A sportscaster e-mailed me to share he was facing one of the biggest challenges in his career. He asked, “How do I know what the right next step is for me? I know I’ll be successful at higher levels but I earn a great salary here and I’ve set down roots.”
Prioritize three considerations to determine the next step in your career: career, finances and family.
1. Career
Study the career paths of people who are already where you want to be. Granted, people have variations in their paths. Generally, though, you’ll find there are three or four roads for how someone goes from entry level to a major market or a network job. Study those paths to determine what your next step needs to be.
One thing to consider when planning your next step is how well your next employer will be able to sell you to their audience. If you are applying to be the voice of the New York Yankees yet all you’ve done is American Legion ball in McPherson, Kansas, it doesn’t matter if you’re the next John Sterling. It’s going to be impossible for the Yankees to sell to their fans that their next voice was doing Legion ball in Kansas.
You’re not ready for that step if the next employer for whom you want to work will not be able to market you to their fan base.
2. Finances
Financial considerations become more important when you get married and later start a family. You can’t always take a career advancing job if it means you can’t support your family as comfortably as you do now.
Also remember that it costs different amounts of money to live in various parts of the country. San Francisco might be the most expensive place to live in the U.S., but other top 20 markets are more affordable. Use an online cost of living calculator to compare your potential new salary to your current income.
3. Family
You may have a spouse who wants to live close to their parents. Or you might not want to take older kids away from their friends. If your kids are younger, say six years old or less, then it’s easier to relocate because it’s easier for them to make new friends. If your kids are in middle school or high school, new friendships become more difficult.
Prioritize career, financial and family to help you choose the next step in your career.
