For most of us, a career is something we settle into for life. However, it doesn’t take much to shake things up and make you question everything you know about your professional future. Perhaps you’ve had an opportunity come your way that will significantly affect where your career is headed. Or maybe you feel like the time has come to ditch the desk, go after something completely different and change your career. Whatever the reason, changing jobs can be challenging, especially if this isn’t the first time you are doing so. One thing I know is that switching paths in life isn’t easy. You will face resistance from those around you, struggle with fear and self-doubt, and must find ways to manage stress while keeping your eye on the future. But it IS doable I promise.
Why the hell should you even change your career?
There are plenty of good reasons why you should change your career, but first, you need to ask yourself why you want to do it in the first place. The usual reasons for changing your career are:
- You need a change of pace after years of the same work
- You want to pursue a new challenge in life
- You want a more fulfilling career that makes you happy
- You are bored with what you are doing and need to shake things up
- You want to use your skills differently
- You have new interests that you want to pursue
- You have become disillusioned with your current industry.
If you find yourself nodding to any of these reasons, you are well on a successful career change.
You’re not passionate about what you do
If you’re not passionate about what you do, no amount of money in the world will make you happy. You’ll be more prone to health issues and burnout, which will only make things harder for you in the long run. If you are in a field that you’re not passionate about, you will never be truly happy in your career. It’s time to get out there and find your true calling!
That day where everything falls exactly into place, and then you’ll make the career change will never come. Trust me. Stop putting off your dream career and start taking baby steps towards the job you want.
Setting the cogs in motion can be as simple as signing up for a part-time graphic design course with an online educator like Udemy or working toward your cert 3 personal training qualification to become a gym instructor. Whatever it is you’re looking to pursue, the options and ability to start building your dream job is out there and waiting for you.
You want more stability
If you have been in the same career for years and are worried about losing your job or the industry changing drastically, you may want to consider changing. If your career isn’t exceptionally stable, then you may want to think about making a change to something that will give you more stability. For example, you may be in an industry with a high turnover rate, or your employees may depend on one person. Whatever the reason may be, you may want to consider making a change to something with more stability. Unfortunately, many people wait until they are unemployed before they decide to make a change. If you want more stability in your career, you may consider making a change before finding yourself out of work.
Your skills are outdated or no longer marketable
If you have been working in the same career for years and know that your skills are no longer marketable, you may want to make a change. If you have hit a plateau in your career and know that you won’t get promoted or if you want to give your career a boost and feel like you are stuck in a rut, you may want to consider making a change. Finally, if you have worked in a particular industry for years and know that your skills are no longer being used, there’s no shame in trying something new and completely different. The only shame is in waiting too long.
Making a career change can be a challenging journey, but it can be enriching too. There are many different reasons you may want to make a change, and you don’t necessarily have to wait for a big difference in your life to make a significant change. However, if you feel like it’s time to make a change, there isn’t any time like the present to start. Once you’ve taken the plunge, check out these four things you may need when self-employed.
Quit the job hunt and become an entrepreneur
If you think that now is the time to stop the job hunt and become an entrepreneur, knowing the two most popular ways to get into business is essential. We will list the most common methods of becoming a business owner below:
Buy a business – This is the more costly approach to becoming an entrepreneur but can also allow you to see a return on your investment much faster. For example, if you purchase a franchise business using a directory such as https://franchise-opportunities.co.za you should see a much faster return on investment as you are trading under an established and trusted brand name.
Starting from scratch – This is the traditional way of starting a business where you start from scratch. Of course, this approach can work for some, but many prefer investing in a business since starting from scratch can take much longer to see any significant return on your investment. It is also much more challenging to build a brand that people can trust when starting from scratch.