – things you didn't wear because they didn’t fit or feel right.
You find some old favourites that you once loved but no longer need, and in amongst it all, you discover some hidden gems.
And now that you have some space and you can see what you've got – you've started to pull new outfits and looks together.
Well decluttering your career is a bit like that. Getting rid of the ghosts, old information and stories will help you to get clarity on your strengths and unique experience. You’ll understand how to position yourself, you’ll feel more confident and that will give you an edge.
But seriously, if your wardrobe needs decluttering do that too.
When to declutter your career
Whenever you’re preparing for change
At the beginning of a new year
When you sound dull and flat talking about your job
Whenever you feel uninspired
How to declutter your career
As I mentioned earlier, I start with the CV. An outdated, overpacked CV is a sure sign you haven't worked out your positioning. Decluttering your CV will help you to craft a powerful selling tool but first, you’ve got some weeding to do.
Think about your goals, what you want to achieve and how you want to show up
Declutter, detox and update your CV to bring it up-to-date with your ambitions
Revisit and refresh your LinkedIn profile so that’s aligned too
Develop your pitch based on this updated positioning
Stop living in the past – build your professional profile and brand around this new decluttered version
Declutter your career mindset
Now it’s time to move on to the emotional baggage.
How do you feel about career blips, redundancies, difficult colleagues and things that didn’t work out as you’d hoped?
Sweeping your cluttered concerns under the rug doesn't work. Those emotions will pop up when you're in front of a recruiter and interviewing for that dream job. If you don’t deal with it the big uncomfortable elephant in the room will become a sticking point.
We do lots of mindset work in my Career Accelerator programme. There’s no point in having a slick CV and strategy if you’re going to trip yourself up.
Reset
After the decluttering tasks and mindset work, you’re ready to take the next step. Give yourself a weekend to get it done.
If you need help – let me know, I’d love to help you to declutter and update your career.
ABOUT ME
I’m Tracy, Career Consultant, former Executive Headhunter and I help senior executives and leaders to land great jobs and be successful at work through 1:1 coaching.
I work with clients around the world from my London-based Zoom office.
If you’re ready for straight-talk and career guidance get in touch – let's start the conversation.
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