“WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?” The Key Question for Those in Transition.

Last night I watched “Zero Dark Thirty”, a movie focused on the story around the take down of Osama bin Laden.

One of the final scenes shows the heroin character boarding an empty cargo aircraft, seemingly soon after mission complete. She looks a bit dazed by the recent chain of events - events that appear to place a capstone on an entire career’s work.

Upon boarding, a flight crew member says she can sit anywhere she’d like, since there is no cargo and she is the only passenger. He then comments something to the effect “You must be very important to have this aircraft all to yourself”. This simple comment highlights that career transition can be a lonely time - but more on that in another post …

He then asks the magic question – “Where do you want to go?” She looked thoroughly lost and had no words in reply.

As I watched this scene it struck me that this is THE question for people in career transition.

Military or not, life-long career or just starting out, transitioning by your choice or others’, this question is critical to what happens next, how you approach your transition, and ultimately where you land.

Many people simply don’t think about this question, its answer, or its impact on their future.

Oftentimes people focus on the technical, tactical stuff (resume, social media presence, etc.), which is all important, but they never invest the time, thought, or effort to truly define “where they want to go”.

At Kieffer & Associates I have developed a “Six Step Framework” to help people answer this question.

This framework first helps you Assess & Define:

· what you bring to the table

· how you define success

· the transition environment you face

Next, it helps you:

· decide if/where any gaps exist

· plan and act on the most appropriate means to close gaps and optimize your transition/job search

Whether you are in transition now, are transitioning in the future, or have made the transition and are looking to plan your next step, I can help.

Please contact me via my website (https://www.kieffer-associates.com/) or on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamkieffer/)