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So Youre Thinking of Changing Careers
"You don't have to take life the way it comes to you. By converting your dreams into goals, and your goals into plans, you can design your life to come to you the way you want it. You can live your life on purpose, instead of by chance. ~ Whatever it takes" - The Goal How many careers would you say you have had to date? One, two, more? Our parent's generation seldom considered changing careers. The career model for their time was to join a company, work your way up with the help of promotions and retire with a great pension. At the retirement party they would hopefully give you a gold watch and a party and you would be on your way. Changing careers was not even on the radar screen for most professionals. Today it's seen as a potential issue if a professional has not changed careers at least once. By changed careers I mean moving from one field to another or moving to different positions within a field. For instance, programmers may transition to technical leads and technical leads to project managers or system architects. This is a fairly standard practice in the developer track of Information Technology but should be a planned transition if it is to be a successful one. Quite often however, when considering a career change the responsibilities of the new position are an unknown quantity. There are several methods currently used by corporations that enable employees to "try on" a position before making the career change. For example, you can "shadow" someone who works in the field you wish to move to thus enabling you to see what a typical day or week is like in that job. Sometimes you find on closer inspection that the job is nothing like you thought or the requirements are such that further education or longer work hours are required. Job shadowing allows you to experience advance what the job is really like without having to give up your current position. Indeed, this style of "checking out" a career first is a good idea if you are not quite sure which position is right for you. Sometimes additional training is required for the career move and it behooves the person making the change to do a thorough investigation prior to executing the investment of time and money. Your company may be prepared to pay for your training since your improved skills will benefit you both. In order for the company to remain competitive in the marketplace they also need staff with up to date skills. Similarly, benefits like additional training cuts down on attrition, which can be very costly. Another alternative is to seek out a mentor who already works in the field of interest, and spark a conversation to determine the personality characteristics required for the position. For example, a developer who is considering moving to call center work may find that interaction with the public in a customer service role is not compatible with their personality. Whereas a continued role in the development area, moving to architect of a software module for instance more naturally suits their personality and style of working. Each individual must find their own motivation and determine whether the desire to change careers is based on sound reasoning. Among other things, you need to verify whether you are in the wrong career or if the motivation to change careers is based solely on monetary compensation or because something is amiss in your personal life. Prior to executing a career change I suggest that you put together a list of your career expectations. For instance, if you could have any job you want, what would it be? Ask yourself these questions: - What would it provide you with? Create a list of things you really enjoy about your current career. If you have difficulty filling the list, it may indeed be time for a career change. Put together a list of things you would like to do where your needs are currently unmet in your current position. Look around your present company to see what position could provide you with more job satisfaction. Then go through the process again to see if the job is what you think it is. I am reminded of the attorney who worked hard to pass the bar exam, worked his butt off to make partner, then one day found himself asking "is that all there is?" And, "why am I so unhappy with this work?" Thousands of dollars later, he and his counselor realized that he was an attorney because all the men in his family had been attorneys. What he really wanted to do, was work with children. He made a drastic career change, began working with children, and found that he was much happier. While his income was not at the same level as previously, he experienced a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. Career change can be a daunting and yet very rewarding process. Rewarding because you are challenged and excited about learning and using new skills and abilities. Daunting because you may have to begin at an entry-level position and have to work your way back to your present level of expertise. I remember once when a new hardware platform entered the marketplace and I wanted to get my hands on that system more that anything. I took a 25% pay cut to get on the new system and learn it, but a year later, I had almost doubled my salary. I took the 25% cut in pay because the skills required for the new system were scarce and the market was paying premium wages for the new skills. One thing's for sure, if you want to change careers, you must make a plan and work it. Like anything else, you will need to set goals, do your research and follow the steps to achievement of your goals. You must: - Plan your mission. What career do you wish to enter or move to? Remember that preparation always precedes success. Failure to plan is planning to fail. According to Tom Peters, today's employee will go through at least 3 career changes in their lifetime. Perhaps now is the time for one of your career changes. One avenue might be, when a new project is being launched, make sure you get on the team. In today's world changes occur rapidly and in order for those you to remain successful you must constantly upgrade your skills and bring them in line with the new technology and this new economy. In summary, to benefit from a successful career change, your have to set goals, measure your progress towards those goals, make adjustments as necessary, and work your plan, to achieve a smooth transition to your new career. To schedule a complementary 30 minute career change consultation, call 312-953-2126 or use the contact form at this link. Yvonne F. Brown is an internationally recognized trainer, speaker, author, personal motivation, inspiration, and empowerment expert. Author of "Self Creation: 10 Powerful Principles for Changing Your Life" Yvonne helps people to eliminate self-sabotage, stop self-limiting beliefs and reach their highest potential. She teaches how to accelerate personal performance and career fulfillment for workgroups and individuals everywhere. Her new book "Ethics, Choice and Leadership" will be available later this year. To learn more visit her website JAD Communications International and subscribe to the Pathways to Abounding Inspirations newsletter.
MORE RESOURCES: Employment opportunities Department of Taxation and Finance Search & Apply Lowe's Careers at USCIS USCIS Careers UNCO News Central Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University The Best Jobs in America in 2025 U.S News & World Report Money Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov Jobs, health and inclusion at Davos 2025. Here's what to know World Economic Forum Careers ontarioca.gov Plan your career pathway or job search with comprehensive online resources from Workforce Development Board kawarthaNOW.com Careers | Home USDA.gov The Right Way to Look for a New Job The Atlantic Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Nearly Half Of Workers Will Consider A Job Change If Ordered Back To The Office, Survey Finds Forbes Even Harvard M.B.A.s Are Struggling to Land Jobs The Wall Street Journal Howard Levitt: Tariffs would lead to devastating job losses — without the usual safety nets Financial Post Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Careers Catholic University Communications Anatomy of a jobs promise Financial Times Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them World Economic Forum Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov The Future of Jobs Report 2025 World Economic Forum Careers Franchise Tax Board Careers The Ocean Cleanup Careers Fred Hutch News Service Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem The Wall Street Journal Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Careers BASF Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care The 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US, according to LinkedIn Business Insider Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign UK employers cut jobs after Budget, official data shows Financial Times Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers West Virginia Department of Education Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Future of Jobs Report 2025: These are the fastest growing and declining jobs World Economic Forum Auberle's $1.5 million YouthBuild grant will change lives through training programs that lead to jobs Pittsburgh Union Progress Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance U.S. Job Growth Ends the Year Strong The New York Times Why elite MBA graduates are struggling to find jobs The Economist Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy U.S. payrolls grew by 256,000 in December, much more than expected; unemployment rate falls to 4.1% CNBC Physician recruitment agreements: Understanding signing bonuses, relocation expenses, or loan repayment incentives. Medical Economics Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Early Careers | Students & Recent Graduates | BCG Careers Boston Consulting Group State Job Openings CT.gov The Top 40 Jobs for Women Looking to Change Careers at 40+ Parade Magazine KPMG Careers KPMG Work with us | Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs 33 Jobs That Require Little or No Experience in 2025 Money Crashers Aviation to advertising, top 10 fastest-growing jobs in India 2025 The Indian Express BP axes 4,700 jobs in cost-cutting drive Financial Times Most Americans Feel Good About Their Job Security but Not Their Pay Pew Research Center Join our team FHI 360 Careers Olympic Channel and OBS Olympics Work at the U.S. Department of Energy Energy.gov Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Bring Resumes To Health Ministry’s Career Expo And Employment Fair Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Information Service Careers at Jacobs Jacobs WORK AT LVMH LVMH |
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