Changing your career

Are you dissatisfied with your job? Is there something else you’d rather be doing? If the answer to both of those questions is ‘yes’ and if you feel stuck in a rut, overwhelmed or have simply had enough, then maybe it’s time to think about changing your career.

How often have you heard it said that there are no longer any jobs for life? The good news for you, if you are thinking of changing direction, is that, with employment more fluid, employers today are far more likely to be sympathetic to your desire to do something new and different. A varied background in diverse fields of employment is less likely to get you branded as unstable and flaky. Rather, your varied skills and obvious adaptability are qualities to be prized by the discerning employer. Think about the ways in which your skills, abilities and experiences can be applied in your new choice of career and be prepared to argue your case.

A change of career is often about greater salary expectations, but this is by no means always the case. Many career changers are willing to take a cut in earnings in exchange for greater job satisfaction. You only get one life and you spend a huge proportion of it at work – you may as well actually enjoy what you do.

Know yourself

Before you take that leap into the great unknown, remember that there are many different styles of working and it may not be necessary for you to opt for a totally different career to achieve job satisfaction. Perhaps the problem is not with the work itself, but rather with your work environment. For example If your job is highly stressful, you may want to consider getting out of the fast lane, slowing down and voluntarily opting for a simpler lifestyle. Often any reduction in earnings will be offset by peace of mind gained. Or consider working part time or freelancing, or a combination of the two. If you are happy with your current organisation and your employer is open to the idea, a lateral move could provide the answer. This way, you keep your work environment, benefits and relationships with colleagues – the difference is in the work that you do.

Once you are certain it is a wholly new career that you are after, take time to think about where it is you are and where it is you want to be. Don’t allow yourself to be put off by the doubters, those who suggest, for example, that you have left it too late in life to make such a move.

Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and understand your personal and domestic situation: any career decisions you come to should be strongly grounded in reality. Be clear about your aims and objectives and constantly review your progress towards them.

Keep up to date with changes in your work and use your knowledge as a springboard for further development. Even if you are planning on switching to a wholly new career path, a positive attitude to your current work situation should be important to you and will be important for potential employers in your new field. Many of the skills you develop will have some relevance to any new career.

Make sure that the people around you recognise both your achievements and your potential and encourage others to act as your advocates. Learn to recognise excellence and incorporate this knowledge into the standards that you set for yourself and others.

Examine your interests, values, skills, personality and ideal work environment to build up a detailed profile of who you are and of what you need and desire in the workplace. You can then begin to focus on career options which will utilise your abilities and complement your personal style.

Explore your options

Take time to explore all the career options of interest to you and make sure you focus on the facts about careers and occupations, and not just on your emotional reactions. Examine your own views about certain careers or industries: are your opinions of some based on negative stereotypes and do you tend to glamorise others? You should base your career decision on reality – who you are, what the job offers and demands, and the labour market.

Once you have combined a knowledge of your work needs and desires with information on careers, you can focus on specific career options to explore.

Sources of career information include career/industry information in books or periodicals – visit your local library – and electronic sources (the Internet, CD-ROMs, and databases such as Dialog). Find out if there are any professional bodies or societies associated with your chosen career as they often publish relevant material. Speak to people who are knowledgeable about your target field, someone who is already doing the job you would like will be ideally placed to tell you what it really entails and help you decide if it really is what you want to do.

Find out whether achieving your career goals will involve retraining, and if it does, what the nature of that would be. Think of the financial implications and weigh them against your future earning potential and job satisfaction.

Anticipate how the transition will impact on your life. If you have a partner and/or dependants, how do they feel about it? You will need all the support you can get.

Try to make the change gradually – if you have a job, don’t give it up right away, test the water first if you can. In some cases you might be able to work as a volunteer first to find out if it is really what you want to do. This will give you vital experience and demonstrate your commitment to potential employers.

You will probably worry about whether or not it is the ‘right time’ but timing is never going to be perfect. There will always be obstacles in your way so the sooner you start thinking through all the implications, the sooner you can reach your goal. Set yourself targets but don’t despair if you miss them, instead take a step back, work out why things didn’t go according to plan and set the goalposts at a more realistic distance.

Changing your career is more than just an intellectual exercise; you are bound to experience a range of emotions, both positive and negative. No matter how much you have looked forward to and planned this change, you are likely to feel uncertain at times if your decision has been the right one. Anticipate feeling these emotions, be ready to let go of the past and look forward to the future, and you will be better able to handle the transition.

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