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Last week I shared a post about finding your dream career. Long story short, I wasn’t a fan of my career and switched fields in mid twenties. I went through a few things I did to help me find my new career. Once you’ve found your passion, you need a way to work towards it without losing your mind. Hence my post today.
One of my biggest obstacles was handling the transition. Now that I knew my end goal–what did I need to do to reach it? How could I support myself along the way?
Learn To Handle Rejection: Since I didn’t have experience in the field I wanted to enter, I had learn to accept rejection. Lots of rejection. I went on loads of interviews and was rejected. Over and over. As tough as it was, I learned to accept the rejection and move forward. I allowed myself to be upset and leaned on my support system. Once I dealt with the disappointment, I moved on. Whether that meant researching other companies or applying to more jobs that day, I encouraged myself to persevere.
Support: Along with the rejection comes a need for a support system. Lean on friends, family, counselors, or whoever else for support. Pursuing a new career path isn’t easy. Commend yourself for doing it and find others who will be there for you when it isn’t going smoothly.
Write Down Your Fears: Changing careers comes with unknowns, which can make us fearful. Write down everything that is worrying you about switching gears. Then be proactive. Come up with solutions to ease your worries. For example: if you’re worried about money, focus on how you will financially support yourself while switching careers.
Self-Care: You know I had to include self-care, as I’m a huge proponent of it. Take time for yourself. Pamper yourself. Move. Nourish yourself; body and soul.
Treat Interviews As Learning Experiences: One of the nice things about going on lots of interviews for similar jobs is you’ll probably be asked the same questions. Write down questions that stumped you on the spot and spend some time writing out thoughtful answers. Also remember: you are interviewing these companies as much as they are interviewing you. Use this time to really learn about the day-to-day responsibilities and office culture. I wasn’t always treated with respect during interviews. This taught a lot about companies I didn’t want to work for. Use everything you learn to make informed decision moving forward.
I hope these tips can be of use to you in your job search!
