Blog Post 8: Want to change careers? Here’s how to start.
The first thing you need to know is that you’re not alone in wanting to change careers!
A recent study found that up to 70% of the workforce are looking for a change in career, and 30% of the workforce change jobs every 12 months!
Change is the only constant in life, and that includes our career paths.
Many of us find ourselves at crossroads, yearning for a change in our professional lives but feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of where to begin.
Whether you’re stuck in a job that no longer brings you joy or you’re seeking a more fulfilling career that aligns with your passions, values and family needs, embarking on a career change can be both exciting and daunting.
In this blog post, I will explore the common struggles of wanting to change careers without knowing where to start and provide practical steps to help you find your path to a more fulfilling career and future.
1. Self-Reflection
Before diving headfirst into a new career direction, you MUST take the time for introspection.
Going straight to search the job boards in the hope that you will magically discover your dream role does not work. It will likely just overwhelm you and leave you even more confused about what you want to do next.
It is so important to look at yourself and your life holistically, and take stock of where you’ve been, the skills you’ve developed, as well as where and who you are now.
You need to reflect on your interests, values and strengths. Consider your passions and hobbies outside of work, as they might hold clues to potential new career paths.
Ask yourself what truly makes you happy and fulfilled in a work environment. I always encourage my clients to assess what their desires and deal breakers are for their next role.
2. Skill Assessment and Development
It is essential to assess your existing skills, understand what your transferable skills are and importantly, know what your motivational skills are (which are skills that you are good at AND that you enjoy doing).
While the idea of starting from scratch in a new career can be daunting, remember that you have developed valuable transferable skills throughout your life already. Effective communication, leadership, problem-solving, and time management are just a few examples of skills that are applicable across various industries.
It is essential that you know what your transferable skills are, and be able to articulate clearly how you can leverage those skills in a new field.
It is also important to identify any gaps between your current skills and the possible requirements for your desired career change. And if there are skill gaps, don’t worry! There are so many courses, certifications and workshops out there to help develop many skills.
Upskilling not only enhances your marketability but also boosts your confidence during a career transition.
Also, two of the top desired skills that an employer looks for are adaptability and learning. The reason being that you can teach someone about an industry. You can teach someone how to perform a certain work function. But you cannot teach passion and motivation.
Your passion and motivation is everything.
Everything else can be taught. Remember that.
3. Idea Generation, Research and Exploration
Once you have a clearer understanding of your interests, values, strengths and skills, begin researching various industries and job roles that align with them. But don’t just research using Google. You also need to get out there, in the ‘real world’ to truly understand what work in that industry or role might look like in reality.
This is where I work with my clients to design what I call Career Experiments where they can test out a potential career path in the real world.
One example of a Career Experiment that I design with my clients is to have several informational interviews, and together we strategize on who would be the best people to have these with, and how to arrange them.
Informational interviews are essentially meaningful conversation with someone in an area that you might be interested in working in.
I usually have my clients arrange and attend several of these conversations to gain a deeper understanding of the career path that they might be interested in and gain valuable advice from those who have already navigated a career, or even a career change, in a similar field.
They also provide an amazing way to network and often allow my clients to discover further opportunities and possibilities that they hadn’t previously thought of.
4. Hire a Career Coach
A Career Coach can help you identify the right career path for you, and then work with you to create a targeted job search strategy and action plan to help you land your dream role. A good Career Coach can also help you with all of your self-marketing materials such as your Resume, Cover Letter and professional social media profile (eg. LinkedIn) so that you can put your best foot forward and stand out among the crowd of candidates.
5. Mindset it EVERYTHING
Changing careers is rarely an overnight process. It requires my 3 P’s - Patience, Persistence and Positivity.
I always work on mindset with my clients because having self-confidence and being open-minded are two essential attributes to have when exploring a potential career change.
So many Mums I see struggle with self-confidence. This is compounded by the fact that many have stepped away from the paid workforce, at least for a few months, while their children are young, and when they return to the workforce, the landscape has changed dramatically, and so have they and their priorities.
Ultimately, the desire to change careers is a courageous step towards personal and professional growth. With determination and an open mind, you can navigate the uncertainties and uncover a fulfilling and rewarding career that lights up your future. Embrace the change, and you'll be one step closer to the career you've always dreamed of!
