Career (Change) Woman…

It can be tough to admit that you’re stuck in an unfulfilling career. Even worse, you may not foresee a way out. Take comfort in knowing that you’re not the only one! A reported 37% of U.S. citizens either changed or lost their job in 2020, proving that there is no time like the present to make a move. With the average American spending 1/3 of their lifetime at work (90,000 hours), there’s no wonder more employees are deciding that time on-the-clock should be spent happily.

Job satisfaction is a HUGE deal. Work environment, culture, job duties, and salary are just a few of the factors that can contribute to employee fulfillment. And while there’s no one size fits all approach to transitioning careers, there are steps you can take in deciding how to proceed. Let’s get into some of them below.

Identify the Issues

Career Coach, Kyle Lee, urges, “before you make a plan, you’ve got to make sure you understand what the problem is.” And we agree! Before developing an exit strategy, it’s important to know exactly what you don’t like about your career. Is it your current place of work? Have you never felt passionate about what you do? Could you use a pay raise? And if so, are you at the salary ceiling for your profession? When you take inventory of what you’re feeling, you are better prepared to address the issues.

Get Clear on what You Want

When you’ve asked yourself all the hard questions and gotten clear on the answers, experts recommend weighing several solutions. If you’re content with your field of work but unhappy with your employer, maybe it’s time to search for different opportunities. If toxic workplace culture is creating your dissatisfaction, you could opt for a meeting with human resources. Conversely, if you’re no longer interested in your professional field and are ready to pursue something new, the next step is just for you!

Devise a Plan

You don’t have to be an expert to understand that some things go better when planned. And finding a new career is one of those things. Randall Hansen of Live Career created this 10-step strategy to career change success, citing networking and education as catalysts you’ll need. Likewise, there is a wide variety of materials, books, and blogs to guide you in creating a method to navigate your occupational madness. Learning from the wisdom of others is priceless, but remember you know your situation best. Author your plan with what matters most to you in mind. Your strategy may be the wisdom that others in the future can learn from.

Go for It

Don’t stay stuck in workplace misery out of fear. Everything you want may be on the other side. Natasha Stanley of Careershifters says this, “…let fear do its job, while you do yours – continuing to work towards getting what you want.” She argues fear arises out of a need to feel safe and thus should only motivate us to become more vigilant. We concur and would only add that life is short. None of us knows which day could be our last, so we owe it to ourselves to go after the life we want so at life’s conclusion, we’ll have fewer regrets.

*** Today’s post is sponsored by LaRessa M. Thompson, NMLS #2028820. If you or someone you know living in the greater Baton Rouge, LA metropolitan area is interested in homeownership + real estate opportunities, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Laressa at 225.810.2570.***