Last week, Andrew Rand and David Ringwood offered a webinar that took us through three key things to consider when making a career transition. Given the tight labor market – and the pressure people may be feeling to go where the grass is greener – it’s certainly a timely topic. Miss the broadcast? Fear not! Here are a few ways to catch up:
- Catch up quick with the 1-minute webinar
- Get your key takeaways to go with the Career Transitions Coaching Crib Sheet
- Read a full synopsis of the webinar here
- See it for yourself! Watch the full webinar on-demand here
Drew and David fielded a number of questions throughout the broadcast, and had a few more to catch up on after we wrapped – see their answers below.
More questions about career transitions? Curious about the Career & Motivation Report, powered by the IDI? Get in touch any time.
Q&A with the Experts
Q: Can you say if you have noticed any significant differences between generations relating to life work balance in career choices/transitions?
We have seen through separate research on motivation how generations differ in their expectations and aspirations. Inevitably this will influence what they are asking from their work role and environment versus what they can experience in other aspects of their life, so there is something to this. I think that looking at our research on generational differences will in part answer this question. – David Ringwood
Q: Is there a relation between an inclusive culture and the IDI dimension Belonging (high/low)?
Certainly, especially across a population. People have quite varied expectations and when the populations tends towards stronger preference for mutual support, emotional and interpersonal closeness, then it’s fair to say that this is likely to drive an inclusive culture. Those who fall outside this group norm might feel less at one with the culture, or might appreciate a culture where allowances are made for those who prefer greater interpersonal or emotional distance, and where these preferences are not misunderstood. It is important to differentiate between motivation and behaviour though; even more introverted people might demonstrate extroverted behaviour in order to “fit in”, even if it’s not their natural preference. – David Ringwood
Q: When asked, you stated that the IDI can be used with younger populations (for example, high school or college students). The only question regarding age maybe more related to reading comprehension level vs. age, correct?
When it comes to using the IDI with individuals who are younger (e.g., high school or college aged), while it is a possibility that reading comprehension may play a small role, I don’t believe it is significant enough to avoid using the assessment. Wording throughout the assessment is not so advanced that a high school or college aged individual wouldn’t be able to objectively comprehend its meaning.
I think what’s more important to be alert to is emotional comprehension. That is, have younger individuals had enough of an opportunity to experience their own motivations and emotions to understand the potential behavioral and emotional consequences of them. As an example, when you debrief the IDI with a 45 year old and use examples to explain the motivations (i.e., IDI Dimensions) they often use experiences in their life to understand the consequences of the motivation. Younger individuals don’t have as much experience and thus sometimes have a more difficult time grasping the consequences of the motivators. In my experience, the IDI lands with them slightly differently because of this. Being aware that you may need to explain the motivators more thoroughly or the consequence of having a particular motivator is important toward using the IDI successfully with younger individuals. – Andrew Rand
