Are you scared to change careers? These tips could help your career
The thought of changing your career is scary and may paralyse you with self-doubt. Making a transition to a new career is difficult, scary and disruptive. Scientific research has shown that the brain categorises career changes among the most survival-threatening changes you could make in your life. In fact, changing a career is among the 20 most stressful things that can happen in your life after losing a loved one. While changing your profession is not a walk in the park, it takes time and a lot of energy to transition from one career to another. The only way to take the next step is to overcome your self-doubt and fear. Use below tips to help you overcome the fear of changing your career:
1. Cut off the fear at the head
When considering a career change, the first thing you should do is acknowledge your fear. Write down all your fears and the reasons why you are scared of the transition. Give yourself around one hour to rant out all the frustrations, complaints and injustice you have encountered. Allow yourself a chance to illustrate why you should move to the new jobs and what is making you not take that step. Use these complaints as an inspiration any time the fear comes crawling back.
2. Get external support
Trying to execute a change in career alone can send your anxiety and fear into an overdrive- making the process even more stressful. To create outside accountability and encouragement, include your family and friends in what’s going on. Explain the reasons why you want to change your career and ask for their support.
3. Evaluate your current career satisfaction
Keep a journal of your daily interactions and reactions in your current job and identify any recurring patterns. What are the aspects of your current career that you don’t like? What is making you dissatisfied? Is it the company culture, the content of your job or the people you work with? As you evaluate this, look at any aspects of your current job that may help you through the transition.
4. Assess your values, skills and interests
Evaluate any previous jobs and projects that you have successfully done and identify skills and preferred activities. This action helps you determine whether your skills and core values are addressed through your current profession. It will also help you visualise how they can be useful in future.
5. Upgrade your skills
While still in your current career, look for new ways you can develop new skills that will be useful in your next career. This could go a long way to pave a path for the change in career. If your current company offers any in-house trainings, take as many classes as possible.
6. Take a different job in the same industry
Change in career doesn’t have to be in a completely new industry. If you work in the travel industry as a travel consultant, you could change to an accountant and work in a travel agency. Before looking for a completely new industry, consider an alternative role within your current company. You can make use of your experience and knowledge in that particular industry.
7. Get personal
When considering making a career change, it’s important to take a step and research all about the new industry you’d like to change to. Find out as much information about the people working in the industry as possible. The best source of information is your former college mates in the same line of work. Using social media is also another good source of information and a way to create contacts and network.
8. Take the bold step!
Once you are ready to change your career, take the leap! Update your resume and refocus it based on your new career aspirations. Write a cover letter that also replicates your aspirations
Don’t let fear of change control your career life, use it as a tool to develop courage, grit and resilience. Whatever happens keep moving forward even if you are taking a very small step. Even something that may seem small and insignificant as sending a social media request to someone you admire professionally can be the first step to getting yourself unstuck!
