Have you decided that it’s time for a new career? Is your current job making you feel bored or unhappy? You could stick it out but maybe it is time for a change.
Many of my readers will know that I did not always work in social media. I originally qualified as a Chartered Accountant, and my last job before I left for my maternity break in 2002 was European Finance Director for an American Company. It was challenging but fun, and scary in parts. I enjoyed the frequent travel, but the hours were punishing, I wasn’t seeing enough of my then fiance, now husband, and it certainly would not have been possible with children.
I took three years sabbatical to be with my husband on his placement abroad, had two children, and then spent a few years figuring out my options and ended up completely reinventing myself. It was scary but the results have been really satisfying.
If you are feeling unhappy in your chosen profession, then give some thought to changing careers, even though it’s a scary thing to do. When you’ve spent so long doing one thing, it can push you massively off balance to decide that this isn’t right for you anymore, and that it’s time to do something new.
The first thing is to look at what else you might do. Maybe there are things you would really have liked to do but decided against when the time came to choose. Or maybe you have talents in other areas of your life that you would like to make money from? Sit down with yourself and brainstorm all the ideas, from the obvious and normal to the completely crazy ones, and see what you come up with.
What do you Enjoy?
One of the things that you need to consider is what you already like so that you can start imagining yourself in jobs that you may be suited to. You do need to keep in mind here though that not all of your interests, or not all jobs that relate to something that you like will be for you. There are going to be some that may actually surprise you in terms of your enjoyment levels, and not in a good way. On the flip side though, there are likely going to be a few that you enjoy more than you thought you would, which is why you’ve got to be open minded.
What Are You Qualified For?
You should also think about what exactly you’re qualified to do. There are some jobs that are less concerned about formal qualifications and more interested in your experience/your work ethic, so if you know that you’re only qualified for one thing, these are the companies you want to be applying to.
Alterntively, you can go back to education and retrain. Learn something new, and start again. It’s a long road, but it’s worth it if you will enjoy the rest of your working life more. I had one friend who requalified as a lawyer in her 40s, after a cvery unfulfilling career as a stock controller. She had to take a big drop in salary while she was training, but she now feels happy and fulfilled every day.
Something Completely Out Of The Box
Last but not least, have you considered getting into something that’s completely out of the box and not something that you ever saw yourself doing? For example, you could look into the company that provides local funeral services in your area and see if they are hiring. Or, if you’ve been stuck behind a desk for the last few years, maybe look for something that’s a little more active so that you have more freedom.
You may even consider leaving the workforce alrtogether and setting up as a freelancer or starting a business. It’s risky but it can be very satisfying to be your own boss.
A lot of people are reluctant to try out things that are completely different for them, but often this is where you’re going to find the job that makes you happy, or at the very least, challenges you the way you need to be challenged.
Take your time and really think through all of your options here. The last thing that you want is to get stuck in another job that you don’t really like, or another job that feels like it’s not challenging enough. Your goal should always be to do something that you love, even if it takes you a fair chunk of time to work out what that is.
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