Where Do You Begin To Make A Career Change?

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.”  – Ecclesiastes 2:24

This is the first in a series of 3 articles to help you prepare to make a career change.

Are you feeling…

• Dissatisfied with your career?
• Not seeing the fulfillment you had hoped to?
• Thinking there’s got to be more to life than what you have?
• Wanting more happiness, opportunities to use your strengths, sense of making a contribution?

Is a career change what you really want?

You can make a change. It is possible. It can even be fun and enlightening, but it is also a lot of work. Even the process can be fulfilling and include a sense of self-discovery. It may take time. It may not happen overnight, but you can make it happen.

Before you decide to make a career change however, it is important to be sure that is really what you want to do. In some instances, there are other things that are playing a role in your dissatisfaction. If fixing these other things will give new life to your career, it is important to consider those before making a drastic career change.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are finances at the root of your distress? Is it possible with some financial counseling, and getting a better handle on your money situation, you could find happiness in your current career? Is it possible that out-of-control spending is draining your energy, hope, and enthusiasm? If so, seek out a reputable credit counselor and take control of your finances.
• Is the lack of meaningful relationships more likely the cause of your lack of fulfillment? Think about your friends, or lack of friends, and see if you need to seek relationships with a different set of people, or with people that have more going for them than those you currently spend time with. Think about where you might meet new friends with different values, and start frequenting those places. Not easy, but possible.
• Is it possible that a lack of progress in your current job is causing you the distress you are feeling? If you were able to take on new skills in your current role, or improve your performance in what you are now doing, would that increase your sense of satisfaction and fulfillment? Check out the training possibilities, and opportunities to move around within your current organization, or similar opportunities at other organizations, before you decide to completely jump ship and look for an entirely new career.
• Are you trying to make your job too much a part of your life? A job, just like a spouse, cannot fill all your needs for satisfaction and fulfillment. That puts too much weight in that one area. Are you currently involved in church or service organizations, or professional associations? You might need to look for opportunities to volunteer, mentor, or be involved in some social, professional or service organization to see what contributing to those less fortunate can do.
• Are there other areas of your life that could use some improvement before you make a significant decision to change your career? Check these out first so that you don’t make a drastic mistake in leaving your vocation that has and could continue to bring an income as well as sense of well-being.

When the decision is made to change careers…

Once you have decided that a career change is definitely what you want to pursue, you will probably ask, where should you start? Engaging a career coach is a good place to start and can be a distinct advantage to making this kind of change. Establishing a relationship with this type of professional can be well worth the investment. A coach will encourage, challenge, raise questions, prod, prompt, and add a different perspective.

While a coach can be a distinct advantage, you can do at least some of the work on your own. You can do some of the initial thinking, take some of the initial steps, and process some of the information on your own. Then when you ask for the perspective of a friend, or professional, you are that much further down the road.

In my next article I’ll talk about Identifying What You Bring to a Job.

If you would like to explore working with a Christian centered Career Coach, Contact me for a no-obligation 60-90 minute job search consultation with America’s Job Searching Coach, or text me at 425-220-0707  and we can discuss your situation, your résumé, what you would like to achieve, and structure your job search to fit your uniqueness.

I am also available to speak to groups.