When career change seems impossible
You feel stuck
You don’t want to go to work.
Sunday night: you stay up late watching Netflix because going to bed means the start of a new week. You anticipate the pile of emails you don’t want to reply to, the unproductive meetings you’ll have to sit through and - worst of all - simply doing a job your heart’s not been in for more time than you care to remember.
The week rolls past much as it’s done for the last 10 years or so. Friday comes and you feel a sense of relief that you don’t have to think about work for a couple of days. You’ve a great Saturday. You go for a walk, meet friends, or spend time with your family. Maybe catch up on some housework. And then it’s Sunday again…
You come across an article on career change. For a moment, anything seems possible! Could you? Would you? Should you? Almost immediately, the doubts creep in. The people featured in the article are the exception rather than the rule, aren’t they? They don’t have your responsibilities. You’d never have the time. Besides, you’ve no clue what else you’d do. What if you had to go back to college? You couldn’t afford to do that!
You bookmark the article - just in case - shrug your shoulders and get back to your day, more frustrated than before.
STOP.
hang on a moment
“Try thinking about career change like a jigsaw puzzle.”
The problem with many of these articles about career change is that they describe the final product. On the one hand, they’re very inspiring. They give you a sense of “if they can do it, I can do it”. However, on the other hand, it seems like an awfully big leap: the time it took, the investment they made, the changes that it required.
Try thinking about career change like a jigsaw puzzle. In the beginning, you’re trying to complete the puzzle without even looking at the picture on the box. It’s not unusual to reach mid-career, REALLY want to make a change, but have no idea what else you want to do. Or maybe you have DO have an idea what you want to do but you can’t work out how to get from A to B.
Your jigsaw pieces are in a heap on the table.
Where to start with career change? Here’s the thing, it doesn’t really matter! Pick up a piece, any piece. Like a jigsaw puzzle, as the individual pieces come together the picture will become clearer and clearer.
start here
Motivate yourself
There are so many ways to do this but the simplest is to start with the picture. What are you aiming for? Download a note-taking app like Evernote or buy a notebook and begin to record what you do and don’t like about your current situation. Observe what depletes your energy and what lights you up. What are you doing when this happens? Where are you and who are you with? This can be at work or in your personal life. Gather images from magazines or using an app like Pinterest that represent the work and lifestyle you want. The idea is that you’re opening yourself up to possibilities. The “how” can come after.
Get support
Talk to family and friends about your desire for making a change. Reach out to people you know who are working in an area you’re interested in. Spruce up your LinkedIn profile and start making connections, both online and in real life. People are key when it comes to career change. When you’re in a job or career you don’t like, you can feel like a square peg in a round hole and complaining to your colleagues isn’t a solution. Meeting and talking to like-minded people who lift your energy and can help you make progress is essential.
Take one step at a time
Remember: this doesn’t need to be a big leap forward. You can start small. Career change CAN happen one step at a time. It is doable, even when you’re busy. You’re a smart, capable person. How would you tackle a problem at work or begin a project? What’s the one thing you could do that would move you forward? What don’t you know that’s preventing you from making progress? Where could you find the answer to your question? Could you start there? Don’t let “I don’t know” be the excuse that holds you back!
Take action
What’s your first step? Take a minute to jot down a few ideas. Which would be easiest? Create a SMART goal. Let me know how you get on!
Mail me if you’ve any questions. I’m here to help.