I want to use my teaching skills but don't know what my options are

ShiftDoctor answer

By Richard Butler on 21 June 2007 at 22:25

During the time you have spent in your current job you've identified some of what you like and dislike. What I believe is the next step is for you is to explore in much greater depth what it is about training people that really satisfies you and offers you the best option for your future. First off spend time putting down the situations when you have been most satisfied and establish a list of skills, use all the work experience you've ever had where these skills have been evident. You could ask the people you train just what they feel is your real skill. Once you have created this as a kind of documented work history, you can use it to discuss with people which way forward you could take - coaching, counselling, training and teaching are just a few of the possibilities which you could explore through discussions with a suitable network of knowledgeable contacts.

This network can start with your current workplace, the training that you design will be based on product information - use the people who provide this to learn more about how they do it, talk to customers and suppliers in your industry involved in training and consider all the contacts you've made over the years that could help to open a door - although chemistry isn't your thing now it could provide useful insights to help you learn about training type possibilities.

People are always very interested in talking about themselves and how they got to do their job, find some of these people through your friends and work colleagues make a contract with yourself to meet at least three people every week, ask each one to give you two more contacts who could help you on your journey and soon you will have gained many years knowledge and experience in the space of a few weeks.

Set yourself clear goals e.g. after four weeks have 20 contact meetings arranged to discuss your achievements and get feedback from them on future possible roles, research library sources, internet etc for sources of information.

To keep motivated, find a friend who really knows you to be your mentor, use them as a sounding board and see whether they think you are getting nearer to achieving your goal, get them to challenge you to do things quickly at every meeting have a clear focus that it will help to get you nearer to your career goal.

As a target for this week commit to finding the person you want to be your mentor and set-up a meeting with them to discuss this response with them and ask them precisely what you'd like them to help you with.