It can be stressful to change careers. The awareness that you are on the wrong track comes first. It’s easy to sense this. That’s not enough to change tracks though. You need to answer the most critical question: If not this, then what?
It is a life altering decision and there is a lot at stake regardless of the stage of your life you’re in - whether you’re a college student who’s realized that you want to study or work in a field that’s not related to your degree, or you’re a professional who’s realized that the career you’ve chosen is not the right one for you.
Making such a change is not easy and should never be done in a hurry. There can be a lot at risk and you should consider various factors before you decide. You would need to make a carefully laid out plan detailing the whole process of making the change. Consider the suggestions below:
Reasons for wanting a change
The first factor that one should consider before deciding to change a career is the causes due to which you wish to change your career. You should never make a career change until and unless the reasons are significant enough.
The basic motivation for wanting a career change comes from being unhappy. Consider the following questions:
* What is it that makes you unhappy about your present career?
* Is the thing that makes you unhappy something that will always be a part of this career?
* Is it possible that you are unhappy only with the job and not the career?
* Why do you think you’ll be happier in another career? Do you have any career/s in mind?
If you feel that you’re genuinely unhappy and do not wish to pursue your current career any further, figure out your reasons for being unhappy. If the reasons are significant such as you don’t have any interest in this field or if you feel that your skill set can be better utilized in a different career, then look for other options. However, if your reasons for wanting to change are trivial and related to your job, such as remuneration or workload, then you might want to consider changing your job rather than wanting to change your career.
Exploring Alternatives
Make a list of careers in your mind that you would like to pursue after you change your current career. With regards to each career option that you have in mind, ask yourself the following questions:
* Not every career would be ideal. Is this the right career option for your personality type?
* Can you deal with the demands and lifestyle of this career?
* How are the future prospects?
* Do you possess the skills/knowledge or experience required for this career?
* Will you need to pursue additional education to join the career?
Research
You don’t want to jump from one wrong choice to another. Find out as much as you can about you alternative(s). Apart from just looking up on the internet, meet as many professionals as you can who are related to this field. Use your personal contacts as well as interact with people you’re not familiar with (through LinkedIn etc.). Ask them about the positives and negatives of the career. Ask them about the kind of lifestyles they lead. Try and gain an insight into the skills and knowledge required to enter and excel in the career. If possible, tell them about yourself and take suggestions as to what they feel about your suitability for the career.
Test Alternatives
Meeting professionals isn’t enough. To gain a deeper insight, look up for new job offers in this career. See the kind of job descriptions that have been mentioned. Do you think you can perform those activities on a daily basis? If possible, send out your Resume for these vacancies. Observe the kind of responses you get. If you manage to be called for an interview, attend it. Interact with recruiters and understand what it is that the job requires.
If you are a college student, take up an Internship in the career you wish to pursue. Taking up the Internship is only a part of your research, not a part of your career progress.
Assess Fit
Compare your understanding of the career with your understanding of yourself. Consider whether they’re a good match. Are the skills that the career requires and the skills you possess the same?
Keep in mind that you should already have the basic talent or skills required to excel in the career. Don’t take it for granted that pursuing a course will prepare you for the career completely. A course will only help polish and nurture the already existing potential in you for a particular career.
If in your life till now you’ve never really been associated with the skills or qualities required to excel in that career, then probably it isn’t the right career for you. For example, if you wish to become a Journalist, but have never been known for your communication skills, then probably shifting to that career isn’t a good idea.
If after all the research, you’re still confused about whether the career and you are a good match or not, then in most circumstances it isn’t the right career for you. If a career suited your personality, you would be able to identify it after all the research.
Consider Costs
Before making any decision regarding a change in career, consider the costs involved, even if you feel that you’ve found a career that suits your personality. The costs involved in changing careers are direct as well as indirect. Ask yourself the following questions:
* Will I need to pursue a course or undergo training to join the career?
* How much will the course/training cost? What will be the duration?
* Which post will I be offered once I complete the course? What will be the starting salary?
* How much could I have earned in that time period if I had continued my career?
* In totality, what are the financial prospects of the career? How is it compared to my current career?
The total cost of making a career change significantly increases if you need to pursue a course or undergo training for the new career as compared to careers where you can get into entry – level positions directly.
Apart from the cost of the course, also consider its duration. The longer the duration of the course, the more expensive it will prove to be.
Also consider the indirect costs involved in changing careers. You will forego salary if you are required to study more. You may have to start at a lower level on the new track compared to the track for which you are trained.
In the short-term, you may benefit financially by sticking to your current career as you already have the knowledge or experience.
However, in the long run, the financial aspects of the job can even out as you are more likely to be happier in the new career and be willing to work harder to achieve success. Consider the future prospects of the career you wish to join and see whether it is worth changing careers or not.
Decide And Own The Decision
If you are certain that what’s making you unhappy in your current career is something that won’t change over time, and the reasons for change are not trivial that are related to your current job rather than the career, explore your alternatives and pick a studied choice. Don’t jump at the first opportunity that comes your way. Shortlist careers on the basis of the ones you want to pursue and the ones who you are suitable for. The ideal career is the one which is a match of the two.
Making the change will require you to struggle and restart. You will need to pick up new skills, thoughts and habits. Each profession and industry in the world has its unique requirements.
Keep in mind that even though each career will come with its own problems and advantages, a person who’s willing to work hard will succeed in any profession in the world.
