Career Change

Career Change

A career change is a big undertaking. You ask yourself how did I get here?

Perhaps your company is downsizing, you just lost interest or found something that interests you more. There are many reasons people find themselves reflecting and wondering how to proceed. Be patient and deliberate in this process.

Every job-seeker needs to take the time to step away from the day-to-day grind of work and spend quality time reflecting and developing plans for the future. Think of career planning as building bridges from your current job/career to your next job/career. A thoughtful bridge will provide safety and direction.

See the topics at the right to review your decision for change and the way forward.

Review Your Feelings

The Mid-Life Career Change

Career Change Considerations

Steps in Making a Change

Short Term Career Planning

Long Term Career Planning

Back

Review Your Feelings

https://www.indeed.com/prime/resources/talent/5-perfectly-acceptable-reasons-to-quit-your-job

Life is too short to stay at a job that isn’t working for you. Search your feelings, and consider whether these 5 perfectly acceptable reasons to quit your job apply to you.

You Feel Stuck

According to Gallup, 87% of the global workforce is not engaged with their work. This is when individuals perceive that their job no longer offers opportunities for advancement and growth. This can mean anything from insufficient pay to limited promotion opportunities to stagnation in developing new skills or learning new things.

It doesn’t take long before stagnation leads to a total standstill, to feeling stuck. Kristi Hedges, writing for Forbes.com, cautions that before quitting a job employees should be sure to talk to their bosses about what they really want. “It’s an all-too-frequent occurrence,” she says, “that employers find out what employees want in the exit interview, when they would have been amenable the whole time.” If you’ve talked to your boss, however, and she or he says that want you want - a raise, a new position, a new challenge—isn’t possible, then it’s OK to move on.

You’re Just Not Feeling It Anymore

Maybe the problem isn’t that your company doesn’t offer opportunities, but those, no matter how ample, have lost luster. Companies change like individuals. Maybe your employer has shifted its mission to something you don’t believe in. Or maybe it’s you who has changed. Maybe you’re not enthusiastic about the mission anymore.

In either case, no one did anything wrong, but sticking around when you’re no longer feeling it can lead to apathy and make it hard to keep going. Passion about what you do on a daily basis is an important component of developing personal “grit,” says MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Angela Duckworth. Without it, perseverance at work is much harder. The occasional boring day is nothing to worry about. But, if the boredom lingers for weeks and months at a time, take a leap in a new direction.

You’re Feeling it Too Much

Your issue might not be apathy, but its opposite reaction: over-investment. It’s not that you can’t drum up any interest in your job. Instead your job is all you can think about: you’re addicted to your work email; you stay up late worrying about your job; you’re stressed out about it all the time. You feel your job too much-and you don’t like it.

You might want to try some mindfulness practices—working on one task at a time, cultivating gratitude, - to help develop a healthier relationship to your job. If you’ve tried these things, and there is no improvement, it’s time to do something else.

Your Job Gives You “Bad Feels”

You’ll know a toxic work environment when you are in it: people are fighting all the time; members of company management are at odds with each other; employees are treated poorly; and morale is low. Maybe the future of the company is unstable and uncertain. Maybe management allows a culture of discrimination and misogyny. Maybe your workplace is physically unsafe. Whatever the specific conditions of your job’s toxicity—its ‘bad feels’—might be, this kind of persistent negativity is unlikely to change quickly, if at all. You don’t have to live this way: feel free to leave!

You’re Literally Feeling Sick

Perhaps the most important consideration of all: can you do your job and be healthy? Occasional stress at work is to be expected, and the right kind of stress can fuel workplace creativity. Chronic, long-term stress, however, can make you feel sick.

The American Psychological Association reports work stress is one of the top contributors to long-term health problems, only 37% of Americans believe that they manage their stress well. If you find yourself feeling these symptoms on a regular basis, it’s time to find a new opportunity. Your health and happiness must come first.

The Mid-Life Career Change

https://www.vistacollege.edu/blog/careers/best-jobs-for-a-midlife-career-change/

Reasons You Desire a Career Shift

A career change simply means working in a different career field. For instance, your first career was as a secretary. You decide to switch careers and work as a paralegal or nurse because you want to help people or make a difference. A Time article listed the top reasons why people change jobs.

The reasons include:

· Company downsizing or restructuring.

· Possible job relocation.

· Company closing.

· To improve work life.

· Poor relationships with co-workers or managers.

· Not a good fit with the company.

Five Personal Questions to Consider

As you notice, a lot of the reasons listed are related to an external event, such downsizing. These are good reasons. However, you may relate to more personal reasons. Some of the following reasons are why our students decide to seek a second career:

1. Do you feel worn out, depleted, and exhausted in your current career?

You feel emotionally, mentally, and physically drained by the work you do in your profession. You pray for the weekend. You dread the week days. You are thinking about work even when you are not at work. When you are not thinking about work, you are dreaming about a fresh start. If you are experiencing these emotions, you are ready for a second career.

2. Is your current work situation not what you want to do for the rest of your life?

This is a shock for people who are great at doing any job. You are using your skills and abilities to do a job that is not in your wheelhouse. It doesn’t take long to realize your first career is not your dream job. It doesn’t matter how good you are at doing the work.

3. Is money no longer compensating for emptiness and boredom in your current career?

You hate your job, but the money is good. Most people who dislike their jobs often stay for the money. It is only when they rethink priorities does happiness outrank money. If the money you make in your current career no longer compensates for being unfulfilled, guess what? Yes, you deserve a second career.

4. Have you made all the right career choices, but your current career feels so wrong?

You did all the hard work and made all the right choices. In fact, you’ve done everything expected of you. Yet you are wondering, “Is this where I really belong?” You’ve done everything right. Now it’s time to do everything right for you and your second, more meaningful career.

5. Do you feel your abilities and talents could be more impactful in another career?

Of course, you are not interested in going on television to announce you are taking your talents to South Beach. However, you feel like your talents and abilities can be used better in another career. It’s time for a second career..

Career Change Considerations

Jenny Blake

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/pivot-into-new-career-jenny-blake-interview-0916

Feeling stuck? Not really feeling your current job? Did you not really feel your last one, either? Are you getting tired of asking yourself, “What’s next?”

A career pivot is “doubling down on what is working, make a purposeful shift in a new, related direction.” It is an intentional, nimble navigating of career changes.”

Q. The average employee tenure in America is four to five years. What can the everyday employee do to increase their chances for a fulfilling, successful career?

A. Use a four-stage process [plant, scan, pilot and launch] called “the pivot method.” One thing anyone can do is look at what’s working for you, look at your strengths, what you enjoy, what you’re interested in, what skills you would be excited to learn in the future. That’s what is called the “plant” stage. Set a vision for one year from now. What does success look like in your role a year from now?

Some people are currently in their comfort zone, everything’s fine. When you hit a plateau, you go into a stagnation zone. You’re really bored and ready for a change. The sweet spot for pivoters is in their stretch zone, where they’re feeling challenged, engaged and excited. You’ll know if you’re trying to make a move that’s too sharp, too big of a turn from where you are now, if you feel like you’re in your panic zone, which prevents you from taking action., look for a smaller next step.

Q. OK, let’s say all the pieces are in place, and you make that career change you’ve been planning for…and you wind up falling on your face. What is the next step?

A. A next move will be informative about what works, what doesn’t and the next experiment to try. As long as someone keeps that learning mindset and say, “What can I learn from this?”, you can then apply the method to a “failure.” So, of the failure, you can say, “What did work within this? What didn’t? What should I do more of? How can I adjust this?”

When pivots don’t work, it’s in turning too sharply from a current base of strengths, interests, experience and even what they wanted. Usually a pivot that doesn’t seem to work means going back to some of those core elements.

Make a habit out of the process. Every three, or six months, look at what’s working best, what you want to do next, what skills to develop, who to connect with and what experiments are appropriate. This can apply within projects, so if you get stuck on a project or a creative pursuit, it’s a method to get unstuck and keep things moving.

Q. We should be looking to pivot every year?

A. No, this doesn’t mean that we always have to make dramatic career pivots all the time. You can even pivot within your role. Pivot is more of a state-of-mind to say, “What’s working? What do I want to do next, how can I experiment to get there?”

That small experiment piece is a really big part of the method. You can run little career pilots to test a new direction without the pressure to make a big move up the ladder.

Q. What are the universal signs that tell it’s the right time to pivot?

A. In some cases, people get pivoted. They are laid off, their company reorganizes, they move teams. If it’s a proactive pivot, there are a couple ways to know when you’re at a pivot point. Look at what’s working and what’s next just for the sake of doing it. Like an annual exercise to say, “OK what am I most excited about in the coming years?” It’s not instigated by anything, and that’s where the pivot mindset is a regular practice. Barring that, sometimes we hit a pivot point we don’t really see coming. All of a sudden, we feel bored or stressed. Those are physical signs that it’s time to pivot. Sometimes when we ignore them or we don’t proactively reflect on how things are going, we hit these pivot points almost by surprise, and that’s when they feel like a crisis.

Q. Fear is obviously a major roadblock that keeps people from pivoting.

A. Do not take fear personally. Career changes threaten what seems like our most fundamental needs: food, clothing, shelter. Think about a career change, it’s scary because our livelihood is at stake. Having fear, is OK. That’s a sign that you’re doing something and making a change. Take steps within the stretch zone, nott panic zone.

Steps in Making a Change

Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Excerpts from: https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/career-change

In facing a career change, take it slowly and make sure you really want to change careers. Remember that career change is a natural life progression; the average job-seeker will change careers (not just jobs) several times over their lifetime.

Assessment of Likes and Dislikes. A lot of people change careers because they dislike their job, boss, or company. Identifying the dislikes is the easier part of this step; however, you will not know what direction to take unless you examine your likes. What excites you and energizes you? What’s your passion? If you’re really unsure, consider taking a career assessment. The key is spending some time rediscovering yourself — and using your self-assessment to direct your new career search.

Researching New Careers. Once you’ve discovered (or rediscovered) your passion, research the types of careers that center around your passions. Don’t worry if you’re feeling a bit unsure or insecure — it’s a natural part of the career change process. How much research you do also partly depends on how much of a change you’re making; for example, changing from a teacher to a corporate trainer versus switching from a nurse to a Web designer. You can find career information and a skills-matching service at O*NET Online from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Transferable Skills. Leverage some of your current skills and experiences to your new career. There are many skills (such as communications, leadership, planning, and others) that are transferable and applicable to a new career. You may already have a solid amount of experience for your new career.

Training and Education. You may find it necessary to update your skills and broaden your knowledge. Take it slowly. If the skill you need to learn is one you could use in your current job, see if your current employer would be willing to pick up the tab. And start slowly. Take a course or two to ensure you really like the subject matter. If you are going for a new degree or certification, make sure you check the accreditation of the school, and get some information about placement successes.

Networking. One of the keys to successfully changing careers will be networking. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry, and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network. You already have a network, consider colleagues, friends, and family members. You can join professional organizations in your new field and contacting alumni from your college who are working in the field you want to enter. A key tool of networking is conducting informational interviews.

Gaining Experience. Remember that, in a sense, you are starting your career again from square one. Obtaining a part-time job or volunteering in your new career field not only can solidify your decision, but give you needed experience. You might also consider temping in your new field. Work whatever it takes to gain experience.

Find a Mentor. Changing careers is a major life decision that can get overwhelming at times. Find a mentor who can help you through the rough patches. Your mentor may also be able to help you by taking advantage of his or her network. A mentor doesn’t have to be a highly placed individual, though the more powerful the mentor, the more success you may have in using that power to your advantage.

Changing In or Out. Some people change careers, but never change employers. The very progressive employers recognize that once happy employees can be happy and productive again – in a different capacity. But It’s likely that you will need to switch employers to change fields, but don’t overlook your current employer. Remember only ask about a job switch until you are completely ready to do so.

Be Flexible. You’ll need to be flexible about nearly everything – from your employment status to relocation and salary. Set positive goals for yourself, but expect setbacks and change – and don’t let these things get you down. Besides totally new careers, you might also consider a lateral move that could serve as a springboard for a bigger career change. You might also consider starting your own business or consulting as other avenues.

Short term Career Planning

Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Excerpts from: https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/career-change

A short-term career plan ranges from six months to the next few years. The key characteristic is developing realistic goals and objectives for the near future. Free yourself from all career barriers. These are personal barriers, pressure to work in the family business and peer pressure. Do not pressure yourself that it paralyzes you from making real choices, or plans. Career planning is a-changing and evolving process take it slow. Consider using the following exercises to their fullest potential.

Analyze your current/future lifestyle. Are you happy with your current lifestyle? Do you want to maintain it or change it? Be sure to identify the key characteristics of your ideal lifestyle. Does your current career path allow you the lifestyle you seek?

Analyze likes/dislikes. What activities at work and at play do you enjoy? What activities do you avoid? List both types and look at your current job and career in terms of likes and dislikes. Does your current job have more likes or dislikes?

Analyze your passions. Reflect on the times and situations in which you feel most passionate, most energetic, most engaged – and see if you can develop a common profile of these situations. Develop a list of your passions.

Analyze your strengths and weaknesses. Step back and look at yourself from an employer’s perspective. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Think in terms of work experience, education/training, skill development, talents and abilities, technical knowledge, and personal characteristics.

Analyze your definition of success. Spend some time thinking about how you define success. What is success to you: wealth, power, control, contentment…

Analyze your personality. Do you like thinking or doing? Do you like routines or change? Do you like sitting behind the desk or being on the move? Take the time to analyze yourself first, then take one or more self-assessment tests.

Analyze your personality. Are you an extravert or an introvert? Do you like thinking

being on the move? Analyze yourself, and take one of these self-assessment tests.

or doing? Do you like routines or change? Do you like sitting behind the desk or Analyze your dream job. Brainstorm the current dream job; avoid negative thoughts. Look for ideas internally, explore/research other careers/occupations of interest.

Analyze your current situation. Before you can even do any planning, clearly and realistically identify your starting point.

Once you’ve completed these exercises, the next step is to develop a picture of yourself and your career over the next few years. Once you’ve developed the mental picture, the final step is developing a plan for achieving your goal.

Career Planning Steps:

Identify your next career move. If you have been examining multiple career paths, now is the time to narrow down the choices and focus on one or two careers.Conduct detailed career research and gather information on the careers that most interest you. Use the resources in the Career Research Checklist.

Pinpoint the qualifications you need to move to the next step in your career or to make the move to a new career path. If you’re not sure, search job postings and job ads, conduct informational interviews, research job descriptions.

Compare your current profile with the qualifications developed in step 3. How far apart are the two profiles? If fairly well-matched, it may be time to switch to a job-search. If fairly far apart, can you realistically achieve the qualifications in the short-term? If yes, move to the next step; if no, consider returning to the first step.

Develop a plan to get qualified. Make a list of the types of qualifications you need to enhance your standing for your next career move, such as receiving additional training, certification, or experience. Develop a timeline and action plans for achieving each type, being sure to set specific goals and priorities.

Long Term Career Planning

Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

adapted from: https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/career-change

Long-term career planning usually involves a planning window of five years or longer and involves a broader set of guidelines and preparation. Businesses, careers, and the workplace are rapidly changing, and the skills that you have or plan for today may not be in demand years from now. Long-range career planning should be more about identifying and developing core skills that employers will always value while developing your personal and career goals in broad strokes.

Core Workplace Skills: communications (verbal and written), critical and creative thinking, teamwork and team-building, listening, social, problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal, project management, planning and organizing, computer/technology, and commitment to continuous/lifelong learning.

Identifying Career/Employment Trends: How can you prepare for future career changes and developments? The best way is to stay active in short-term career planning. By regularly scanning the environment and conducting research on careers, you’ll quickly become an expert on the career paths that interest you — and you’ll be better prepared for your next move.

Useful Tools/Resources for Career Planning

Follow the links below to some useful tools and resources to enhance your career planning .

Career Assessment Tools. Here’s a collection of the best self-assessment tools, designed to give you a better idea of your attitudes and interests as they relate to possible career choices.

Career Change Resources. Some tools and resources especially for established job-seekers contemplating a career change.

Career Exploration Resources. Find some great resources designed to help you learn more about different jobs, careers, and career exploration.

Career Research Checklist. Where you’ll find every imaginable resource, you could use to learn more about careers and conduct career exploration.

College Planning Resources. As you research potential career choices, you may find you require additional coursework, degrees, or training. Find all the educational resources you need right here.

Graduate School Resources. If you find you need or desire a graduate degree to change careers, you’ll find everything here you need to research graduate schools.

Quintessential Careers Journaling Course. Taking the time to use a career journal is a fantastic way to conduct career planning on a regular basis.

Tracking and Leveraging Accomplishments the importance of focusing on your work-related accomplishments.

Transferable Skills. The concept of transferable skills is a vital job-search technique that all job-seekers should master, though the concept is especially important for career changers and college students.

Using a Personal Mission Statement to Chart Your Career Course. A great article that guides you in the development of your personal mission statement, a useful tool for self-discovery and career planning.

Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career Planning. Learn how a key strategic planning tool can be successfully applied to marketing yourself and advancing your career.

Workplace Values Assessment. Use this cool assessment tool to better understand the core values you want in a job, career, and employer.