Most of the people I’ve worked with over the past 20 years – whether as an HR professional, recruiter or career coach – share Tom’s views, irrespective of whether they are CEOs, athletes, or recently qualified university graduates. More often than not, they are worried about what their friends will think of them, convinced that they are worthless, and prefer keeping to themselves while looking for a job. Even though this is understandable, this behavior is actually counterproductive on two levels:

1. Social support helps you to cope when the going gets tough; and
2. The social contacts you have, particularly those “weak ties” with people you don’t know very well, can offer a unique perspective and resources that are invaluable when looking for a job.

So what can you do to make sure that you have the right support team in place?

Take a look at your circle of friends, family members, and acquaintances. Identify the people you can count on to help you.

• Who will always be there for you no matter what happens – picking you up when you’re down and cheering you on?

• Who knows you well and can be counted on to give an unbiased opinion of your skills and achievements?

• Who will challenge you to fulfil your potential, ensuring that you are the best you can be?

• Who can you confide in and be vulnerable with when you need to talk about your fears, doubts, and insecurities?

• Who can offer you support and guidance in identifying your next professional challenge?

• Who can introduce you to people with different backgrounds to expand your network?

If the support network you’ve identified through this process doesn’t feel right, start assessing who else you might be able to contact for assistance. Rather than trying to cope on your own, building good relationships and getting support can help you to overcome challenging circumstances and tough times. Seeking employment is no exception here.

Coming full-circle, at the end of our session, Tom understood the importance of social connections and realized that trying to do it all on his own wasn’t going to work. He identified a support network and was able to get the assistance and advice that he desperately needed. Now, he’s happily employed in customer service.

The post Tapping into Your Support Network is Key to Getting Your Next Job appeared first on SC Career Transition.

• Challenges faced when changing career
• Useful tips for anyone confronted with a career change
• Transferable skills
• Similarities (and differences) between the business world and the world of sport
• Transition from sport into a “normal” life

Listen to the interview LINK

 If you are interested in speaking to me about your own career challenge, feel free to email me at julie@sc-careertransition.com to set up a call.

The post Transition, Change and Career Reorientation (even for Sports Stars) appeared first on SC Career Transition.

But whether athletes achieve their dreams or not, when the Olympic flame is extinguished at the end of the games, the dying embers of the flame signify for many the start of a challenging journey into the unknown. And this is not just limited to Olympic athletes. For all professional athletes, whatever their sport and wherever they compete, they are all faced with similar concerns upon retirement from sport.

My own career journey took me away from sport into the corporate world, where I worked in human resources. I grew to understand the demands of the business world and spent many years supporting companies and their employees in their quest for excellence. But I never forgot the world of sport. Frequently I would read stories in the press of a former sporting star fallen on hard times. And I began to wonder how I could help.

Putting pen to paper, I started writing down what I knew about tough transitions and the world of employment. I used the information gathered from years of work, study, and research in order to produce a document that, I hope, will serve as a useful resource for people contemplating life after sport. This book combines the information gained from my own business experience, from my own tough career transition, from research in the fields of sports psychology and positive psychology as well as from many aspects of life and executive coaching to provide a framework to help athletes succeed in their life after sport.

Whether you are a professional athlete, uncertain of what the future holds, or already retired and seeking direction, this book will provide you with an excellent basis to start your search for meaning and purpose for life after sport. If you are a partner or spouse of an athlete, it will give you an overview of the concerns your partner may be facing and, if you are also unsure of your own future, it will provide concrete exercises to get you thinking about your own next goal.

Transition out of sport can be challenging. Advance preparation is very helpful. This book will serve as your stepping stone to life after sport. So start your journey of discovery now.

Career After Sport: Career Planning Guidance to Help You Move On is now available on Amazon.

The post Career After Sport: Career Planning Guidelines to Help You Move On appeared first on SC Career Transition.