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The applause in the room was almost deafening as Paul’s colleagues rose to congratulate him on his retirement. He had made it!
Actually, Paul hadn’t enjoyed his career and, in fact, had realised years ago that he had made the wrong choice. While he had known all along the kind of work that would bring him fulfilment, he didn’t know how to go about making a career change and he didn’t have the courage to do it. Only a few close friends knew the reality of Paul’s situation
Changing careers is not just about changing jobs and going to work for a different company or even in a different country. It is pursuing a different career or line of work than the one you are presently engaged in. A career change happens when an accountant decides to become an actor, or an engineer becomes a journalist!
Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, conducted a survey involving people who change careers. He found that 45 per cent of all workers said they would change their careers if they could.
Bolles dispels the myth that a career change is primarily a midlife phenomenon. His studies show that only one out of 10 career changes was made in midlife. Half of those who make changes do so by choice; the others are forced to change careers through circumstances, possibly when their job type is no longer in demand.
Are you a candidate for a career change? Let’s look at some of the telltale signs.
■ Deep down you know that you have made a mistake in your career choice and long to do something different.
■ Your values have changed over the years. For example, whereas money used to be your driving force, now you are more interested in people.
■ You followed the career that others expected of you, not a career that you chose for yourself, and now you want to do something about it.
■ Your career was fine for many years but now it is stale and tedious, and you cannot face the possibility of doing this for the rest of your life.
■ Your work has become so demanding and all-consuming that you feel completely burnt out and realise that it is not worth it; that life is too short not to have a balance between work and family.
The steps to take
When we face challenging situations in our lives it often makes sense to seek the help of a professional. Changing your career is no exception; having a professional career coach to work with and support you through the process can make a big difference.
One company providing career coaching support through Christian coaches is Sandpiper Coaching, a Premier Christianity partner. Click here for more information.
Don’t be like Paul. Be true to yourself and if a change is right for you, have courage and take the plunge.
