Career transition: Where to begin

Making a career transition is not something you should decide on a whim and it’s not going to happen overnight. As with most things in life, planning and preparation gives you the best chance to be successful. There is no point in moving to another career if it turns out to give you the exact same issues or challenges as the one you’re wanting to leave behind. 

If you’re looking for a career coach, then it is probably because you have reached a point in your life where you want to make a change in your career and one or more of the following applies:

• You don’t know what you want.
• You don’t know where to even begin.
• It’s been so long since you looked for another role, you don’t know where to look now.
• You have a rough idea of what you might want to do but are unsure how to make it happen.

Audit your career

One of the first steps in making a transition in your career is to always take stock of your existing career thus far. Whether this is being in the same sector since you left school/university, had many different jobs or whether you have worked in the past and maybe had a break from paid employment, it is beneficial to reflect on your career history.

Pull together your strengths, skills and achievements; this is not only useful to help you determine your next steps but to act as a reminder of just what you have done and what you have to offer. See it as a celebration of your experiences rather than seeing your career through the negative emotions you might be feeling in this moment, and which has led you to the point that now is the time to step out of your existing career to pursue a new one.

Find the joy in what you do

What do you enjoy doing? It might be difficult to see through the misery you’re experiencing right now, but focus on the elements of what you do which make you happy. Are there any activities that energise you? When you are working at your best, what are you doing?

Avoid at all costs

Sometimes it is easier to identify what you hate doing. What would you like to avoid at all costs? When you’re in your 40s or 50s, you have a greater understanding and experience of different elements to work that you don’t know when you’re just starting out in a career in your early 20s. You know because you’ve been there and worn the t-shirt and the thought of doing these things as your main functions/responsibilities fill you with dread.

When making a career transition you are not starting out with no knowledge or experience. You might not have direct detailed experience of the career you are pivoting into, but you are taking a lot with you, perhaps more than you first realised. And by conducting an audit of your career, you can start to collate and build your past career story to help you create a path to your new career future.

If you're struggling to view your current or past career in a way that will be beneficial in helping you to move in a different direction then reach out. As your Career Coach, I will help you develop a pathway to making the career transition you want.