Career Transitions
Scope
Covers
- Clarifying what “progress” means to you (beyond compensation) and using it as a decision rule
- Mapping your current situation into pushes (frictions) and pulls (attractions)
- Defining a motivating “genie goal” (what you’d do if success were guaranteed) and backcasting into near-term moves
- Turning vague ideas into 2–4 concrete target archetypes (roles/companies/paths) with clear fit filters
- Building an opportunity pipeline (network map + weekly outreach plan) and ready-to-send outreach scripts
- Creating a realistic 4–12 week experiment plan to de-risk the transition
When to use
- “I want to change careers / pivot roles but I’m not sure to what.”
- “Help me evaluate two career paths and pick one.”
- “I feel stuck; help me figure out what I actually want next and how to get there.”
- “I want a structured plan for a career transition, including networking/outreach scripts.”
When NOT to use
- You need clinical mental health support for burnout/anxiety/depression (seek professional support; this skill can complement, not replace it).
- You need legal advice (employment law, immigration/visa, contracts) or financial/tax planning.
- You only want a resume/LinkedIn rewrite with no decision/process work (use a resume-specific workflow instead).
- You are in an urgent workplace investigation/HR escalation where legal/process guidance is required.
Inputs
Minimum required
- Your current role/situation (title, scope, industry) and what’s prompting change
- Your constraints (location/remote, time, money/runway, family, visa, schedule)
- Your timeline (when you need a decision; when you could start something new)
- What you’re optimizing for (learning, autonomy, mission, stability, leadership, compensation, flexibility)
- 2–6 candidate directions you’re considering (even if vague) OR what you explicitly want to avoid
- Your current “assets” (skills, strengths, portfolio/work examples, network access)
Missing-info strategy
- Ask 3–5 questions at a time from references/INTAKE.md.
- If the user is unsure of targets, propose 2–3 plausible archetypes and label assumptions for the user to correct.
- If numbers are missing (runway/comp), proceed with ranges and decision thresholds.
- Never request confidential employer information; use redacted details.
Outputs (deliverables)
Produce a Career Transition Pack (Markdown in chat; or as files if requested) in this order:
- Current State + Constraints Snapshot (what’s true now; must-haves; timeline)
- Progress Metric + Push/Pull Map (what “progress” means; why now)
- Genie Goal + 10-Year Backcast (vision; 3-year waypoint; next 12 weeks)
- Target Archetypes + Fit Filters (2–4 options with “fit signals” and dealbreakers)
- Option Scorecard + Decision Rule (how you’ll choose; what evidence you need)
- Opportunity Pipeline Plan (network map, weekly outreach cadence, tracking)
- Skills & Proof Plan (gaps, learning sprints, portfolio/proof artifacts)
- Experiment Plan (4–12 weeks) (tests to run; sequencing; sabbatical/bridge option if relevant)
- Risks / Open questions / Next steps (always)
Templates: references/TEMPLATES.md Expanded guidance: references/WORKFLOW.md
Workflow (8 steps)
1) Intake + current state snapshot
- Inputs: user context; references/INTAKE.md.
- Actions: Capture the current role, what’s driving the change, constraints, and decision timeline. Identify what must remain true (e.g., location, comp floor, hours, mission).
- Outputs: Current State + Constraints Snapshot + assumptions/unknowns list.
- Checks: Constraints are explicit; timeline has dates; unknowns are listed.
2) Define progress metric + push/pull map
- Inputs: frustrations and attractions; desired learning; values.
- Actions: Translate “I want a change” into: (a) a progress metric (what you want more/less of), (b) a push/pull map, and (c) what you refuse to repeat.
- Outputs: Progress Metric + Push/Pull Map.
- Checks: Progress metric is measurable/observable; pushes and pulls are not contradictory.
3) Create a motivating north-star (genie goal) + backcast
- Inputs: aspiration; risk tolerance; constraints.
- Actions: Use the “genie” prompt to surface the most compelling path if success were guaranteed. Backcast to define a 10-year picture, a 3-year waypoint, and the next 12 weeks.
- Outputs: Genie Goal + 10-Year Backcast.
- Checks: Backcast produces concrete near-term moves (not just vision).
4) Generate 2–4 target archetypes + fit filters
- Inputs: progress metric; backcast; constraints.
- Actions: Turn the vision into 2–4 target archetypes (role + environment). Define fit filters: culture/people fit, learning, autonomy, trust, pace, stability, mission, comp.
- Outputs: Target Archetypes + Fit Filters.
- Checks: Each archetype has clear “fit signals” and “no-go” signals.
5) Build an option scorecard + decision rule
- Inputs: archetypes; priorities; constraints.
- Actions: Create a lightweight scorecard (weighted criteria) and a decision rule (what evidence is required to choose). Identify the 3–6 biggest unknowns and how to resolve them.
- Outputs: Option Scorecard + Decision Rule.
- Checks: Criteria map to progress metric; weights reflect priorities; unknowns have a plan.
6) Build an opportunity pipeline (network + serendipity plan)
- Inputs: existing network; target archetypes; time available weekly.
- Actions: Build a list of people/communities to engage, a weekly outreach cadence, and a tracking system. Draft outreach scripts (informational interview, referral, follow-up).
- Outputs: Opportunity Pipeline Plan + outreach scripts.
- Checks: Pipeline has weekly targets (e.g., 3 outreach messages/week); next 7 days are scheduled.
7) Skills & proof plan (learning sprints + portfolio)
- Inputs: target archetypes; current assets; gaps.
- Actions: Identify the 3–5 highest-leverage gaps and design learning sprints. Define proof artifacts (project, write-up, demo, case study) that signal capability.
- Outputs: Skills & Proof Plan.
- Checks: Each gap has a concrete proof artifact; plan fits time/runway.
8) Quality gate + finalize the 4–12 week experiment plan
- Inputs: full draft pack.
- Actions: Turn unknowns into a sequenced experiment plan (informational interviews, shadowing, mini-projects, internal transfer, sabbatical/bridge proposal). Run references/CHECKLISTS.md and score with references/RUBRIC.md. Add Risks / Open questions / Next steps.
- Outputs: Final Career Transition Pack.
- Checks: The next 2 weeks have scheduled actions; risks and unknowns are explicit; decision rule is clear.
Quality gate (required)
- Use references/CHECKLISTS.md and references/RUBRIC.md.
- Always include: Risks, Open questions, Next steps.
Examples
Example 1 (pivot with constraints): “I’m a PM considering a move into product marketing or developer relations. I have 10 hours/week and need to stay remote. Use career-transitions to create a Career Transition Pack with an option scorecard and a 6-week experiment plan.” Expected: archetypes + scorecard + outreach/scripts + experiment plan.
Example 2 (stay vs go): “I’m feeling stuck at my current company. I’m not sure whether to ask for a 3-month sabbatical, transfer internally, or leave. Use career-transitions to help me decide and draft a sabbatical/bridge proposal.” Expected: push/pull + progress metric + decision rule + sabbatical proposal + next steps.
Boundary example: “Tell me whether I should quit tomorrow and move countries on a visa without any plan.” Response: out of scope for legal/immigration advice; recommend professional support and a safer decision process; offer to help build a plan once constraints are clarified.