If your chosen career is no longer fulfilling, finding the courage to make a change is a challenge worth taking. It takes time, money, and commitment to establish a satisfying career. Accurate self-awareness is also necessary when deciding what kind of work suits your personality and values. However, the first career we choose occurs when we are newly out of college or after completing a professional training program at an age before deep self-awareness has developed. In our early 20’s, the choice of a career is often based on external issues such as family expectations, an already established skillset, making good money, or prestige. Unfortunately, intellectual and emotional needs are often under-considered when choosing a first career. Deprivation of intellectual, creative, and emotional needs in the choice of a career leads to professional dissatisfaction, and therefore the need to make a career change becomes apparent.
The behavioral steps in making a career change are straightforward;
1) identify what you no longer like about your current job, 2) do an interest and values clarification inventory, 3) take a personality test that indicates compatible careers, 4) make a list of skills that you enjoy doing, 5) find out if the career that interests you requires retraining, certification, or more college, 6) make a list of people who will support your decision to change your professional direction, and 7) meet with people in the career you are interested in pursuing, 8) increase organizational skills, 9) strengthen skills in communication 10) become knowledgable about the realities of the careers you are considering. These are actions that are essential in the process of finding a new, more satisfying professional life. However, the emotional steps one needs to take in the process can be harder than the physical actions required.
Most people who are unhappy in their careers know that making a change would increase their overall happiness and self-esteem. However, when asked, “Then why don’t you make a plan and do it?” people often respond with the following fears and excuses;
1) “I’m afraid of change, 2) “I’m afraid I will fail”, 3) “It will take too long”, 4) “what if I make the change and I’m still not happy”, 5) “My family doesn’t want me to make the change”, 6) “I don’t want to disappoint anyone”, 7) “I have put too many years into my current career, 8) “I don’t have the time”, 9) ” I’m too old”, 10) “I don’t want to be seen as a quitter”, 11) ” I don’t know how to start the process”, 12) ” It’s too much work.”
Negative feelings about oneself, concerns about being perceived negatively by others, and negative projections create emotional roadblocks to making changes and taking risks. Self-esteem building is an essential component in the process of changing a career. By building confidence in your ability to learn and change and feeling worthy to be professionally fulfilled, transitioning to a new career becomes possible. Increasing self-esteem can be achieved by;
1) establishing a positive support system, 2) developing positive self-talk, 3) setting and meeting small, attainable goals, 4) stopping any behavior that creates shame, 5) change self-criticism to constructive inspiration for self-improvement, 6) remove any form of abuse in your life, 7) forgive yourself for past mistakes or failures, 8) accept your shortcomings, 9) be generous and helpful towards others, 10) take care of yourself both physically and mentally.
Everyone deserves a career that goes beyond financial reward. Reaching our potential, having a purpose, feeling proud, and being stimulated and challenged is important for psychological well-being. Change can be hard, but being happy in our professional life is worth the effort.