You might have decided to take the plunge and switch over to a new career. While you might be both excited and a bit scared, there are many steps you can take to make sure that your transition is smooth without affecting your personal life. With many diversified job opportunities available, it has become more common for people to make career changes. In fact, every adult makes about 5 to 7 career transitions during their professional lives.
Making a career change might cause a lot of stress in adults. However, these few simple steps from career guidance professionals will help make the transition smoother.
Research Thoroughly
Knowing the job and the field that you about to enter will you help deal with the anxiety and stress of making the shift. Research the company, the position that you will be taking up, and the kind of role you will be fulfilling in the company. Talk to others in the field and ask about their experience and how they adjusted to the daily routine of the new job. Do not hesitate to ask questions during your interview.
Rethink Passion
A lot of us put pressure on ourselves to find the ‘perfect’ job. With a lot of discussion in the media about following one’s passion, we find ourselves in the impossible situation of finding a job that fits into our passion. However, according to various studies, it has been found that there are certain general traits of a job that can elevate satisfaction. These include respect, autonomy, a sense of impact, creativity, and recognition. These can be found in any job and you shouldn’t pressure yourself into finding the ‘right’ job.
Good Financial Health
Ensuring that you have good financial reserves when making your transition is one of the most prudent career tips you will ever receive. Check your bank balance and make sure that you have enough to tide you over the initial salary. You should also create a budget where you can see what things you can cut back on and what your essential expenses are. There are several apps and software available that will help you streamline your financial health.
Break It Down
If you are making a major career change where you are required to make a lot of changes, you can find yourself overwhelmed by the magnitude of the change. Instead, you should try to break down the task into smaller, more achievable tasks and focus on them one at a time. This will help you focus without getting anxious about the big picture.
Exercise Away
One of the best ways to deal with stress and anxiety is to exercise regularly. Studies have shown that an elevated heart rate can significantly impact your mood. Find out what type of exercise you like to do and then commit to doing it for at least an hour, three days a week. Once you get into the groove, increase it to five times a week.
Lean On Others
The period of a career transition can be stressful for everyone. Let the people around you know that you are making changes to your life that will benefit you in the long run. Ask for help beyond career advice and make sure that you get your loved ones on board. Ask your partner to step in if you are unable to fix breakfast due to a longer commute or plan a date night if you find yourself working on the weekends.
Take A Time Out
In the initial days of a career shift, you might be very enthusiastic about doing well and learning as much as you can. However, burnout is a real thing and you should be mindful of doing only how much you can. Set aside sometime in the week to spend quality time with your family or to exercise. You should also allow yourself to relax and catch your breath while you evaluate your progress.
Define Your Success
Too many times we catch ourselves measuring our success by how others do. When you make a career change, it might feel like you are starting out from the bottom all over again. This is where you need to pause and give yourself some credit. Not many people are brave enough to admit that they are in the wrong career let alone do something about it. Decide your own goals that are not influenced by the norm.
A career advisor might not think it prudent that you abandon a job that you’ve spent years training for. However, with the simple tips mentioned above, you will be able to deal with the stress and anxiety when it comes to it.
Tag: career change
How to change career when you have no idea what you’re doing?
Career changes are a part of life, and almost everyone will face this crossroad at one time or another. Have no clue how to go about it or where you’re headed? Guess what? You are not alone! Most people who made pivotal career changes did not do it by accident. They prepared themselves with career advice, and you can do it too.
Believe it or not, the key areas you need to work on are simple, enlightening, and not so difficult to do. So let’s get on with it.
1. Learn about yourself: Most of us have no inkling as to where our career is headed or which career counseling path to take because we don’t think from a bigger perspective. Many of us fail to learn from the past and do not want to see what we did wrong. So list out all the jobs you have done, why you disliked them, what made you take them, and what you loved about them. This analysis will help distill your preferences, problem areas, career choices, and your awesome strengths and talents. Yes, let go of the past. There can be no progress unless you break with the past. Yesterday is gone.
2. Find your dream and act on it: Most of us dream and do nothing about it. If you want to learn to swim, get into the water. This means finding at least three career paths which you would like to take. Try the roles out and diligently plan how you would go about achieving those distant dreams. To be an Olympic champion is a lot of hard work, practice, and dedication. Its 99% perspiration and just a mere 1% inspiration. So, make your SWOT list and ensure your goal is in line with your ambitions!
- Specific and actionable.
- Measurable and actable.
- Achievable and learnable.
- Realistic and part of your interests.
- Time-bound and in line with your career thoughts.
3. Put your support pillars in place: If you can’t handle it alone, look for someone from your network who has made such a decision before. Avail training, mentorship, and counseling. Most people who wish to make a career change have no expectations from themselves. Hence they have no idea when they take the wrong route. Build yourself up with an emphatic yes to change, and the fear of venturing into the unknown will disappear. Everybody has a first time, and that’s when it really gets tough. Keep at it, succeed, and you have yourself as a good role model for the future. Fail and learn from it, so there are just obvious career opportunities and no doubts in your mind.
4. Apply and make attempts to check out jobs: A job search of available career paths that you find interesting will help you narrow your choices down. Apply and accept that it is okay if you get rejected. Treat it as an opportunity to learn and move on. Challenge your beliefs and self. Don’t get complacent and lead the life you have been dealt with. Do something beyond a job search like networking with industry leaders via LinkedIn, so you stay in the game.
5. Don’t react emotionally: Chances are that your vision of the future is blurry, and you will commit some mistakes. Well, everyone does, but the trick is to stay motivated amongst your failures. Career refurbishing is a step-by-step journey that has no shortcuts. So don’t expect immediate results. With these practical pointers to help you get started, the next obvious step is to act and avail training or garner and polish your skill set.
Join a practical-oriented course like the ones at Imarticus Learning, where you learn how to apply your skills to an industry-ready environment. Their ample assignments, live simulations of the ecosystem, convenient learning modes, career counseling, and reasonable fees are a huge plus when re-skilling. It’s especially helpful when the learning partner helps you deal with your career change fears through soft-skills enhancement. And yes, check if they have an assured placement program. It is a huge relief to get able professional support and trained mentorship in the very many choices of courses.
So, don’t wait any longer. The Imarticus Learning philosophy is a must-try to hone your skills, focus on your choices, and make the crucial positive changes to your career.