This is THE question, right? When it comes to your career, or even your life in general, the big question mark is this one: Pursue what you love or be safe and go for the job that actually pays the bills? The more you advance in life and acquire things (read: mortgage, cars, shoes and purses you don’t need), and the more people you’re responsible for, the more it seems you should settle for the latter option.
Some of you may not even be sure what your passion really is, or if you even have one. Others wouldn’t know where to start to tap into their passions, skills and talents. And for the rest, well, they may just be too tired to even begin the whole process of answering this question.
I know I’ve asked myself the question countless times, and at times, I still do. I was raised in a conservative, single-parent household run by my single mom in Senegal. My siblings and I grew up with a clear understanding that if we wanted to make it in this life, we’d have to go for stability. Forget the big adventure of following our passions.
Why do so few of us take the time to figure it out?
In college, I was always looking at other students taking a sabbatical year or a year abroad with a mix of wonder and envy. How could they even afford to take some time off to explore their wants, or take some time to reflect? There were degrees to be had, jobs to be held, money to be made, bills to be paid…And shoes to be bought occasionally too…
Especially as an immigrant, I never thought there was room, time or space to devote to anything else than working and building a stable nest. Pursuing talents, skills and passions was for rich kids with trust funds, or those who roamed freely on the surface of this Earth with no sense of obligation or duty. For the rest of us, there were responsibilities, commitments and obligations galore to attend to. From making rent to making our families proud, it was all about doing the “right, sensible thing, and making money in the process.
Is Money All There is?
Money was the big equalizer, that financial equilibrium that could bring us closer to our dreams. After all, if you didn’t have money, how could you find fulfillment on an empty stomach? Yet, as the reality of daily started to settle in, it felt like no matter how materially satisfied we may be, that didn’t necessarily equate with fulfillment. Actually, the more materially satisfied we are without pursuing what really matters to us, the more depleted we tend to feel.
So What Makes Us Start Thinking Differently?
Then, as close friends and family members leave this life, the reality that we’re not going to be here forever hits us in squarely in the face. We start understanding that time, and not money, is our most precious commodity. That there may very well be a reason why we were put on this Earth, and are given the privilege to wake up and keep breathing every single day.
Should we just forego all idea of stability?
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in stability. Stability is good. Safety is comforting. I love the idea of a full bank account, a prolific retirement account and the security of having more than enough. Yet at some point between losing people I dearly love and realizing my own mortality, I started believing more in actually enjoying life. Not in a desperate, “let-me-get-all-I-can-while-I’m-here” kind of way. But in a purposeful, intentional way that says “I know I’m here for a reason. I know I was created for a purpose, and I need to find out why and go do that.”
So maybe more of us should be taking that year off in college to travel the world, or just think about what we really want out of life. Maybe it’s not a luxury just reserved for the trust fund kids, or those who roam freely on the surface of this Earth. Maybe taking the time to know who we are and why we are here is actually a necessity.
This doesn’t mean that we should quit our jobs tomorrow and go sailing on the Mediterranean seas. Or that we shouldn’t worry about stable incomes, debt repayment and keeping our credit scores intact. What this means is that as we make a living, we should also make a life. That money is important, but should not be the ultimate priority of our life journeys.
What should we do then?
So should you pursue what you love or keep a stable job? If you’re asking yourself the question today, you should do neither right away. What you can do is stop, take a deep breath and answer the following questions for yourself:
Are you fulfilled?
Really fulfilled, as in, waking up with this sense of being full and overflowing of the goodness of this life. Or are you heavy, burdened with responsibilities, and dreading the day/month/year ahead?
No one other than you knows the answer to this question, and no one can help you answer it. This is where you look inward and be honest with yourself about how you feel.
Why are you here?
Purpose is not an illusion, it’s a reality. I believe we all have a purpose, a reason to be. Or many for that matter. What’s yours? Why are you here?
This is a tough question to answer, unless you have a vision and goals for your life. If you don’t, take some time to explore the activities and things that bring you the most joy and peace. You’ll find your answer.
What do you need to get there?
It’s one thing to realize that you are or are not fulfilled enough. Or to take hold of what your purpose is. However, we live in a practical world that requires you to devise a plan to get to wherever you may be going.
What will you need to achieve your purpose and find fulfillment? What does that mean for you spiritually, emotionally, relationship-wise and financially? Determine if it will require you to save more money, leave some relationships, address some gaps in your personality, and start tackling these one at a time.
Now your turn: Do you believe you should pursue what you love or keep a stable job?
If you’ve ever asked yourself what your purpose in life is, you may have unwittingly given yourself a headache. It’s one of those life-impacting questions that requires quite a bit of self-introspection and understanding of oneself. It’s also a question that so many of us avoid because it seems unrealistic, or downright, impossible to get the right answer for ourselves.
As I’ve been navigating through my own career journey, I’ve stumbled upon it quite a few times. While I was able to successfully sidestep it for years, It came a point in my life and career when I could no longer avoid it. The more I was faced with a growing sense of restlessness and impatience in my work, the more I was compelled to look within. The more I looked within, the more it was obvious that I needed to get clearer about my purpose.
As I went along my career journey, here are 7 questions I asked myself throughout my journey to find and get more clear about my purpose:
What did you want to be when you grew up?
You know how as a kid, people will continually ask” What do you want to be when you grow up?” While this question makes many of us smile at the randomness of the answers we get from the mouths of babes, it actually may reveal more than we think. I came to understand that gifts, skills and talents are naturally placed in each and everyone of us, from the time we’re children. It’s those gifts and talents that usually are there to indicate a sense of purpose in our lives.
I’ve always loved to write. From an early age on, I would walk around with a notebook and pen in two, recording senseless stories about plants and insects. It’s a natural, God-given talent that has never left me, even decades later as I’ve switched paths to become a writer.
What You Should Do: Do you remember who you wanted to be when you grew up, even as a kid? Take a moment to do some self-introspection and go back to the careless days of your childhood. What did you answer to this question? Write it down in your journal and record those memories.
What can you do that others find hard to do?
Whatever it is that you can do with ease while others struggle at, is the sign of a natural skill and talent. Can you whip up a 700-word article in a half-hour, while it takes everyone else around you two days to finish? Does investing come easy to you, while your friends don’t get the very basics of stocks and mutual funds?
Your purpose is always linked to something that you can do with more ease than most people. It’s easy to overlook these talents and skills that we may have for the very reason that they’re so natural for us. However, they’re indicative of areas we are gifted in and can use to make an impact.
What You Should D0: Grab your journal and make a list of those areas, skills and talents which come easy and natural to you. These don’t have to be career-related. Anything that you’re good at should go on this list.
What do others seek your help in?
Are you the go-to-person your family, friends and colleagues come to when they need help with writing? Do people call you for investing, real estate or financial advice? Do your colleagues always come to you for graphic design advice?
One of the clear signs of your purpose is linked to those areas in which people seek your help and advice. Most times, others will recognize our purpose in us before we even do.
What You Should Do: Make an inventory of those things and areas you help people the most with. List them in the order of the frequency with which you help them most often.
What would you do even if you weren’t paid for it?
This is one of the best Litmus tests to identify your purpose. What could you spend most of your time doing, even if you weren’t getting paid for it? For me, it was always writing and reading. My husband could cook and provide investing advice all day, for free.
Those activities that you wouldn’t mind doing for free are those that are linked to your purpose. Make sure to carefully recognize throughout your professional and personal journey.
What You Should Do: Think back about what you do on weekends and during your free time. The activities, skills and talents you use during these times are most likely linked to your purpose.
How can you best help people?
Your purpose is first and foremost linked to helping people. By tapping into your specific talents and skills, and leveraging your abilities to the best, you can help people the most. If you’re wondering what your purpose, looking at ways in which you are best equipped to help people is a great indicator.
What You Should Do: Look back at instances when you were able to help people? What gifts and talents did you use? How did you manage to help them? How did you feel about helping them?
Who are your role models in life?
The people you admire and want to emulate the most are also associated with your purpose. There’s a reason why you’re such a big fan of Oprah or Lebron James. These people display qualities, abilities, and strengths that are also charasteric to you.
It’s not about imitating others’ lives and successes, but rather about using them as guides and role models towards your purpose.
What You Should Do: Make a list of those people who you consider to be your role models. What attracts you about them? What qualities and talents would you like to emulate?
How do you envision your life?
How do you see yourself living your ideal life? What would an ideal day, week, or year look like for you? Your purpose is meant to help you live your best, most fulfilling existence. However, it can only happen if you dare to dream big and imagine the life you were created to enjoy.
What You Should Do: Create a vision board on which you record images of what your ideal life would be. Take time to create the best vision and record it in your journal as well.
When you’re in college or even in school, no one really teaches you about finding your own career path. Not the one that pays more money, or that requires less years of study, or even seems to be the most comfortable to take…
When I decided to graduate in Accounting in college, it wasn’t the promise of cracking down numbers all day long that kept me going. Instead, it was what just about everyone else told me about it: “It’s a great field!”, or “You’ll make good money”, or better, “You’ll never lack of a job.” For all these reasons and the prospect of not having to live on Ramen noodles so I can buy more shoes, I did what any reasonable student would do.
What no one tells you about finding your career path is that it doesn’t have as much to do with how much money you can make. Or how much job stability you can get. Or even how many weeks of vacation you can score. It has to do with YOU! Surprised?
After all, it’s been proven that most people are financially satisfied after reaching the $75, 000 salary cap. So if money is not really the ultimate denominator of career satisfaction, and finding your own career path has little to do with making sure that you’re chained to a desk for the rest of your life, what is everyone not telling you?
Here are 6 things to stop doing in order to find the career you want that no one is telling you:
STOP ignoring yourself!
We tend to listen to everyone else but ourselves! Everyone’s opinion is not worthy of being listened to or even considered. What motivates others is different from what motivates you! Instead of heeding everyone’s advice and ignoring your own, start listening to yourself more!
What motivates you? What excites you? What sets your soul on fire? Those signals from your soul are not to be ignored. It doesn’t mean you have to ditch your 9-to-5 to start a career in pottery. What it means, however, is that you have to integrate these signals into your daily life, whether it’s in your work, as a side hustle, or just as a hobby.
STOP ignoring your personality!
Do you notice how every time you try to go against your personality and the way you truly are, you’re setting yourself up for disaster. Or at least for some serious disappointment and heartache along the way…
If you’re asking yourself how to figure out what really motivates you, and where your strengths, skills and interests lie, stop settling for the status quo and take action instead! Take a personality assessment to nail down those characteristics that set you apart.
There are a number of personality assessment tests, from the traditional Myers-Briggs test to other variation of it, to help you to identify your ideal careers and workplaces.
STOP thinking you can’t start over!
One of the biggest obstacles to finding the career we want, is the false belief that once we’re established or have started in a certain field, we must continue in it! Actually, many successful people have reached optimum success and performance by being willing to start at the bottom again…
A great way to figure out your ideal career is to start interning. An internship can teach you things about a job, field or industry that a formal or informal interview cannot. Even if you’re already working full-time, you may be able to secure a part-time internship to help you find out more about the right career for you!
It takes a village to build a successful career. This doesn’t only mean that you must have the support of your loved ones, family and friends. It also means that you must have the necessary career network to inspire and push you to succeed.
Look around you and identify someone in your desired career or field whom you admire. Ask them to be your mentor.
Seek sponsors in your current or desired environment, who can help open doors and bring about opportunities you couldn’t otherwise aspire to.
STOP failing to plan!
When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. As cliché as this may sound, it’s the truth. Not planning and mapping your career path, even in spite of the changes and detours can deter you from finding the career you want.
Map out your career plan in light of your strengths, skills, talents and desires. Whether it’s making a lateral move, expanding your network, or starting from the bottom, have a plan to get to your career destination.
STOP thinking of your career as a straight path!
Newsflash: your career is not a straight path! Actually, the straighter it may be, the more boring and un-challenging it may be for you! Instead of looking to turn your work into the most predictable and routine thing ever, don’t be afraid to face changes and challenges!
Dare to start over! Face the fear of starting a side hustle, creating a business, or even making a career transition to a brand new company or industry! Your career was never meant to be a straight path. The more detours you take, the richer, more compelling and more exciting your experience.
How many times have you wondered about finding the career you want? Or asked yourself if the career you’re in is a good fit for your personality? There are actually effective personal assessment tools out there to help match you with the career of your dreams.
Understanding your personality, strengths, interests, and values, is critical when picking or transitioning careers. It doesn’t require you to go on some soul-searching journey into the depths of your being. Actually, it can be as simple as using career assessment tools to find out what your best career matches are. Some of these tools are administered by professionals; however, they can be taken alone to get a sense of what your ideal career is.
Here are 30 career assessment tools that will come in handy when you or anyone around you asks the question: “How do I figure out the career I really want?”
One of the most popular and well-known career assessment tools out there is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This assessment describes 16 different personality traits, and identifies basic personality differences. That’s how I found out I was an introvert after many years of questioning my social skills at work.
This Values Assessment will help you learn more about what your real motivations are in your career. It will measure and rank various components of work, to help you understand which jobs or industries fit your style.
This personality assessment test measures people according to their temperament: “artisan, rational, idealist, and guardian.” If you’re ready to go through the 71 questions (yes, it’s pretty long), you’ll get more insight into how you really communicate and what your actions tend to be.
This free personality test is inspired by the Myers-Briggs test. It will help you gain insight into your type of personality as related to your ability to form and maintain relationships. The good part? It should only take about 12 minutes to take.
As its name indicates, this assessment tool divides people into five categories: openness, extraversion, agreeability, neuroticism, and openness. It helps you pinpoint your learning style, work preferences, and includes a few hilarious questions too.
With this tool, you’ll be able to rank school subjects and activities you enjoy, as well as qualities you have. Your interests are then matched to a certain career cluster to reveal what type of work is the best fit for you.
This assessment test is sponsored by the U.S Department of Labor, and will help you pinpoint your work interests. The drawback? It has a total of 60 questions, so get ready!
This career assessment is perfect if you hate your job, or are just out of school or college. While it has a free component, the paid “starter package” costs $90 to get a list of your top 20 career matches. If you want the whole enchilada, you may have to fork over $149.95 for the “executive package”, which includes a full 30-page assessment and over 900 career matches. The free test matches you to five potential careers, which is not a bad start.
This personality assessment pinpoints the area you’re the most interested in career-wise, and translates it into suitable career interests. This is also one of the longer ones, with a total of 87 questions!
This test identifies your most prevalent workplace behaviors, in order to highlight your management style. It’s also based on your primary personality traits.
This unique app’s purpose takes you through a series of quizzes to help you uncover your personality traits and match you to your ideal career. It also helps you learn to work better with others.
This powerful test is meant to help you discover your own Enneagram type to understand your personality and the ways in which you operate. There are nine different Enneagram types, and your test results place you in one definite category.
This personality assessment, based on the Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance factors (DISC), is geared at providing insight into your communication style as well as ways to build stronger relationships with co-workers. It’s relatively quick and is composed of only 12 questions.
The Self-Directed Search categorizes people and jobs into 6 categories: realistic, investigative, social, artistic, conventional, or enterprising. It will help you narrow down the 3 types that best fit you and a list of matching careers. It costs $9.95.
This survey helps you uncover your best qualities in about 15 minutes. It’s based on a scientific assessment of character strengths to help you understand your core traits. Unlike many tests focusing on your shortcomings, the VIA survey focuses on your best qualities.
Based on a series of mind games, this career assessment tool measures your social and cognitive traits. You’ll end up with a list of your strengths and weaknesses, which can guide you towards your ideal careers.
This tool is a series of activities developed by the Johnson O’Connor Foundation for Oprah. It tests different skills and your strengths in it. The result is a list of jobs and careers which might fit you best based on your performance.
If you’re a college student, this personal assessment test is for you. It will give you an idea of what you’re already good at, and will point you to talent themes to achieve your goals. It costs $9.99.
This free Buzzfeed career quiz is not as comprehensive as the other tools in this list. Yet, it’s a quick way to gain some insight into your career match in between tasks during the day.
This personal assessment tool helps you uncover your strengths and weaknesses, how you communicate and how much value you add to any team. It’s based on a fun color game system to highlight your personality and style of interaction with others.
Dubbed as the world’s “leading behavioral style model”, this personality assessment tool’s goal is to help build more effective relationships. It has been used by thousands of organizations to improve leadership performance.
This romantically sounding tool will help you discover your own love language, so you can improve your relationships. 15 million people have already used this tool to connect better with others.
CareerHunter helps you explore your abilities and interests through 6 self-assesment tools. At the end of this very comprehensive process, you get a full career report suggesting your best career matches. It costs $9.99.
The Sokanu Career test is a free platform that takes you through some great career tests to help you discover how compatible you are with over 800 careers. It looks at five dimensions, including your workplace, personality, interests, history and career goals, to compare your test results with certain career paths’ characteristics.
This personal assessment tool highlights your work personality and ideal work environment. It guides you towards your perfect career. It also provides career research tips, as well as advice to get into the fields you’re most compatible with. Note there’s a free version as well as a paid one (the paid version is $11.99).
Renowned Psychology Today has come up with its own career assessment tool. The test contains a total of 240 questions, and matches you with one career field at the end of it. However, you can purchase the full report with more career matches.
You can find your unique career code with this career assessment tool. It’s composed of 180 true or false questions, and promises to provide you with a list of careers compatible with your interests. It’s priced at $49.95.
The Princeton Review came up with a 24-question career quiz, requiring you to pick the best answer to pinpoint your career wants. It’s relatively easy yet very revealing.
This career assessment tool takes a look at your skills and interests to help you narrow down your ideal career. It uses seven measures of ability including science, mechanical, mathematics, managerial, communication, interpersonal and artistic.
This personality assessment calculates your personal DISC profile, based on the Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance factors (DISC). It helps you build your own personality profile quickly, while analyzing your typical behavior.
What other career assessment tools would you recommend?
You may have been thinking about transitioning to the career you want to work in. You may even have started taking a few steps to look into it. However, transitioning to a dream career is an important, and critical process.
I recently made the leap to the career I really want, from corporate life to being a full-time writer and entrepreneur. For the conservative accountant by trade that I am, it’s a BIG career transition. Yet it’s one that I’ve been anticipating for many years now. I’ve read so much about career transitions, and asked so many questions about it from others who went through it before I did, that when it was time to undergo my own, I had way too much information and not enough structure.
Here’s the thing about career transitions. They’re very personal, and quite complex. You have to make them your own, which means you also have to sift through all the available information out there, and turn it into simple steps you can follow. You know what they say about how to eat an elephant, piece by piece. Well, this is one BIG elephant, and you may want to tackle it piece by piece.
From my own experience and sifting through the gazillion types of advice available, here’s what I learnt about simplifying the career transition process down to seven manageable steps:
Get clear about your “Why”
This is a step that so many of us miss, because we’re too busy worrying about the logistics, finances, or other technical factors of career transitions. However, having awareness about where you stand at work and in life can mean a world of difference between a successful career transition and one that leaves you wanting for more.
Before starting anything new, especially something as new as a career transition, you want to identify your “why”. The last thing you want is to end up somewhere you hate more than where you initially were.
What to do: Ask yourself why you really want to do what you want to do? How will this make your life and career better? What are the risks and/or rewards involved?
Know what to expect
One of the biggest mistakes we make when doing a career transition is not being clear on what to expect. What does your new career consist in? Will you be using your skills and network to successfully transition from one career, or one job to the other?
It’s not just about following your bliss, and seeing where it will take you. Actually, according to scientific researcher and computer scientist Cal Newport, there’s a lower probability of being fulfilled in the long-term when you follow your passions then when using your existing career skills.
What to do: Research your prospective career and gather as much information as possible. Make an inventory of skills and connections in your prospective career and seek ways to connect with them.
Take your emotions into account
Very little is being said about the emotional toll it takes to undergo a career transition. It’s important to make space and room for your emotions during your transition There will be a certain amount of nostalgia as you leave one career, or job to another. There will also be a certain learning curve needed to adapt to your new career and environment.
One mistake I made when transitioning careers was to discount the role of my emotions. Instead, I tried to repress them, or blamed myself for them. I later learnt they’re a normal part of the process, and should be acknowledged for a better transition.
What to do:Acknowledge your feelings and use them as GPS to guide you through the process. Your emotions will serve you as a guide while you transition, pointing you to what fulfills you and what frustrates you. Being kind to yourself through the process will also help you ease into the challenges at hand.
Figure out the “How”
Once you’ve figured out your ‘Why”, and know what to expect, start working on your action plan. What are your goals when transitioning careers? How much time do you expect to need to meet your goals?
What to do: Write down each goal, focusing on the primary ones. Detail the steps necessary to accomplish these goals, such as trainings you’ll need to attend, events you’ll need to attend, people you’ll need to connect, etc. For each step, devise tasks to accomplish daily or weekly. This will help you get started, stay productive, while giving you the motivation you need to accomplish more.
Mind your brand
Your personal and professional brand shifts with each career transition. It’s not that you need to change who you are when transitioning to the career you want. As you progress and evolve, so does your personal and professional brand. Don’t hide all this progress, instead be willing to show and leverage it as you step on new grounds.
What to do: Adjust your resume, social media profiles (especially your Linked In profile), to reflect your evolving professional brand. Do not be afraid to show up as you are!
Track your progress!
Transitioning to the career you want is a process. It involves some ups and downs, as well as times when you may be accomplishing more than at other times. Track your progress, and learn from the process.
What to do: Keep a running list of tasks and deliverables associated with your transition. Assign yourself some deadlines and milestones to meet, and track your progress against these.
Get the support you need!
Last but not least, any type of career change or transition requires you to have the support you need to help you through it. Mobilize your posse, and share your journey’s ups and downs with your close family and friends. Take a break every now and then, and grab a drink with your favorite girlfriends.
In the same way, expand your professional network to include potential mentors and colleagues who can help you through your transition.
What to do: Get out of your shell, and let others help and support you! Ask your close circle of family and friends to take some things off your plate, like child support or administrative tasks, for instance. Reach out to and connect with potential mentors and colleagues who can help you through the process.
Here’s my YouTube video on the topic:
In Conclusion:
Get clear about your “Why”
Know what to expect
Take your emotions into account
Figure out the “How”
Mind your brand
Track your progress!
Get the support you need!
How did you prepare to transition to the career you wanted? What would you add to this list?
Career transitions are hard. It’s not easy changing jobs, being relocated or jumping into a new career. It’s especially true when it affects our work. Considering we spend the majority of our time at work, change in our careers can be destabilizing.
Career transitions have always been challenging for me. I get attached to people and places. As a result, moving to a different job or career always takes a toll on me. Yet, I’ve come to understand that without career transitions, there is no career growth.
The reason why so many of us avoid career transitions is because we’re afraid of change. As a result, we stay stuck in jobs we hate, spending our precious time and energy on careers we loathe. We’re too afraid to go for the next job or take a leap of faith into the unknown.
Here are seven of the most prevalent myths that keep us away from career transitions, and keep us tuck:
Career transitions are too hard.
The #1 myth around career transitions is that they’re too difficult. We think it’s going to require too much time and energy to start at the bottom in a new career. Or to look for and get a different job. Or even to ask for that rise or promotion.
Yes, there is a level of effort and discomfort involved in undergoing any transition. Yet, the ROI on your effort might very well be rewarded with significant career advancement. Or you may just remain where you are, stuck…
What to do: Make peace with the fact that you may have to put in some work. Make a list of all the advantages that will come with your career transition. It may learning new skills, making more money, or finding fulfillment. Comparing the benefits with the costs will give you the courage to make a change.
It’s not the right time for a career transition
In between your busy schedule, the kids’ calendar and the never-ending laundry, there are not enough hours in the day. Never mind trying to go through a career transition of any kind…
Life only gets busier as we go. There will never really be a right time for any type of change. The only way to know what will happen Is simply to get started.
What to do: Stop waiting and preparing to no end! Instead, start taking action towards achieving the transition you’ve been thinking about. Ask for the promotion or raise. Start looking for a job in your dream company. Start saving money to take the leap in your own business. Just start….
I don’t know the right people to make a career transition
Many of us think we have to know the right people to get ahead. When we start thinking of career transitions, we also think about who can help us. Who can help you get that interview for the new job you’ve been eyeing for months? Who can you contact to mentor you to start your own business?
When making career transitions, networking is an important skill. Not knowing the right people stops so many of us from making the career switches we need to.
What to do: Not having all the right contacts should not stop you from starting your career transition. As a matter of fact, it’s the sheer act of starting your career transition that will get you closer to the people who can help you. Make an inventory of all the people in the career, department or company you plan to transition in, and start by following them on social media. Find out about networking events they attend, or common acquaintances you may have. Leverage these events and common contacts to reach out to them and gain more information about their field of work.
I don’t have the money to make a career transition
Some career transitions can be expensive. When I decided to leave Big Corporate to start my own business, I had to make sure I had a financial cushion to support me during the shift. Moving to a different state or country to get the job of your dreams can also be costly, although your company can decide to pay for it.
Attending networking events, job searching, even improving your wardrobe can all be expenses you’ll incur when transitioning careers. Yet you should not let it stop you from finding and doing work you enjoy.
What to do: If you haven’t already, start aggressively saving! Make a budget and track all unnecessary expenses. Make an inventory of all the unneeded expenses you can save instead, and set a monthly savings objective.
What are people going to think about me?
One of the most common of our worries when effecting a career transition is people’s opinion. What will people think if you change careers? Or change jobs? Or transition to a new department or new company?
What to do: Make peace with the fact that your decisions may not please everyone. Instead, focus on your long-term vision and plans to make necessary changes. As a litmus test, simply ask yourself: “Will it matter in five years?” If the answer is no, then do not worry so much about it.
I don’t have ALL the skills required to make this career transition
Did you know that men will go for a job they’re only 60% qualified for, while women will wait to be 100% qualified to apply for the same job? Not having all the skills required for a given job or career should not prevent you from making the transition. You can always acquire new skills, and gain more knowledge and experience over time. However, some missed opportunities are hard to re-create or come by again. Don’t let the appearance of missing skills keep you from a great career transition.
What to do: Evaluate the skills you have for the job, career, or whatever transition you’re planning to make. Refrain from focusing so much on what you don’t have. Instead, leverage the formal and informal capabilities you’ve acquired over time to make the best transition possible.
What If I Fail?
The fear of failure keeps most of us from making career transitions that could otherwise be beneficial for us. Instead of planning for success, we tend to imagine all the possible negative scenarios. As a result, it keeps us from researching or even attempting any career transition at all.
What to do:Keep your eyes focused on the prize. Visualize positive outcomes, and see yourself successfully completing your career transition.
Growing up in Senegal (West Africa), I’ve always loved learning. Anything education-related, from shiny new notebooks to large academic books, had me doing a (mental) happy dance. I guess you could say I was a nerd, pink glasses, heavy backpack and all… As the second girl in a single-parent family, I had learnt very early on to treasure the gift of education, mostly because my dear mom sacrificed so much so all four of us could have access to it. In a country where women were (and still are) under-represented in so many ways, being educated as a girl was (and still is) precious!
As passionate as I was about learning, I would have never suspected back then that the gift of education would actually change my life. Fast-forward a few years as I completed high school, both my mother and I were called in to the principal’s office. Shaking with nervousness, I kept wondering what that was all about. As it turned out, I was in the running for a scholarship to a prestigious school. Except the school was in the U.S., and if I was lucky enough, I’d be starting in the next few months…
The power of learning and education will take you further than you may have thought, across continents and countries. Whether formal or informal, everything you learn takes you some place you’ve never been before…
A few years later, I was graduating from Undergraduate and Graduate school, proudly wearing my favorite handmade African outfit under my robe. As I walked across the stage, thoughts of my journey flashed through my mind. Never in a million years had I thought learning would take me halfway across the world, enhancing my precious roots, and experiencing new cultures, ideas and concepts.
It was the power of education that taught me never to stop learning. Even after graduating as an Accounting major, my thirst of learning cultivated from years as a student, never dried up. It had awakened in me a constant curiosity, this constant sense that behind even the most trivial of things or events, there’s always something to learn.
Once a student, always a student. Learning doesn’t stop at graduation, or after completing a significant milestone in life. We learn every single day, formally or informally, and we’re made better, stronger, and so much more fulfilled because of it.
It’s also learning that brought me back to my first love of writing through blogging. After getting a formal education, I kept informally learning about the one passion I had had since childhood. The more I learnt, the more I could incorporate what I learnt in and outside of school and college. The more I was able to combine my natural talents with professional demands and start building my own path…
That’s the thing about learning and education. It doesn’t have to be in a specific discipline or path. It’s not necessarily done in formal settings. It can take you from the cubicle to the corner office, lead you to try things you’ve never considered, and push you to explore those skills and talents you may have neglected before.
I’m thankful to have been given the gift of education, in both formal and informal settings. As my dear grandmother used to say in her native Cape-Verdean creole over her stove making the best soul food I ever ate: “What you know, no one can ever take away for you!”
Keep on learning and getting inspired by other students’ stories who are overcoming odds to achieve success in their lives through education!
This is THE question, right? When it comes to your career, or even your life in general, the big question mark is this one: Pursue what you love or be safe and go for the job that actually pays the bills? The more you advance in life and acquire things (read: mortgage, cars, shoes and purses you don’t need), and the more people you’re responsible for, the more it seems you should settle for the latter option.
