Today is commencement at UMass Boston, where thousands of undergraduates and graduates will fulfill one chapter of their journey and begin another.  For many of them, they worry about “what they want to do with the rest of their life.”  The reality is, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 1978 to 2010, individual’s average just more than 11 jobs between ages 18 and 46.  While BLS doesn’t capture statistics on career changes, anecdotal information points to a high likelihood that these job changes reflect at least one career shift.

 

My own career is an example of this.  I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Restaurant and Institutional Management.  My first three jobs were in operations within hotels.  I then decided that I wanted to make the career change to Human Resources, and was afforded that opportunity within the hotel I worked for.  After a promotion to another hotel within the chain (and a decade within the industry), I decided that I wanted to change industries.  I had the privilege of honing my HR skills in a call center operation, an IT consulting firm, Insurance, and Construction Management.  Through these experiences I was able to realize that what I am passionate about is helping others to realize their fullest potential.  I am fortunate to be in a position where I am able to do this work with rising professionals across our region.

 

One of the things that I share with those that I coach is to embrace change, to seize opportunities that will stretch them beyond their comfort zone.  Whether these come packaged as a job or career change or not, one thing is for sure – the individual will change.  By experiencing and reflecting on these challenges, they become more aware of who they are, what is important to them, and what they are passionate about.