When we’re young, we see our entire lives linearly. We envision getting a degree, landing a job, and rising through the ranks. We assume that if we work hard enough, we’ll ultimately get that high-level position and become successful people.
Many of us internalize those expectations deeply, and we don’t stop to question if it feels right. Someone gets that high-paying job with a paycheck to match but feels their work lacks meaning. Someone else follows a passion all the way to professional burnout.
We don’t talk about it enough, but many of us go through it — and come out thriving on the other side. It’s never too late to discover your dream career and true passion, but it takes bravery and a commitment to living your truth.
Why Should You Take a Leap of Faith To Change Careers?
They say the average person spends 90,000 hours at work in a lifetime — about a third of their time on this planet. That’s too much time to spend feeling lost and unfulfilled, no matter how many people tell you to “stick it out.”
Fulfilling work is a key ingredient for life satisfaction. Research shows when that work self feels authentic and connected to who you are, you feel better and do better. In other words, motivated people feel like themselves at work.
You deserve to live your fullest, most integrated life. If you take that leap of faith and commit to your dream job, that life can manifest.
5 Things To Consider When Changing Careers
Choosing your new career is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. You’ll invest time, energy, and money into upskilling and rebranding yourself, committing to a path that will influence the next decades of your life.
So, take your time. Follow these five steps purposefully, thoughtfully, and mindfully. If you think things through and stay true to yourself, your dream career will meet you at the finish line.
1. Assess Your Current Career and Redefine Your Goals
Start your journey with an evaluation of life circumstances. Consider where you are and where you want to be, asking yourself questions like:
- What do I like about my current career?
- What about my job feels like a bad fit?
- What does career satisfaction mean to me?
- What are my professional priorities?
Consider your career-related needs, from salary and benefits to what makes work feel meaningful. These are big questions, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
A career life coach is a great resource. They can help you find the ideal career for your personal and professional needs, starting with what you value in a role.
2. Research Different Fields and Connect With Other Professionals
Once you’ve listed what you need and want in a job, the next step is to explore potential matches. This stage is about learning what your career-relevant passion might look like in real life, and career counseling services can help you here.
Career counseling, also called career consulting, is the matchmaker of the working world. A counselor will consider your skill set, goals, personality traits, and career interests before offering some ideas. They’ll explain what the work feels like on a daily basis and what skills are necessary.
You’ll also need to do your own research. Check sites like Glassdoor and talk to people working in the field. Ask if they feel they have a satisfying career and why — or why not.
3. Evaluate Your Current Skills and Develop an Upskill Plan
Everyone brings transferable skills to a new career. Even if you plan to change industries completely, your professional life has given you capabilities to draw on.
List which skills you’ve used and can apply to your new role. Include any transferable technical skills, like analytical skills or computer knowledge, but don’t underestimate the power of your “soft” skills.
According to a survey updated in 2023, 61% of employers find soft skills more valuable than hard skills. Although they’re more challenging to teach and develop, they’re essential to a smoothly functioning team.
Next, identify the essential skills you’ll need to develop. Find out what kind of education you’ll need and how to pursue it. Will you need a university degree, professional certificate, or a few continuing education courses? Make a plan for your education and create a timeline for completing it.
4. Consider Financial Implications and Lifestyle Adjustments
This step is when the financial reality of a career change starts to hit home. You’ve planned your career education, but how do you fit that into your existing responsibilities?
Determine whether you can continue working your current job. If you need to make a change, what kind of income will you need to maintain your life?
It’s OK if this part of the process feels nerve-racking. Even the most motivated people second-guess themselves when their lifestyles take a hit. But if you lay it all out and it still feels worth it, cutbacks and all, you’ll know you’re on the right track.
5. Seek a Career Coach To Provide Personalized Advice
Finding your dream career can seem like an Oscar-worthy solo trek. You’re leaving your comfort zone and breaking into the great unknown. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it on your own.
Career coaching makes the transition smoother, more comfortable, and less intimidating. Career coaches offer personalized advice for getting from professional Point A to Point B.
Coaching starts wherever you are in your journey. You may have no idea what you want to do with your life, or you may have it all planned out, but you need to learn how to brand yourself.
Either way, career coaching or executive career coaching can help. Executive coaching is just coaching for high-level execs — a beneficial specialization since hiring looks different at the upper level.
How Plentiful Can Help You Change Careers Successfully
Finding and landing your dream role is a highly personal process. At Plentiful, we connect you with resources to help you navigate that journey.
Plentiful practitioners offer online career coaching, counseling, life coaching, and more. Whether it’s a course to help you find your calling or a longer-term dream career coaching program, there’s something to help you take that next step.
Explore career practitioners today. Your dream career awaits!
Ready to improve your life?
Access our free newsletter designed to help you become the best version of yourself.
Learn how to find your path, understand yourself, and make progress toward your dream life.
