Thinking of a Career Change?

I have been receiving a lot of emails on the Make a Decision: A Job or Career article and as always it got me thinking. You need to go read the article to get a full grasp of today’s post. I’ll be honest with you, deciding to change career was one of the biggest decisions I have ever had to make in my life. Trying to transition, study and work all at the same time has been one roller coaster combination but it’s been totally worth it. This post has been in my draft for a while and I finally came down to publishing it most especially because I haven’t updated the millennial category of this blog in a while.

I have had days when the whole situation becomes so overwhelming and I ask myself if I made the right decision. I ask if I am doing the right thing and then I conclude with the fact that if I feel I am not doing something totally unrealistic or what I may regret later in life, then it should be worth it in the end. I understand that some things take time and I also remember that at some point in my life I felt completely unsure of my direction and presently I feel liberated. I usually always conclude with the saying that “I would never have known if I never tried”.

career change

Today, I thought to share my career change (or transition) journey with you. I want to be real with you. Remember I have severally said that we can relax after work here on the blog and sometimes I get to that point where I feel inundated.

I recently started out my private business. I have had stressful days and I’ve had days that I love my clients even more, but one thing I have taken out of my recent experiences is that; if I am going to further my career in human resources then I should have an idea of different workplaces. After my law degree, I worked in a law firm and that is where most of my work experience lied. So far, I’ve been able to work in a complete office environment, fashion industry, hospitality and more. I’m learning the ropes of benchmarking. My intention has never been to streamline Zinny Factor to white collar jobs only but to broaden its scope to cut across various industries and workplace issues. I am hoping that Zinny Factor becomes that blog you can come to for workplace solutions and I hope this dream holds.

One thing I am so excited about so far is how positive I have trained my mind to become. As a lady who lived most of her life in Nigeria, I am thrilled to see work-life differently. It’s been a bumpy journey but I will never look back.

With this backdrop, here are ways I have learned to transition or change career;

1. Research

It will pay you to invest in quiet introspection. You need to know if the career move you are about to make will be something that will interest you in the long run. If you consider yourself to be more of a polymath, and one that has a lot of interests, then taking out some time to do some research may pay you more. You need to possibly meet with people in this field and discover what it would look like to walk in their shoes. This will help you make an informed decision in the long run.

2. Internship

When trying to change career it’s always great to explore areas that are closely similar with what you previously studied or practiced except you totally detested what you previously did. I was fortunate to work at the human resources department at one of Canada’s finest industries and I discovered areas that may excite me even as someone with a law degree.

3. Take the Plunge

If you are convinced that you really need a change of career then you need to do it already. Make out a plan and work towards reaching your goals. You only get to live once, wouldn’t you want to do what you love? I have realized that taking the risk is almost everything I need to get to that point where I hope to be. This has been my drive, hence this blog and several other things I have been able to do. I used to be so scared of change. But you will never know, you will never be aware, and you will never experience if you don’t make a move.

4. Volunteer

If you already have a job and not certain of where to start from, you can volunteer in other departments and you may discover what you love. This will improve your skills and give you time to discover what you are most passionate about. You don’t need to make excuses for not changing or making a career move (if you really want to).

If you are currently undergoing a career change or have successfully changed career, I would really love to hear from you. How were you able to survive the change? How did you go about it? What made you consider a change in career? Was there a strategy or plan in place? If you are working two career paths simultaneously, how have you been going about this?

If you are contemplating changing career, I would also love to hear from you. We could use some connection!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please feel free to provide those in the comment section or contact me via the Contact page. You may also choose to send an email to [email protected]. Please don’t forget to comment, let’s get talking!

I will love to hang out with you so feel free to follow me socially.

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Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your week!

Photo Credit: Allen Obayagbona : @Obaallen