Careers: There’s No Safe Choice

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When thinking of changing careers, you usually find yourself cornered by two diverging sets of thoughts: realism and wishes. We are naturally predisposed to one or the other, but both have their advantages.

If you’re considering a career change, there’s something not quite right in the current state of things. Here is where you start dreaming about different, wonderful possibilities. We all daydream about starting over sometimes. However, when should you take this seriously and make a move? Starting over is not easy, but sometimes it’s exactly what we need. If you’re not sure of what to do, here are some things to consider.

Less Dreaming, More Reality

You can dream away, sure. But if you’re seriously considering whether a career change is a good idea, you should start adding a little realism to the mix. This is how you will know if you are ready for the change.

If you don’t have a clue about what you want to do next, start there. Round up your interest, skills, natural abilities, and aspirations. Once you have that, start thinking of careers that relate to those things, and that you would like to do.

However, if you have already set your aspirations on one career, figure out what you need to do. Does it require a degree? Do you need a level of tech literacy? Do you need to possess certain abilities? Once you know the requirements, research how to obtain them. If after having reviewed all this you’re willing to continue, you should pursue it.

Recognize Your Strengths

Ideally, your career path should be one in which you make use of your strengths. Your tasks should come naturally to you, and you should be fairly productive. That is not to say that you shouldn’t expect any setbacks in your career; those are normal. Any work you do will involve effort, of course, but it shouldn’t go against your natural talents.

Your career should align with your interest, personality, lifestyle, and values. This harmony will ensure that you do the best work possible, as well as give you the fulfillment you expect from your work life. If you haven’t thought about yourself in those terms, you should start looking in, and reevaluate what you truly want.

Read The Room

During 2020, Americans came to face the reality that job security is a myth. With the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people were unexpectedly laid-off. However disrupting, this situation also served to remind us that being “safe” in a job is not enough reason to stay when that could end at any moment.

The world is changing every day. What seemed like a strong career path a few decades ago, might now be an industry on the verge of death. According to career counselor Dawn Graham, playing it safe in the work field is eventually going to lead you to a dead end.

If you’re seeing bad signs in the path you’re on, you can wait for nature to take its course, or you can start walking towards your new career. Each situation is different, so it’s up to you to interpret whether staying where you are is advisable or not.

Use Time Wisely

With most things, you don’t know for sure until you try them. And it’s the same for jobs. Of course, you are not going to simply leave your current job and start improvising. But there are good, no-immediate-compromise ways you can try new things.

When you have free time, invest it in activities that will get you closer to your goals. Take an online certification course. Approach people who do what you want to do. Learn the skills you need. All these things will give you the real facts about what you want to do, and help you network.

Conclusion:

Making a conscious decision to change is hard. Switching careers can be a daunting prospect. It might feel like starting over, but in reality, it isn’t. You will always carry what you’ve learned, and that’s your biggest asset. Deep inside, we know when it’s time to grow. If you feel like it is for you, don’t allow your fears to outweigh your hopes, and leap.