If Monday mornings have become your biggest enemy and you no longer find passion or value in what you do, making a move in a different direction might be the solution for you.
Changing your career can be scary and costly, but if well thought and planned, that should not stop you from doing it.
According to Forbes, there are 5 ways of knowing you need a career change:
You are chronically worn out, exhausted and depleted.
Your skills, responsibilities, and tasks are not you at all.
You’ve come to the point where your salary no longer makes up for the boredom and emptiness you feel.
Despite all the “right” choices you made in your career, the outcome feels very wrong.
You have the irrepressible feeling that your talents and abilities could/should be used in a totally different (more creative and impactful) way.
As soon as you accept and acknowledge that you need a career change, you can start planning your “big escape” and here are some things to consider that will help make your transition as smooth as possible:
1. What it is that you like or enjoy doing
Changing your career does not mean you trade one job that does not suit you for another, just as bad. Changing your career can be a lengthy and costly process, so make sure you take the time to evaluate what it is you would see yourself doing for the rest of your life
2. What industry would you see yourself working in? Are your skills the right ones for it?
You probably already have a good idea of the work environment and job market in your region, so make sure you take the time to consider the best environment for you. And if your skill set does not match your choice perfectly, then start thinking about what you need to do to achieve that.
3. Find the help you need to achieve your goal
If you have decided you need help in achieving your career change goal, start doing your research to understand what training course, workshop, school or bootcamp fits your needs. Think about your future, strategize and don’t be afraid to ask questions! Workplaces are now interpersonal and soft skills play an important role in one’s development, so make sure you find a training or a school that not only equips you with the know-how to do your job, but also with the soft skills required to perform well.
4. Find the right way of achieving your goal – from a financial and mindset perspective
Once you know what it is you need to do, prepare for it! Changing your career will mostly likely require a financial effort, as well as hard work and a big chunk of your time. Make sure you are ready to embark on this new journey and find the right solutions to attain your goal. Think grants, loans, scholarships…or why not…maybe even your current employer would be interested in helping you transition into a new role.
5. Be ready to start from scratch!
Being a junior at 30- 40+ years old is no longer an issue. The job market has changed and so have mindsets, so don’t be afraid to start from scratch in a completely new environment.
6. Work, work, work!
You might be a junior in your new career, but your previous one surely equipped you with some skills you can make use of. Work hard to prove yourself in your new role, but don’t be shy when it comes to expressing your opinions, sharing and listening to others and, if applicable, using your previous experience.
At Wild Code School we welcome students regardless of their background or experience and our only asks are motivation and good logic. Needless to say that some of our brightest students have had previous work experience and they are now performing amazingly in their roles as Junior Web Developers, using their newly acquired skills, as well as their previous experience to make the most of their careers. Some have actually found ways of mixing web development and pottery!
If you are considering web development as a potential career change, have a look on www.wildcodeschool.com. We have 19 campuses spread across Europe, so surely there is a Wild Code School somewhere near you.
