Observing from the side, most of us tend to admire the people who have decided to change their careers for good, thinking about how brave and decisive their decisions have been. They managed to overcome doubts about their financial stability in favour of a potentially life-changing decision. For the most part, the majority of those fears are simply irrational and based on too many “what ifs”. To help you become a goal-getter yourself, here are a couple of good reasons why being too worried about changing careers is completely unnecessary.
What if I’m making the wrong choice?
It really is natural to experience some self-doubt about this one since you’ve already spent one part of your life doing a job which potentially doesn’t suit you or that you have no interest in. But, in difficulty lies opportunity, and now is the time to correct the mistakes. Make an appointment with a career counselor. Do a personality test, and get a professional opinion on what career matches your abilities and your character.
Is all my education and hard work going to waste?
Absolutely not! It may seem that your former education will have nothing to do with the new career, but it needn’t be so. You have probably acquired some traits and qualities during both your college years and during working hours which can make your CV stand out among the others, thus helping you obtain a better job. Sometimes, it all comes down to how we present our qualities and qualifications when writing a CV.
But, I haven’t got any experience?
If this is what worries you, then you can stop feeling down right now. Certain courses require an internship before issuing the completion certificates, so you are bound to get the education you need and the required experience, too. Truth be told, as far as accredited online education is concerned, you’ve got a veritable smorgasbord of choice. Even if you are changing from finance to childcare or from counseling to beauty therapy, you can find one that is the right fit for your needs. What is important to look out for is how these courses are structured and whether they offer a curriculum that also includes practical work placement.
The pay isn’t so good.
Generally, hardly any beginner has an above average salary. If you have been earning pretty well until now, you may feel apprehensive whether the new income will be sufficient to maintain your current lifestyle. In that case, consider getting some part-time jobs and discovering more of your talents. There are lots of extra side projects to complement your earnings: pet sitting, online teaching, doing surveys, consulting, and so on.
Getting used to the new environment is hard.
Having worked in one position for so long, you know your colleagues pretty well. Chances are you enjoy their company, but at the job that you dislike. Meeting new people equals leaving the comfort zone for most of us, but you shouldn’t worry too much. After you get to know your new colleagues, they may even seem nicer to you than previously. Either way, at least this time you will be connecting with people because you love your job, and your coffee breaks are bound to be more enjoyable while chatting about the good things at work.
It’s too late for me.
Think the opposite: it is too early for you to give up. Do you really believe you should give up on everything? Can you guarantee that absolutely nothing will change in your current job in the next ten years? Of course not. Changes are inevitable. They always happen, so why don’t you make a change for yourself this time?
What if they reject me?
It is an option, but try to ask yourself another question: what if they don’t? How would that make you feel about your future? Go prepared for an interview, research about the company, and stay positive. However, if something goes wrong, keep in mind that you have just started looking and there are a lot of opportunities.
The benefits
Changing career and doing what you love results in higher productivity and better health. When you love what you do, you are instantly more industrious and willing to succeed, which leads to possible promotions and an increased salary.
Furthermore, you have probably read enough articles about occupational stress (and experienced it more than once, to say the least) to know that such stress can cause serious disorders. Certain professions being especially susceptible.
It may not seem so right now, but your life is bound to become easier in so many ways the moment you decide to do what you were meant to do all this time. All that is left to do is ask – what are you waiting for?
