Starting A New Career Story

Someone very close and dear to me is experiencing a challenge that's rather painful and isn't unique to just her career. She has approached a crisis moment in her professional path where she no longer wants to continue practicing what she has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in. Some folks may find this a liberating feeling. However, she's not just feeling scared, she's also experiencing feelings of guilt, confusion, and disappointment. In essence, she's saying goodbye to ten plus years of studying, training, and working. But her truth is that she no longer has the passion for that career and now feels a calling to explore new professional territory. Maybe this sounds familiar to you. If so, maybe you've also struggled with these feelings:

A feeling that your degree(s) are worthless now.
Let's turn this around and focus less on what's written on the diploma and what the diploma represents. The learning undoubtedly changed you in both significant and subtle ways. Take me for example...I studied history as an undergrad and though I don't practice it as a professional it still has had a dramatic impact on how I approach life. I think about problems differently, taking a more holistic viewpoint in order to see all of the interconnections and possibilities. Take some time to reflect on how you've changed because of your past experience. Then celebrate how it's made you the unique person that you are.

A feeling that you've wasted (or are throwing away) a part of your life.
Again, let's turn this around. Consider the full experience of this chapter in your life: the people met, friendships made, knowledge gained, and so on. We can get hung up on the very old-school notion of a linear career path which not only limits our career choices, but limits who we are. Think of life and career as an anthology. The stories contained in an anthology have a loose theme, but can be different in their plot. At this stage of your life, you're just adding the next story.

A feeling that you're disappointing people or not meeting their expectations.
This may be true. But you have to ask yourself...are you living for yourself or someone else? Are you living to your own unique purpose or someone else's idea of what that purpose is? I know these are not easy questions to answer. However, something else to reflect on is whether this feeling is based on your own assumption that you're disappointing others, or in fact, based on reality. Have you taken the courageous act of talking to these important people in your life - parents, partner, friends - about your decision? Many times, we project a feeling of disappointment onto other people when its being felt from within.

A feeling that no one will understand your decision.
This is another often imagined feeling that springs from a fear of being rejected. We think that if the important people in our life are disappointed in us, they'll shun us or not love us. That's a fear that's hard to shake. Yet again, we have to ask ourselves if that's an assumption we're projecting out onto others or whether it's based on reality. More often than not, the people that love us will support us - even if they don't immediately understand why we're choosing to go in a different professional direction.

An overwhelming feeling of anxiety about what's next.
Some of you may have at least some idea of where you want to go next. Some of you may have no clue where to go...you just know you don't want to go back to where you were. Either way, you likely know more than you think about the next story in your career. You just need some help. So where can you find help? Take a look at the folks over on the left side, the talented and passionate folks who are here at CareerHub. We all have a wealth of experience to share.

Posted by Chris Bailey

Comments

[Heather Eagar]

This is such a great post because it explains what is involved in changing careers on an emotional level. So much advice out there on the subject is about how to write your resume to reflect you new direction and what education and training you need to get instead of delving into the heavy emotional impact it can have.

You put it into words for many a career changer out there - perfectly.

[Chris Bailey]

Wow! Thanks, Heather. I agree. A lot of what this comes down to is very personal. Making such a professional change undoubtedly involves a change in identity. And there's not nearly enough written about the emotional impact of changing careers. A friend of mine did recommend William Bridge's book, Managing Transitions. It's now added to my shelfari page.

[Speechie Keen]

I've been in this exact position myself, trained and studied for years in a specialized profession only to want to get out of it a few years later.

I'd encourage your friend to try to find out exactly why she wants out so desperately. Does she just need a change of workplace or different focus in the same career? I've blogged about a similar topic on my blog. Best of luck to your friend.

SK

[Rick75]

For many of us, the luster wears off our originally chosen career paths, or there’s a bad experience that forces us to look in other directions. But for some, our priorities just change and we look at life and work differently, and maybe some previously latent desire or yearning becomes a passion. But that doesn’t mean you wasted your years in college. Case in point: I had a very broad liberal arts education and had no plans to take “business related” courses. But someone inspired me to at least learn more about the workings of business even if I didn’t plan to run one. So, taking an intro economics course as a senior proved helpful. Later, I took grad-level courses in accounting and operations management, which opened my eyes even wider. My friends from my baccalaureate days might express some surprise, even shock, but it made sense to me. I’m not doing what I had intended for myself 20 years ago, but I’m content with my work life and learning more than what I learned through four years of college. The trick lies in finding and recognizing what makes you tick and what ignites a passion in you.

[Helen]

A career change may be a very daunting process, however the transition can be easier with distance eduaction. Distance education institutions such as Thomson Education http://thomson.edu.au/ provide courses which are faster, less expensive, more accessible, and more flexible than campus-based university programs. Furthermore, courses can be completed part-time while working in your existing job allowing you to gradually switch to your fantastic new career!