CAREERS NOW 08-06-08

Career Change: a Coat of Many Colors

DEAR JOYCE: I read a recent article about the promise for people changing careers at midlife. Based on an interview with an author of a new book who interviewed career changers over 40, reinventing yourself seems doable. What's been your experience with career-changing readers over the years? - B.E.

Sure, a successful voluntary career change in midlife is possible but hasn't been common. If it were, there wouldn't be a market for inspirational books and articles written about career changers.

The two biggest reasons why career changes fail are money and work issues. Despite a head of enthusiasm going in, the financial rewards often come up short of anticipations of bringing in enough cash to pay for the house mortgage, two cars, kids, costly colleges and aging parents who need a little help.

Greener pastures sometimes bleach out when something about the work isn't what the changer realistically expected - or can do well. The disappointment often is a result of skimpy research.

To avoid changer's remorse, write out a personal values checklist of what you want to accomplish with a change: adventure, serenity, security, a fortune in pay, status symbols, having more say-so in deciding how you will do your work, more time to yourself or family, becoming your own boss, helping others? Do you want to be remembered for your time on this earth, making your life count for self, family, others or posterity? What?

The book you mention is "You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife" by Dr. Nancy Irwin, who was in her early 40s when she changed her career from stand-up comedy to psychotherapy.

When a career change is involuntary and your career is leaving you, get a nut-and-bolts view of what you face in another new book, "The Career Coward's Guide to Changing Careers: Sensible Strategies for Overcoming Job Search Fears," by Katy Piotrowski, a seasoned career counselor in private practice in Colorado.

DEAR JOYCE: Currently the communications director for a medium-size nonprofit organization, I'm not happy at work for a number of reasons. Briefly, I'm surrounded by chaos and often held responsible for problems beyond my control and for the actions of people over whom I have no real authority. Changing jobs in this market isn't my first choice. Suggestions? -- No Initials Please.

Don't immediately change jobs. Instead, mend and grow. That's the word from Dr. Henry Cloud, a renowned psychologist and coauthor of the mega best-seller "Boundaries." He has just come out with a new book that applies his lack-of-boundaries concept to the workplace: "Boundaries provide the structure to your character that will make everything else work."

In "The One-Life Solution: Reclaim Your Personal Life While Achieving Greater Professional Success" (Collins Business), Dr. Cloud argues that frazzled and fragmented, stressed-out and unable-to-cope people like you can help yourselves. The secret: Change your attitude about integrating work and life outside work.

"The integration I prefer is not about balancing the space and time boundaries of work and life themselves but the integration for the person who is doing both of those - you," Dr. Cloud writes.

"Balance will be a fruit of your boundaries that will integrate your personality. Then you will not feel torn between many lives and many different people, but you will be one person, one life, with many different parts - none of them able to pull you apart from the others," the author promises.

This workplace-focused life management guidebook also offers smart advice for ending relationships and situations that are counterproductive or toxic to everyday goals. That alone makes it worth the read. More? Visit www.drcloud.com.

P.S. Your letter reminds me of the tart old observation: "The public relations pro is the one called in at the last minute to take the blame."

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