Part Three is "research and review" time for the coachee, with a focus on building a network. The role of the coach during this time is primarily one of support and reassurance, as the coachee steps into their courage to lay the paths for their future.
It's time to build your network! Throughout weeks nine and ten, look for online conferences, networking events, mixers, and other ways to connect with people already in your desired field, potentially with similar positions to what you want or who would potentially hire you. Go to the conferences, webinars, etc. where these people are congregating to network and share knowledge.
Your goal is to reach out to these people to interview them: to learn more about how they got into that career, industry, or company. Speak with them not as someone to get you a job but as a fellow professional - ask about a day in their life, what problems they solve, and potentially ways that what they do is similar to what you already do or know from your own experience. Look for your strength matches and skill opportunities to see where you can be helpful to them.
It may be difficult to seek out these opportunities to talk, but it beats sending reworked resumes with no responses every time. As an added bonus, these conversations will give you insight into what working in that role, industry, or company can really be like.
That's okay! Start by researching the field to discover not the jobs but the people in the industry. LinkedIn and the Out in Tech Slack workspace are great places to start.
Focus your interviews and research on understanding your knowledge gaps. Identify what technical or certification-level skills you might need to acquire in order to feel confident seeking your desired role. Don't worry about experience gaps here! Focus on the knowledge that you can gain.
Focus your interviews and research on the unique challenges of entrepreneurship: how hard or easy it can be to need to have so many skills at once; how your personal life can be affected; how you might need to interact with different people in different capacities. Seek out incubators, working groups, etc. to find "birds of a feather" in a. highly competitive yet supportive environment.
Work with your coach to understand the types of connections that are right for you - networking isn't just for professional growth!
<aside> ⬅️ Return to Part 2: Finding Purpose and Direction
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<aside> ➡️ Continue to Part 4: Getting on with the Journey to...You!
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