Get Out of Your Comfort Zone-A Step by Step Guide to Career Change Success

8/20/2019 Get Out of Your Comfort Zone-A Step by Step Guide to Career Change Success

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Anne St. Hilaire

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®

A Step-by-Step

Guide to Career

Change Success

Of Your Comfort Zone!Get Out

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What’s Inside

Intro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Think It’s Time to Change

Careers? Consider the Following . . . . . 5

Career Change Truth Will

Set You Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

How to Make the Change the

Right Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Change Is the Law of Life...

And Your Career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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4 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!

The familiar is always more comfortable. Whenit comes to careers, most people tend to get set in

their ways. Even the thought of a career change is

enough to paralyze most job seekers with fear.

They wrongfully assume that once you’ve been

down a certain career path long enough, there’s

no changing course. They make a big deal out of

experience – or the “right kind” of experience –

and pretend that they would never be qualified

for a new career because they lack the right skills

to make the change.

In reality, their fears couldn’t be further from the

truth. There are many ways to successfully make a

career change without risking your current position,

finances, and reputation as a professional. In fact,

more and more companies these days are becom-

ing accepting of candidates with a little less expe-

rience, and a little more willingness and capability

to learn. So if you’re feeling sick and tired of your

current position or simply that it’s time for a new

adventure, we have a step-by-step guide for you on

how to change your career without a hitch!


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Think It’s Time to Change Careers?Consider the Followingbased on “What You Need to Know Before Changing Careers” by Thomas Moran

Changing careers used to be considered a veryrisky and foolish move. Decades ago, it was rare to

change career paths and blaze new trails. Not only

were college educations fewer (many people were

more hesitant to switch careers after studying so

many years at their chosen profession), but work

experience and loyalty to one’s firm was considered

of the utmost priority.

Of course, today’s workplace has changed.

Nowadays, it is rare to find an employee who retires

after 40 years with a gold watch, and most people

find that staying with one company for their entire

working career doesn’t make good business sense.

It gets boring and stale, and it leaves employees with

limited chance for growth and upward mobility.


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Not only are Americans braver about switching

companies, we are also becoming bolder about

changing careers as well. While the U.S. Department

of Labor (DOL) doesn’t specifically track data

regarding how often people change careers, it is

estimated that the average American changes

career paths around seven times in his/her lifetime.

In fact, with the New Year just passing, many

Americans are eagerly planning career changes

and brainstorming ways to enhance their

professional lives. However, there are some things

you should consider before changing careers.

Think about the following:

Ask yourself why you want to change careers.

Is it because you are frustrated and bored in your

current position, or is it because your chosen

industry no longer stimulates you? If it’s the former,

perhaps you would be better off asking your boss

for new responsibilities, or even looking for open

positions in your field. However, it if it is the latter,

don’t waste anymore time stuck in a career that isn’t

for you. You have options, and chances are, many of

your talents and skills will be applicable in another

field as well, whether you are a teacher who is

interested in getting into writing or a lawyer who

wants to become a social worker.

Be realistic.

Do your research and find out whether your dream

position will be suitable for your lifestyle and your

financial needs. Consider your current bills and

expenditures, and then look online to find the

average salary for the new career you are considering.

Network with people who have the

career you desire.

Join a networking group that will connect you

with people who are working in the field you areconsidering. Pick their brain and find out what they

love about their work and also what they find

difficult. Ask if they know of any intern positions

or volunteer positions that will allow you to get

hands-on training while deciding if the career

change is right for you.


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Consider using a staffing agency.

One great way to gain experience and try out numerous different types of positions is through a staffing

agency. Not only are staffing agencies, such as Addison Group, great for when you need temporary work or

want to prevent holes in your resume, but they also give you the opportunity to try numerous different posi-

tions with multiple firms in order to find out what environment and career is best for you.

The bottom line is that

if you don’t like your

current career, you

aren’t stuck with it

simply because you

have experience and

education in that field.

You can apply your skills

and your strengths to a

new career path, provided you are willing to do the work and

get outside of your comfort zone. It’s never too late to try

something new; you never know what the future has in store

in for you!


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based on “5 Career-Change Myths Exploded” by Kazim Ladimeji

While the job-for-life was once the “goldstandard”of employment, few people who enter the

workplace nowadays believe they will work with

one employer for the rest of their lives. Indeed,

it has been this way for a few

years now.

However, what’s also

beginning to slowly change

is the expectation that a

worker will have one career

for their entire life. Intoday’s world, it’s possible

you might start your ca-

reer as a high-powered accountant and end it as a

chilled-out tree surgeon. Massive forces are acting

on the workplace — e.g., greater independence and

self-determination, globalization, automation,

unprecedented levels of economic and corporate

instability, etc., – which means that very few career

paths can be truly considered “secure.”

What I mean to say is that

we are moving into acareer-change world; soon,

the career-changers will

be the rule, rather than

the exception. And many

peoplewill become “multi-

career-changers”— thatis, many people will

change careers multiple

times throughout their lives.

The multi-career-change world is a new and

untested environment for employees and employers

Career Change Truth Will Set You Free


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alike. As a result, many myths prevail that can hinder

workers who are seeking to change careers; these

myths may also cause employers to pause when

looking at career-changer candidates.

Therefore, I thought it would be useful to disprove

some of the myths surrounding career changes and

career-changers. Doing so will help us build a

healthier environment in the talent ecosystem.

Myth No. 1: The Average Person Will Have

Seven Careers in Their Lifetime

The statistic that the average person will have

seven careers in their lifetime has been floating

around the Web for some time now. However, this

stat was never really plausible, and now it has been

roundly debunked by many researchers. In my

personal opinion, I would expect that the average

person might squeeze in two or three careers in

a lifetime.

Myth No. 2: You Can’t Change Careers,

or If You Do, It Comes With a High Risk of Failure

A lot of people view career changes in a negative

light, but this perspective is not totally justified.

Research from the American Institute for

Economic Research (AIER) found that success

rates for career changes are astonishingly high.

The institute found that 82 percent of people over

47 who tried to move to new careers were

successful in making that change. The truth, then,

is that you can changes careers — and if you do,

you have a high chance of doing so successfully.

Myth No. 3: You’ll Have to Take a Pay Cut If You

Switch Careers

According to the AIER study cited above, sideways

career changes are possible. The AIER found that

for 68 percent of career changers, pay remained the

same (18 percent) or increased (50 percent). Thirty-

one percent of courage changers took pay cuts.


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So, while pay cuts are a reality for many career

changers, they are not the norm — in fact, career

changers who saw their pay decrease were in

the minority.

Myth No. 4: You Are Too Old to Change Careers

Remember when the AIER found that 82 percent

of people over the age of 47 successfully changed

careers? I also want to mention research from the

AARP Public Policy Institute, which found that 63

percent of older workers who went through long

periods of unemployment found jobs in completely

new lines of work.

The point here is that career change is an option

open to anyone, no matter their age.

Myth No. 5: Needing to Change Careers Is a Sign of

Bad Career Planning

Several pieces of research show that our personalities

change over the course of our lives. And as your

personality and values change, it’s only natural that

your career expectations and needs might also change.

So, needing to change careers is not necessarily a

sign of bad career planning or failure in you current

career path. Rather, deciding to change careers can

be an acknowledgement of the natural change inyour personal priorities and preferences as you age.


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There are many reasons why an individual maychoose (or even be forced) to change their career.

Maybe they are completely unhappy or uninterested

in their current industry or

role. Perhaps their

company is downsizing, or

they find themselves in a

new location or situation.

Whatever the case may be,

it can tend to be tricky to

change careers – and do

so successfully. Here are

some fundamental tips to

use while planning a career change:

1. Create Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Setting goals is a great starting point on the path of

changing careers. These goals do not only have to

relate to where you want to be in your career, but

also where you want to be in your life. Are you

looking to start a family or move in the next few

years? Do you need a

flexible schedule, or maybe

you’re looking to manage

others? With goals set, you

will be able to more easily

identify which career is

right for you, or if you

want to make this career

change at all.

2. Analyze Yourself

Consider your interests as well as your strengths.

Your likes and your dislikes. Even your weaknesses

will play a very important role in your new career –

so make sure to really get to know yourself.

How to Make the Change the Right Way


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3. Do Your ResearchTake some time to look into the current job market.

What industries are doing the most hiring? Which

are offering higher salaries and opportunities for

growth? More importantly, which positions do you

realistically qualify for with your existing experience?

These are very important questions to answer whenentering a new career.

4. Prepare Ahead of Time

Unless you are (sadly) laid-off or fired, it would be

wise to prepare as much as you can before you

begin to make your career change. Even while youare within your old position or an “in between” job,

start making edits to your resume, joining job boardsand communities and even going to interviews.

This way, you can make your transition as painless

as possible.

5. Relax!

There is no doubt that you will be scared, anxious ordoubtful about this seemingly drastic move in your

life. These feelings are natural. All in all, be thankful

that you are embarking on a new journey, and have

faith that all will work out in your favor. If you are

reading this eBook and researching how to change

your career, you are already being proactive, whichis a VERY positive sign for the future


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As the great John F. Kennedy once said, “Fortime and the world do not stand still. Change is the

law of life. And those who look only to the past or

the present are certain to miss the future.” Case in

point: change is a natural way of life. Although it may

be scary to change jobs and change your direction

in your career, it could ultimately lead to amazing

opportunity and growth in the future.

Career change is a very real thing that most

professionals will go through within their careers,

and there are many successful ways to do it that

will ensure that you end up in a great spot. After all,

the main goal throughout your career should be to

find a job that you love. If a career change will lead

to an amazing position that will make you feel proud,

happy and accomplished, it is absolutely worth going

for. It’s time to get out of your comfort zone, prepare

yourself and make the best change of your life.

Change is the Law of Life...And Your Career


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Get Out of Your Comfort Zone-A Step by Step Guide to Career Change Success