Did you know that while 41 percent of Americans make a New Year’s resolution, only 9 percent feel they are successful in meeting their goals? New Year’s Eve is a prime time to define the changes you want to make in the new year, but if you haven’t gotten around to acting on your resolutions, it’s never too late to get started!
If one of your resolutions was to improve professionally, take the first step by reevaluating you career path. Answer these questions to help you analyze your current position and achieve real career satisfaction and success in 2017!
1. Why Do You Want to Change?
Think about what it is in your current role that you want to change. Truly identify the aspects you enjoy about your current work, as well as aspects you could do without. This may help you discover the root of your desire to change -- be it your boss, your job description, your schedule or your commute. From there, you’ll have a better idea as to whether the reason is rooted in job dissatisfaction or something much bigger, like the need to change career paths. We find many successful Farm Bureau Financial Services agents come from a broad range of backgrounds and industries and are ready to make a career change into insurance industry because of the following:
- Feeling bored and stuck in current position
- Feeling undervalued
- Feeling micromanaged
- Feeling unfulfilled
- Feeling limited opportunity for growth
2. What Kind of Work Do You Want to Do?
Taking an internal audit of what you’d like to be doing on a daily basis can be an excellent place to start your job search. Even if your current role isn’t a perfect match for your future career aspirations, there are likely tasks or responsibilities you enjoy more than others. This is your chance to dream up a position that merges together your personal and professional goals. Does it match with what Farm Bureau agents enjoy doing every day?
- Working with different kinds of people
- Helping friends and neighbors
- Building a more flexible schedule
- Having support without feeling micromanaged
- Being rewarded for hard work and success
- Being seen as a leader within the community
3. What Are Your Transferrable Skills?
Go beyond job-specific skills. What skills or capabilities could you transfer to another job or industry? A successful car salesperson likely possesses excellent people skills, high energy and sales experience that would also make him or her and a good candidate to sell insurance, for example. Strip your role down from the specific to the general as you make a list of transferable skills that qualify you for a variety of positions. Transferable skills that apply to Farm Bureau candidates include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Having organizational skills
- Having business knowledge and acumen
- Having strong communication skills
- Having computer skills
- Possessing the ability to teach others
- Being coachable
- Demonstrating the ability to get initiatives off the ground
4. What Are You Interested In?
You are much more likely to enjoy going to work each day when it pertains to something you are genuinely interested in. When you are truly invested in a cause, organization or hobby, your passions and interests can inadvertently drive success. Is it a local charity? Your favorite sports team? How about your family? You may be surprised that a career in insurance sales allows you the freedom and flexibility to leverage these passions as you build your own business. Our agents are more than just insurance agents -- they are Little League coaches, small group leaders, PTA members, and so much more.
5. What Are Your Core Values?
Values are the principles and beliefs that are important to you, and they affect all aspects of your life, including your work. Aligning your values with those of your workplace should be one of the most important aspects of your job hunt. Knowing which work values are most important to you will help you make decisions about what jobs or career paths suit you best. Do these Farm Bureau values ring true for you?
- Doing good
- Making a difference
- Impacting lives
- Building relationships
- Continuing your education
- Being recognized and rewarded for hard work
Where do you envision yourself in 2017? If you’re ready to start the journey toward a rewarding career, now is the perfect time to talk to Farm Bureau about how we can help you meet and exceed your goals for the coming year. Click ‘Get Started’ to begin the conversation today.