There’s no “easy button” for career change

A mid-level professional in a large company wanted a career change. He had established himself as a sales leader and climbed the corporate ladder over the years, but did not find the work fulfilling. Interested in IT, he went back to school at night, completed a related degree, and began aggressively seeking a new job.

Then reality set in. As he talked to IT leaders, he found that he could make a move, but he would need to start at a lower level in IT for less pay compared to his current role. Dejected and unwilling to make these sacrifices, he put his career ambitions behind him.

Unfortunately, there’s no “easy button” for career changes. There are always costs, and we have to be willing to accept them to make a change.

Before making a career shift, it’s important to do both serious research and soul-searching.

Ask yourself:

• What is really important to you and must be part of your career? Some examples are compensation, benefits, working conditions, leadership authority, work schedule, etc.

• What will you sacrifice and what can’t you afford to sacrifice?

• What are your strengths and which paths will allow you to leverage them?

Do the research to understand the true opportunities, risks, and potential trade-offs in a particular career. What would the path look like to go from where you are today to where you want to be? There are online resources that can be a starting point. Even more helpful is talking to people who have followed a similar career path.  

After fully considering the trade-offs and accepting them, you will be off to a strong start in pursuing a new career direction.