We are all in our present careers for different reasons. Grouping these different reasons, it is safe to say that they were either chosen for us (outside influences), or we chose them ourselves.
Let's look at the first category.
Your career was imposed on/chosen for you. Your family felt it was a viable choice? Your group of friends decided it was the best career path for all of you at that point and you agreed without giving it a proper thought? Your uni decided for you because that was the only available course? 😅
Second category.
You are in your field of choice. You've probably always dreamt of being an expert in this field. You've been curious about this career for so long, done proper research about it, asked a lot of questions, probably even studied for it. You purposefully planned it all.
Whichever category you fall under, you are now active in this field. You have spent a significant number of years in it. Let's say you have even "conquered" it. Do things become repetitive? Do you long for more? Do you feel like your work does not have value? Do you feel you should be earning more than what you currently earn and there's no hope for you at any point in your career to earn that much? If you answered "YES" to any of those questions, It's probably time for you to do something different.
I'd say I fall under both categories...
I studied Computer Science only because my secondary school teacher felt I'd do well in it, just because he felt I was good at Computer Studies, not 'cos I knew what studying Computer Science entailed or the career prospects. Getting into uni, I quickly realized it was a different ball game. Uni was rough for me because I didn't go in prepared. School felt like a burden. My primary focus was to finish with a good grade, collect my certificate and move on. After school, I realized that I hadn't acquired the required skills to enter tech. I felt it was too late for me. This made me do EVERYTHING but tech. This was because I felt in the long run, programming wasn't for me...because I was not a "serious" person. It wasn't until after sapa held me by the throat 😂 , that I then decided to get serious and start afresh.
I am a huge advocate of loving what you do. Working on its own is not fun, not enjoying what you do for work has to be a great disservice to one's self. I am also an advocate of switching careers as many times as is required whenever you feel your current choice is not cutting it, not challenging enough, you've simply outgrown it, or any other reason unique to you. We should all be able to start afresh right?
Ok, I need a career change. What's the next step? Do I immediately quit my job and hope for the best?
Please, DO NOT. A career change requires proper thought and planning. It also requires a lot of time and dedication.
My recommendations?
- Decide if you want to remain in your current industry (but in a different field) or launch into an entirely new industry. Transitioning into the former will be easier than the latter.
- Brainstorm career options. What do you think you have an interest in. What do you do easily without putting too much thought into? Is money a valid reason for considering a particular career? Why not?
Research potential job matches. Search job descriptions, look out for what is typically expected from that job role, and then work towards acquiring the skills required. Start applying once you feel you are comfortable enough to get the job done. You shouldn't wait until you're an expert before you start shooting your shot.
Have an action plan. This covers detailed steps you're required to take to reach your goal. This helps with holding yourself accountable and also for progress tracking.
- Speak to experts in this new field. If possible, get a mentor. Get advice from people with more experience in the field. Learn from and avoid the mistakes they made. Having the right people in your ear cannot be over-emphasized.
Once you are finally on a new career path, is there a guarantee that over time, you won't start looking towards something else? No, there isn't! The good thing is that the above steps can be repeated multiple times as the need arises.
Now, go out there and conquer! 💃🏽