There’s a point in everyone’s career where there’s a shift. You’ve accomplished a lot, gained a ton of experience, and achieved many of the goals you had set for yourself. Now what?
Whether it is for financial or personal reasons, you are not ready to stop working but your mindset has shifted. Retirement is in your sights and the pressure of achieving your goals melts away. All of a sudden, there are new possibilities; a new chapter to be written.
Reflecting on your career story provides clarity for what you want this next chapter to look like. Here’s how to create your career story!
What is a career story?
According to Oxford Languages, a story is an account of past events in someone’s life or in the evolution of something (noun). Other definitions include words like “narrative” or “plot” to capture the fact that stories are just not a list of events, but those that are woven together into a cohesive storyline that provides some level of entertainment.
So, if you extend this idea into a career story, what might that look like? It is a way to identify the key experiences and moments throughout your career, and then weaving them together to connect your past to your future in a compelling (but brief) narrative.
While a career story could be used for networking, the practice of creating one provides valuable space for reflection and insights that provide direction and support growth (even if you never share your story with anyone).
How to create your career story
1 | Reflect on your career journey so far.
Ultimately, creating your career story is a practice in self-reflection which can take many forms. Whether you prefer to capture your thoughts in writing (journaling) or in your mind (while walking, hiking, running, etc.), does not matter. Do what works best for you.
Here are some reflection questions to try:
- What were the key turning points, significant achievements or challenges you overcame?
- What have been the high points? Low points?
- What are you most proud of?
- When have you felt the most energized or alive in your career? Why was that?
- How would you define the “chapters” or stages of your career?
- What themes do you notice throughout your career?
- If your career story was in a library or bookstore, what genre would it be?
- How have you, as the main character, evolved?
- How have you stayed the same?
Pro Tip: Push yourself to go beyond how you “think” you should respond to these questions. Remember, no one needs to see your career story except you. The more honest you are with yourself, the greater clarity and direction it will provide you with.
2 | Dream about your future.
If a career story is designed to connect your past with your future, then you need to spend some time dreaming about what is next. This step is about exploration without judgement. Have you always dreamt about retiring early and sailing around the world but feel that is a silly idea? Don’t judge the dream. Acknowledge it and get curious about it.
Pro Tip: One way to think about this step is to consider the legacy you are and have been building throughout your career. Legacy refers to the lasting, meaningful impact you aim to leave on your industry, organization, colleagues, community, and more. Examples can include mentoring others, developing talent, leading innovation, and living your values.
Try these reflection questions to dream about your future:
- What does “success” look like for you in this season of life?
- What is left to accomplish that is important to you?
- What possibility keeps nudging at you, even when you try to ignore it?
- What is something you’d pursue if you trusted that you could figure things out along the way?
- If you followed your curiosity for the next year or two, where might it lead?
- What risks would you be willing to take in order to grow?
- If your career felt truly aligned with who you are, what would be different?
- What long-term impact would make you feel that your career truly mattered?
- How do you want to be remembered? By who?
3 | Draft your next chapter.
Next, it’s time to move your dreams toward reality by drafting the next chapter in your story. It is not an entirely new story; it is the continuation of your career story with you as the main character.
Use these reflection questions to create the first draft:
- What do you want to happen in this next chapter?
- What thread will you carry forward from the previous chapters?
- What challenges will you overcome?
- How will you feel?
- Based on all of your reflections so far, what must be a part of the next chapter?
- How have all your experiences so far prepared you for what’s next?
Pro Tip: It’s impossible to know the future and my best guess is that you are not a fortune teller. Try not to get stuck in the “what ifs”. Focus on setting an intention for how you want the next chapter to go, knowing that there are many things you can control and many that you cannot.
4 | Read your story from start to finish.
Whether you have written an actual narrative of your career or just held it in your mind, now is the moment where you read your story from start to finish. Imagine picking your career story off the shelf at the library, opening the cover, and diving in.
Notice how well connected the chapters are and how it makes you feel. If there are any inconsistencies or gaps, feel free to make edits.
5 | Outline actions.
Finally, in order to make your next chapter come to life, you will want to identify actions. Avoid overwhelm by keeping it as simple as possible. This could be setting a date with yourself in the near future to brainstorm next steps or scheduling time with a person you trust to talk about your next chapter. (Hint: This is where a career transition coach can be really helpful!)
The goal here is to not lose momentum now that you’ve invested the time to create your career story.
Bringing your career story to life
No one wants to approach the end of their career with regrets. Instead of wondering “what if”, you can say to yourself “I did it”. Don’t let your career happen to you. Take control and write your own career story.
If dreaming big feels a bit scary to you, I understand. Unearth Coaching & Consulting offers career transition coaching packages and single coaching sessions to support you in moving towards your next chapter. Contact me today to learn more and get started!
