How to Move From a Job to a Career

 

(Reading Time: 4 Minutes + Exercises)

Have you ever thought about the difference between a job and a career? If you’re like most people, you’ve probably had a variety of jobs, but only one or two truly defined career paths. A job is a stop on your career journey.  Once you’ve determined that you want to move from a job to a career, you can begin to build the foundation for a career journey that will utilize your best self, ignite your passion, and provide long-term satisfaction.

 

 

How to Move From a Job to a Career

We all have many jobs in our lives. Often, these start out as low-paid, not terribly glamourous jobs. They aren’t the kind of thing where you think “Yes! I want to do this the rest of my life!” On the other hand, a career is that type of thing. When you think of a career, you might associate that with a lawyer, a doctor, a professor – someone who has spent many years learning their skill so they can work in that field for a few decades before retirement. But how do you transition from a job to a career? If only there was a road map for such a thing…well, the good news is, there almost is. It’s just going to take some work on your part.

In this article, we’re going to help you take an inventory of where you are, where you want to go, and what you need to get there. This process can be easily broken down into three steps: self-assessment, SWOT analysis, and action plan.  Follow these in order to get started on what will hopefully be a fulfilling career.

 

 

Related: “My Job Is Killing Me” – What To Do When You Hate Work

 

 

Job and Career Self-Assessment

“Passion is the difference between a job and a career.”

A career is “a profession for which one trains and is undertaken as a permanent calling.”  Careers are long term and help you best utilize your strengths, experiences, education, and skills.  Therefore, the first step in moving from job to career is to identify those things which you are passionate about.

To get started, take some time to answer the questions below. Write them down and just let your thoughts flow as you answer each question.

 

1. What do I love about my current job?
2. What have I loved about other jobs I’ve had?
3. What am I good at?
4. What do other people often ask me for help with?
5. What is something I would do for free?
6. What fuels me?
7. How do I work best?
8. What is my Myers-Briggs or Enneagram personality type? What careers are recommended for my type?

Are there any commonalities that stand out to you? Do you enjoy jobs that require being outside, working with your hands, working with children, being alone, being with a team? Pay attention to anything that shows up repeatedly.

 

 

Related: Will A Lateral Job Move Always Make You More Valuable?

 

 

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is often used in business for strategic planning.  In it, you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.  It is a framework for analyzing factors that can have an impact on your career.  See the chart below for instructions on how to complete your own SWOT analysis.

 

 

Questions to ask during a SWOT analysis

Strengths:

 

• What current strengths do you have?
• What formal and informal education have you completed?
• What wins have you had in your job history?
• What transferable skills do you have?

Weaknesses:

 

• What are the knowledge gaps you need to fill?
• What people are missing from your network?
• What things do you need to improve about yourself?

Opportunities:

 

• Where do you have opportunities to grow?
• Where can you invest more time into building your career?
• How can you update your personal brand to be more marketable?

Threats:

 

• What personal traits do you have that could harm your career progression?
• What mistakes have you made in your career history?
• What barriers do you have to remove?

Now, save and print out the blank SWOT analysis below to complete.

 

 

 

Career Action Plan

Now that you’ve assessed yourself and completed your SWOT plan, it’s time to create an action plan for moving from your job to your career.  For each of these questions, you should create a goal, using the S.M.A.R.T. method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound).

 

1. How can I continue to develop and promote my strengths?

Ask yourself: What strengths will best help you propel forward into a career?

Example: I am good at leadership but want to be better.  I will apply for Executive Leadership certificates to learn how to lead at a high level by the end of the 3^rd quarter.

 

2. What weaknesses must I overcome and how?

Ask yourself: What weaknesses have I identified that I can improve now?

Example: I want to get into interior design, but don’t have any connections to interior design firms. I will connect with five local interior design firms and interview their owners within the next month.

 

3. How will I invest in opportunities to fill any gaps?

Ask yourself: How can I invest my time or resources into improving myself?

Example: I’ve invested in an online course but haven’t taken the time to complete it.  I commit to spending 1 hour per day to work on the course until it is finished.

 

4. How will I remove barriers in moving to a career?

Some common barriers that prevent us from creating and reaching goals are procrastination, fear, lack of accountability, and shooting for perfection (which, by the way, does not exist).  So, for this question, ask yourself: how can I be intentional about removing something that has been in my way?

Example: I often create goals but do not follow them through because of procrastination.  I will find an accountability coach to walk me through this process.

You should now have four clear goals that tie directly to your career aspirations and that will move you closer to moving from a job to a career.