April 24, 2017

Career Change

CONSIDERING A MAJOR CAREER CHANGE?

Do you sometimes feel as if your career chose you, and not the other way around?

You are not alone. Our career journeys are often the result of connections and opportunities rather than the outcome of careful planning. Once you have been swept up by the rat race and the realities of working life, it eventually becomes difficult to remember where you wanted to be in the first place. It is quite normal to experience a career mid-life crisis at some point, and to ask yourself:

“IS THIS REALLY IT???”

BE REALISTIC ABOUT MAKING A CHANGE

Let’s get one thing straight: Making a significant career change during the later stages of your career is not easy. Ask yourself the following questions:

Am I able to make certain financial sacrifices if needed?
Am I willing to start at the bottom without feeling overly frustrated?
Will I be able to invest time and effort to acquire new skills and knowledge?
Will I be happy to work alongside (and compete) with people half my age?

If you have answered NO to all these questions, it might not be the right time to change your entire career path.

EXPLORE YOUR OWN HIDDEN AGENDA

When we feel frustrated or overwhelmed at work, it becomes difficult to remain objective about ourselves and our situation. Take a step back and evaluate the real reasons behind your need to make a change. Workplace conflict, poor person-job-fit , unforeseen changes to your work content, and boredom often contributes to dissatisfaction at work. Be honest with yourself:

Do you really need to change your entire career, or do you merely need to change your career scenery? Finding a similar job at a different organisation or adding a new skill might be all the change you need.

IF YOU ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE:

Select something which resonates with your unique combination of talents, personality and passion. Psychometric assessments and career development coaching performed by an accredited professional could assist in making well informed decision.
Leverage your existing knowledge and skills and build on it.
Don’t try to cope on your own. Partners, significant others, family and friends need to be on board with your decision. Turn them into your personal team of cheerleaders!
Maintain your momentum by setting realistic, measureable targets. Keep track of progress and celebrate milestones. You will need more than a positive attitude: change requires movement!