Unlike our parents generation, the average person will have 12-15 jobs in their lifetime.
It’s not uncommon to wake up and realise you’re no longer happy in your work life, and you’re ready for a career change. But it’s also difficult to know just where to start.
Here are some tips to make your career change go smoothly, so you can feel fulfilled and happy at work:
Get Educated
When it’s time to change careers, ignorance sure isn’t bliss. Before you commit to changing your career, you need to do your due diligence. That means getting online, talking with people in the industry and more. Don’t be afraid to get some help- if you’re looking for a legal job you can use a legal recruitment agency to help you get started and successfully make the switch. If your passion and goal is to be able to find a software engineering job, getting the right skills and qualifications relevant to it is imperative.
Show Fear the Door
Fear isn’t a bad thing, in fact it’s natural if you’re thinking about a big life change. Your brain hates change and sees it as a threat, which is why so many people stay in jobs they hate for their whole lives. But in order to change careers, you need to be able to conquer this fear. It’s also worth considering an online MBA in finance if you’re wanting to change to the financial field.
Make a list of all of the career-related fears you have. For example, you may worry that it will be too expensive to change careers. Next, turn each of those fears into an actionable, “how” question. E.g. “How can I pay for this career change?”
Once these fears are actionable problems, you can break them down into achievable chunks.
Release the Pressure
Often we get so wrapped up in “following our passions” or “finding our true calling” that we can stagnate and have no idea what we really want to do. But the traits that make people love their jobs can often be found in a variety of career paths.
Research shows that the things that make us happy include creativity, autonomy, a sense of mastery and impact, and recognition and respect for your abilities. Once you realise that these traits can be found in many different fields, the search for a new career will be less paralyzing.
Take it slowly
Running a marathon doesn’t start with running 10k. Instead, training often begins in 1-minute increments of jogging. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea to making a big change, focus on smaller steps instead. What can you do today to reach your goals? Do you need to arrange for some training? Maybe you need to look up that old friend who works in the field? Take it day-by-day, and you’ll feel more confident and in control.
Are you thinking about making a career change? Let me know in the comments below!