Four questions to ask for a successful career switch
A century ago, job changes were rare – people would normally just stick to one (or two, at most) job for their entire lives. However, things have changed, and ‘job-hopping’ is now commonplace. People have been hopping from job to job in short periods of time. This trend, with being carried into the era of the millennials, has given birth to something significant nowadays – career changing. Dissatisfied with their current jobs and tired of a career that has turned into a rut, people look towards changing their careers, hoping to usher into something newer and fresher.
However, changing your career is far, far different from changing your job. Why? Because career changing involves moving into an area where you might or might not have relevant work experience or fulfil qualification requirements. Thus, it is important for prospective career changers to ask themselves three fundamental questions.
Questions to Ask Before Making a Career change:
1. Am I Unhappy with My Current Career?
Asking yourself this will not only give you insight into your own reasons for a career change but will also help you point out red flags – issues you can avoid or work around if you decide to change your careers. Do not forget that identifying the root cause of your dissatisfaction might even give you insights into how you can fix your current situation.
2. If I Change Careers, What Am I Going to Do?
This is crucial. Identifying what you wish to do instead of your current path should be the next thing you do. Do not just quit your job after you identify a problem – instead, do a little soul searching and come up with options for yourself. Understand the consequences of this change, what road this career path is going to take you down and all the nitty-gritties of the settle-in period.
3. What Are the Pros and Cons of Changing My Career Now?
The classic pros and cons list for making choices is classic for a reason – it allows you to get a clear picture to compare the benefits of the switch versus the risks you undertake as you prepare to write a new chapter in your life. What’s more, this will also allow you to prepare for future disappointments following the change, allowing you to face them in a much stronger way than you would have if it were thrown at you from the blue.
4. How Am I Going to Go About Making That Career Shift?
Put simply, you need to ask yourself the ‘How’ – “How am I going to go about changing my career?”.
The answer is never straightforward, and it need not be. Career changing has the potential to change your life, and you need to have an action plan. For instance, if you have chosen to get into the culinary arts after 5 years at a corporate analyst job, there are several other things you need to consider. Will you start your own bakery? If yes, where does the capital come from? Do you have a business plan? It’s only after chalking these things out that a career shift will be a truly fruitful activity.
After asking yourself these questions, if you arrive at the decision, it is time to act. By act we do not mean that you should go all out, resign and start a ‘me vs the world’ war, but a more composed effort that helps you achieve your goals. Go out there and start today!
