How do I find out my options?
I am 37 years old British Citizen previously employed in the finance industry in Istanbul, Turkey as Head of Turkish Equities for an international brokerage firm. My wife is South African, and our goal is to relocate back to the UK, preferable in the vicinity of London.

It is not my wish to enter back into the finance industry. I would very much like to investigate where else I could utilize my experience and knowledge. Therefore, I would appreciate your feedback on how you could assist me.


Reply by Peter Fisher www.your-career-change.com

Thank you Attila for your question about a career change from Head of equities to something as yet undefined, but your question is 'How do I find out my options'?

You don't go into detail about your present role but I presume you have developed a number of highly transferable business skills.

I presume also that some of the elements of your role will include:

• Leveraging on existing licensing, channel and distribution capabilities or through the development of new businesses, channels and enhanced offerings, to build a best in class equities business and maximise profitability.
  
  
• Overseeing governance for equities business across segments and booking centres, including developing standards, policies and processes controlling the distribution of equities.
  
  
• Commissioning research to identify customer needs and competitive differentiation that will enable the delivery of strategic business goals.
  
  
• Supporting platform and product design and enhancement activity from the centre.
  
  
• Leading the interface with support functions to ensure the best possible product offering and end to end delivery.
  
  
• Ensuring adequate and appropriate systems, controls and compliance within the areas of your responsibility; directing remedial action and adequate reporting as well as directing capital expenditure for new systems infrastructure.
  
  
• Ensuring that the organisation structure and people programmes are appropriate for the delivery of plans and targets i.e. clear lines of command and control, delegation of authority etc;

Now, when you consider your Career Options, what you really must do is to take into account all of your career achievements because they are the tangible results that you brought about while carrying out your job role. They are not the same as duties or responsibilities that you performed that are listed in your job description. You need to be able to identify those extra things that you contributed which benefited or added value to the organization and take them into account because they are good pointers towards things you are good at which you may want to include in a future job role.

It is also very clear that not everyone has the same ambitions or motivations in work. Some people are very content to have a quiet, uneventful job, while others thrive on constant change and excitement. In short, we are all different, and our motivators are an “internal barometer” of who we are and what we want. To find out more about what motivates you I recommend you read this article I wrote to explain about Career Anchors which will help you to define exactly what 'turns you on' about work and so make it easier for you to decide what you want, or don't want, from your job or career.


The eight main career anchors are grouped as follows:

• Technical/Functional Competence
  
• General Management Competence
  
• Autonomy/Independence
  
• Security/Stability
  
• Entrepreneurial Creativity
  
• Service/Dedication to a Cause
  
• Pure Challenge
  
• Lifestyle

You might also use a free assessment test to help your thinking along:

Free Career Assessment Find out what careers would be a good fit for you. www.Assessment.com

You can only decide on your career options when you’ve thought about:

• exactly what you want
  
• what you really enjoy doing
  
• what you’re good at and want to continue doing
  
• what’s important to you
  
• and how all this affects those close to you.

You can get the answers to these questions from your skills analysis, your contributions and your values then your Career Options can become career reality!

My final point here is that you should identify the core components of a new role which matches your own requirements rather than trying to find an appropriate job title.

If you need some additional expert help with this task, my Career Development Programme is based on personally prepared information and support derived from my successful coaching programmes and seminars that individuals and corporations have paid £1000s to attend.

• Immediate access to carefully prepared materials including examples and templates to work from which guide you through the programme.
  
• I will coach you in how to talk about yourself, both in person and on paper.
  
• I will write your CV or Resume with your input and prepare cover letters for you. I will prepare interview questions and answers specifically for your career development needs.
  
• You control your own progress and work at your own pace through the Career Development Programme, moving on to the next step only when you are ready. At all times you are only a 'phone call away from immediate expert help.

You Will Be Coached In How To:

• Identify Your Unique Differentiators
  
• Talk Convincingly About Your Attributes
  
• Find And Contact People To Help You
  
• Write Your CV or Resume Professionally
  
• Write Interview Winning Cover Letters
  
• Set Up Your Job Search Campaign
  
• Answer Interview Questions Confidently

You can examine the Career Development Programme materials and try out the whole program as soon as you join, plus receive unlimited access to me as your own highly experienced Career Coach with a dedicated telephone number and exclusive email address to use whenever you need it.

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