Setting up for a Good Transition into Work
Suitable for people transiting into the workforce or has just transited
Whether you have just graduated into the workforce (or are about to), or are wondering what to do with this newfound identity, we are here to share some tips with you!
At Bold At Work, we know what it is like to aspire to lead a purposeful work-life and yet feel daunted by the demands of adulting. That’s why, as part of World Mental Health awareness month, we partnered with YMCA in curating a JuraSEEK life goals gamified workshop.
Part of the goal of the workshop was to support YMCA’s efforts in normalising conversations that revolve around the stressors that accompany school to work transition. It was also for us to solicit peer-led advice from fellow youths who were also in the midst of setting themselves up for a good work life.
Through the stories gleaned throughout the workshop, we discovered that there was no set way or fixed check-list in building toward a good, healthy work-life. In fact, there were multiple unique ‘strategies’, of which we summarised three for you to ponder.
How often have we been inundated by the need to get it right? Surrounded by success stories that seemed to pride those who had it all-figured-out? Or the prevalent ‘IKIGAI’ concept that seemed to guide you towards finding that one purpose of your life that will save you from anxiety? The truth really is that there is no magic bullet that will save us from facing this transition. Instead, what we could do is to scour for clues aligned with what matters to us as we gear up to welcome this changing context.
“ “ … I thought I only had one life goal, but figured out others through the game.””
At the recent workshop, each participant had to make decisions based on their resources and context. With different choices, different outcomes were played out. With each new turn, new decisions had to be made, but with wiser understanding of what mattered to them. They soon realised that it was not so much having to figure out the goals but it was knowing their priorities and constraints in that moment that kept them moving towards uncovering possibilities. So don’t stress the next time you hear someone ask you what your career goals are. Trust that your next career decision is based on the most informed priorities at your current stage of life.
Beyond priorities, we can also expand one’s understanding of the varied domains of life- family, community, personal development, work, finances and health. With every JuraSEEK exploration, an unveiling of the life goals you had chosen would reveal a pattern of the default domains you tend to focus on in life.
In the recent workshop, some youths never seemed to have considered that life goals can come from domains beyond work and finance. With that, multiple youths expressed concern about the need to make sacrifices and “uncomfortable compromises with other life priorities once work starts”. For instance, one showed concern about finding a career path which brings satisfaction whilst having sufficient time for family.
What helped them figure this tension at the end was the reframing of work as a means to their larger ends. Work need not be a goal, or the sole goal. With that, how do you choose from the types of career made available to you? What skills would you like to start investing in so that you can be more effective in managing work tasks and free up time for other priorities in your life?
How do we begin once we have sorted our priorities and reframed work as a means to an end? This was one of the most sought after questions during the session. Youth mentioned that they wished to be guided on how to achieve their goals, citing the lack of confidence in their ability despite the new found awareness.
Here we like to share that the next steps are not rocket science. Breakdown your goals into baby steps you can take to inch a step closer towards it. For instance, if your goal is to build a career that allows you to prioritize family time, then perhaps you could start by:
Speaking to someone whom you respect that has exemplified that and ask for tips that has worked for him/her
Illustrate in detail how would quality family time look like to you, be clear so that you can communicate why, what and how this matters to future interviewers
Make a list of jobs that have shown to have prioritised family time, imagine yourselves in such roles and ask yourself how would you feel?
School to work transitions are never easy. Give yourself the time and space to work through the resistance you may be feeling. Acknowledge them, be surrounded by peers who may either have gone through the process or are going through this to find support. If you need additional support and would like to be immersed with a group of career and life designers at Bold At Work, drop us a note at hello@boldatwork.sg today!