“I Can’t Keep Doing This” – How to Change Careers

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Have you ever sat at work and thought about how much you want to change careers? Did you realize that this career field you’ve been working in is simply not for you, and knew you had to change it? Have you struggled to figure out how to change careers to something you’re passionate about, something you can love? If so, you’ve come to the right place – we’re going to give you the tools you need to change your career and rediscover the passion inside you.

How to Change Careers

When you’ve felt the dread of going to work – that feeling that you’re trapped in the golden handcuffs of your job – you come to the point where you realize you just can’t keep doing the same thing over and over. 

It might be realizing you’re simply in the wrong career field – maybe your particular skills and talents aren’t as well-suited for it as you thought when you entered it. You might be employed in an environment so bad it’s soured you on the entire field. Or perhaps you’re still feeling the call to chase a long-held dream. 

The first thing I would like to emphasize is it’s never too late. If you have something you are truly passionate about, you can always find a way to pursue it. We’ll be discussing this more in an upcoming article. For now, though, let’s look at pure logistics – how do you change your career?

Obstacles to Career Change

Some of the most common obstacles to career change are:

• Your mindset; you must believe it is possible to achieve this!
• The salary cut; entering a new career field will quite likely mean you will face a salary cut as you start in a lower-paid position.
• Qualifications; does your desired career field require particular licensing or degrees?
• Feeling unsure about your passion
• Overthinking; getting caught in “analysis paralysis” and being unable to move forward.

Let’s dissect each of these.

Your Mindset

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” is a statement that is quite true in this case. 

Your mindset determines whether you will fail or succeed. If all you perceive in your desire to change careers is obstacles, that’s what you will encounter.

Dr. Carol Dweck has written and spoken extensively on the difference in fixed mindsets versus growth mindsets. A fixed mindset comes up against an obstacle and thinks “Well, that’s it, it’s too difficult,” where a growth mindset thinks “This is unexpected and a setback but I’m going to figure out a way around this.” There is an excellent talk on the subject by Dr. Dweck on YouTube that I highly recommend – it’s only ten minutes and may be the most helpful thing you see today!

For more help on overcoming mindset issues, I recommend Dr. Dweck’s book, “Mindset,” and “Rising Strong” by Brene Brown. 

Related: What is Career Burnout?

The Salary Cut

Ooo, now we’re getting into the nitty-gritty. Mindset aside, there are practical issues to worry about. You need to continue bringing in income. Bills must be paid. 

There are several options to look at here:

• Reduce your expenses: can you cut back on your bills any? Take a good look at your budget. Can you cut your television subscription in favor of one or two streaming services? Reduce your grocery bills? There are many budgeting websites out there – look and see what suggestions they may have on reducing expenses.
• Transition gradually: continue working your current job while you gain qualifications or get your foot in the door in your new career field. While this isn’t ideal, knowing you’re working towards something better may help you find your current career somewhat more tolerable.
• Take on a part-time job: there are so many options here! While you’re starting your new career, take on extra work. Drive for a ride-hire service. Freelance as a virtual assistant. Clean houses on the side. There is no shame in hustling on the weekends and in the evenings if you’re getting to pursue something you enjoy during the week.

It might mean you have to tighten your belt for a little while, skip a few drinks or dinners out, or wear clothing a little longer – but when you’re literally changing your life, it might be worth it. 

Qualifications

This can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but it can still be overcome! If your desired career field has particular qualifications, know what they are and how you can achieve them.

Are there online courses you can work on at night and over weekends that would help you achieve a needed degree? Make sure anything you take is accredited! 

You might need to shift out of your current career and into a temporary job that provides more flexibility while you achieve the necessary qualifications and certifications. 

Remember – just because a job posting describes a particular qualification as being necessary does not mean it always is. Some employers may even be willing to help you while you work for them. It’s always worth looking into!

Feeling Unsure About Your Passion

For some people, the career they want to switch into is something they’ve dreamed about for years – for others, they’ve never been sure about what they want to do, they just know they don’t want to do what they’re currently doing.

First, please remember that passion is overrated in your career. You need something that will provide you with interest and fulfillment– something you’re content to do on a daily basis. It also needs to provide you with the money to fund your lifestyle. 

In order to find a career that works for you, I would suggest starting with personality tests, such as the Myers-Brigg Type Index or Enneagram. Look at the suggested careers for your personality type. What can you envision yourself doing?

The second thing you need to know is your values. What do you value in life? What career fields support those values? For example, if you value knowledge, you might find fulfillment in teaching. 

This feels like a good place to mention that the Values Workbook is now available if you need help sorting out what things you value!

Once you’ve come up with a list of potential careers, start reaching out to people who are doing those things. Let them know you’re interested in their career path. Ask if you can job shadow or discuss their career over lunch. 

If there are courses about your potential career field, consider signing up to get a taste of what it’s about. This may also help you get started with the necessary qualifications. 

Overthinking

This is something many people get caught up in. When you start considering everything you must do in order to switch careers, it can seem to be a daunting task. 

Start small. Pick one thing that you can easily achieve. You may need to find a task that can break down into smaller steps that are easily achievable. 

It could be as simple as updating your CV/résumé. It could be making a list of things you would really enjoy and looking into the details on each one to find out if this is a possible career choice. 

When you’re caught in a cycle of overthinking, the best way to get started moving past it is by taking action. Even one small step forward can help break the cycle. 

How To Network in Your New Career

Once you know what you want to do, the trick becomes how to actually achieve it.

The best way to get a new career in a field you love is by networking. Making connections in your new career field is invaluable. Asking to job shadow is a great start – it helps you build relationships with people in the field. 

Look and see if there are local groups listed on Meetup.com or Facebook that may apply to your career field. For example, as a creative entreprenuer myself, there are local groups in my area for creative people, for freelancers, for people who work with WordPress, for female entrepreneurs – numerous choices on how I could connect with others. 

What are the benefits of networking? Building relationships is absolutely invaluable. It helps you get your name out there, lets people get to know you and what your strengths and weaknesses are. It opens you up to mentorship opportunities and possibly even job opportunities. Once they get to know you, people may be willing to refer you – and unless you’re entering a field where a particular credential is vital (e.g. medicine, law), a potential employer might be willing to overlook the lack of a particular credential if they have a positive recommendation from someone they trust. 

Just getting into career-related groups on Facebook may be invaluable. Take the opportunity to learn, and, when possible, contribute to the discussion. Ask insightful questions. Being active in an online community can lead to bigger things – after all, it’s called social networking!