Today we look at ten common reasons why people consider a career change, and make some suggestions as to where to start for each of them.
1. I just fell into this job. It’s never really been what I want. Now I want to change career to something that I’ve considered properly, and know is right for me.
It is quite common for people to get a few years into their working life, and realise that they never actively chose what they do for a living. If this is the case for you, the first step is to consider what your skills and interests are. You might want to use one of the skills questionnaires available on the internet e.g. Prospects Planner. It can also be helpful to think back to your earlier years. Remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Sometimes your younger self had a pretty good idea what you wanted to do! This can then help you to generate career options.
2. I’m bored. I’ve been doing this job for far too long, and there’s no challenge any more.
For some people, they have just done their job ‘to death’. There is nothing new to learn and no new challenges. The main question if you are in this situation is whether you want a complete change, or whether you want to use your experiences in a new way. For example, an accountant may want to try working in the charity sector or become a college lecturer in accounting and finance. Both of these would use accounting experience, but in different environments and with new challenges. It is important to make sense of your situation before you take the huge step of retraining or handing in your notice.
3. I’ve just finished studying and I want a career that uses my qualification.
This is very common for people who have completed a degree as a mature student. If this describes you, you’ve worked hard to get those qualifications and you want to reap the benefits and get a better job. The first step in this situation is to work out what skills your new qualification has given you that makes you saleable to an employer. These are not just things to do with your subject, but are also transferable skills – skills that you could use in any job. Examples might include giving presentations, managing your time, or presenting written information in a clear and concise way. Employers need to see more than just the qualification on your CV – they need to see what skills you can bring to their organisation. You can use something like the Prospects Planner to consider which skills you have developed. You can then consider what career options might be open to you with those skills.
4. I want to do something more meaningful to make a difference to people’s lives.
Sometimes the day job can seem terribly meaningless. All that hassle, and what are you doing it for? If this strikes a chord, try this exercise. Make a list of all the people or causes that you feel passionate about, and that you would like to be able to help. Is there a pattern? Do you tend to want to help people, animals or the environment? Now make a list of your key skills – the things you are good at and enjoy doing. How might these skills benefit the people or causes that you want to help? Look at jobs advertised by the types of organisation you are interested in. Do the skills that they are looking for match up with yours? A career coach can help you to consider how you could transfer your skills and make a plan for transition.
5. I’m fed up with scraping by. I need a career that will earn me more money.
Even if a career is rewarding, it can become difficult or impossible to live on a low salary – particularly if your life circumstances change. If this is the case for you, then your first step is to consider how much you really need to live on. You will also need some idea of what skills you want to use, and the type of environment you want to work in. You can then explore career options using information available on the internet such as Prospects or LearnDirect, which give you some idea of salary expectations for each type of job. If the jobs you are interested in require additional training or qualifications, factor in the cost and benefit. Is it worth taking the time and money to retrain for a bigger salary longer term? Is there a way you could do the training part-time? A career coach can help you to put together a transition plan.
6. I think I chose the wrong career, and I’m really unhappy doing what I’m doing.
This is surprisingly common. How many of us know what we really want to do when we are 16 – 21? The main thing is to recognise now that there is something that you can do about it. You don’t have to continue being unhappy for the rest of your working career. The first step is to make sense of your current situation, and not leap without considering the facts. You have the opportunity now to get it right second (or third!) time.
7. I’ve been made redundant, and I want to find a career that is more stable and secure.
We all know that work has changed considerably in the last few decades. With increasing globalisation of industry, many jobs become vulnerable. Instead of trying to find a career that will be stable (I’m not sure that there are any guarantees any more), think about how you can develop You Plc. What transferable skills do you have that you could offer in different industries? How could you offer your industry experience, but in a different context e.g. moving from manufacturing to research, or from research to teaching? Read the trade and business press, keep an eye on trends and developments in your field and stay ahead of the game. Look for opportunities that may come up, and go for them wherever you can. Keep talking to people and making new contacts. Opportunities are often found through people you know. A career coach can help you to develop You Plc.
8. I’ve had a series of odd jobs, but I’d like a career with a proper professional career path that I can follow.
If you feel that this describes you, I would suggest first that you don’t undervalue your career so far. A career does not have to be a clearly defined profession, such as medicine or accountancy. A career is basically the story of what you have done in your working life. Many people enjoy the variety of a portfolio career, or a series of varied and interesting jobs. If you look back over what you’ve done, and write down what skills you were using, I bet you will see some common threads emerging. A career coach can help you make sense of your career to date, and what it might be telling you about yourself. But if you already know all this, and you feel that you really need a job where you know what you are, what profession you belong to, and what qualifications you can do, then it is just as important to make sense of the threads of your career so far. They can help you to identify which profession might be right for you and consider your career options.
9. I’m fed up with working for someone else. I want a career where I can work for myself.
If you are the type of person who values autonomy, enjoys working on your own and creating something new, then you might be thinking about self-employment. Running your own business can be rewarding – but is also very hard work, so it’s important to consider carefully whether this is the right option for you. Business Link have a very good website with information to help you consider self employment. A career coach can help you to decide whether self-employment is the right option for you, and if so, can help you through the difficult transition period of setting up and changing your work and life style to fit with your business.
10. People say I’ve done really well for myself, but I still feel that there’s something missing. I feel that there should be more to life than this.
Some people seem to have it all – good job, nice house, decent car, the latest fashions – but they still aren’t happy. If this is you – if you’ve got a nagging feeling that you’ve got something more to accomplish, but you don’t know what it is – then you might be experiencing a crisis of meaning. This can happen when you lose touch with your purpose in life – what you feel you are here to achieve. You are hearing a kind of ‘call to action’. The first step is to make space in your life to listen to that call to action. Start a journal and get your thoughts down on paper. Write whatever comes into your head, and don’t judge what you write. Take a look at our article on Finding your Motivation which has a few more ideas that will help you.