What to do when your current job ceases to give you satisfaction or does not bring you sufficient earnings? Sometimes changing employers is not enough. Sometimes you may have to change your profession, i.e. displacement. Many people are concerned about this. Most of all, employees who spent many years in the previous industry are reluctant. Today we prove that the devil is not as scary as he is painted, and the change of profession will in most cases be good for you.
However, before we move on to advice on how to choose a new job and analyze your own potential, it is worth considering the causes of the change of industry.
Changes in the labor market
If there is demand, there is supply. Unfortunately, with the development of new technologies, some professions disappear. What’s more, the recent coronavirus crisis has shown how much we can do from the comfort of our homes. A consequence of these discoveries is, for example, closing thousands of brick-and-mortar stores by large chain stores (such as Zara) for online sales. People who have been employed as sellers so far are re-qualified to e-commerce employees.
Burnout
A very common cause of job change. It is estimated that the so-called burnout affects almost 25% of employees, often at a young age. Moreover, from 2022, burnout will officially appear as a disease on the WHO list. Burn-out is, like depression, a sensitive and difficult topic for both employers and employees. Its symptoms may appear in the area of mental health (exhaustion and lack of strength, lack of motivation) and physical health (headaches and spine pains). Burnout affects not only the employee’s health condition but also the results of the company where he is employed. That is why it is so important to quickly recognize the symptoms and initiate appropriate therapy, often leading to a change of profession.
Changes in your private life
Your private life can make a huge difference in changing jobs. It happens that after the birth of a child you cannot return to a specific profession, eg due to working hours, the number of business trips, etc. The same is true when one of the partners becomes seriously ill or you both decide to change your place of residence, e.g. to a foreign country. Often our qualifications in another country change and we are even not allowed to pursue our previous job.
No development opportunities in our current workplace
After completing all possible training courses, you already know that your climbing career ladder in the company has come to an end? Or maybe the employer does not even think about your development and does not give you the possibility of further education in a given industry? In that case, you have three options: accepting professional stagnation, starting your own business or changing jobs.
As you can see, changing the industry is quite a popular phenomenon. Unfortunately, not all of us have the opportunity to do what really turns them on from the very beginning. It is natural for us to be concerned about the changes. Remember, however, that very often our fear results only from fear of the unknown. When you start acting, you will quickly forget what terrified you before.
Where to start?
Ask yourself, what do you really want to do? Maybe you have a talent that until now was only your hobby? Do you take great photos? Is programming your passion? Bet on what you can and what you want to develop. Be realistic about it – not everyone can be Leo Messi, especially starting their career in their forties. Maybe you know so much about football that you see yourself in the role of a sports journalist for the local media? As they say “Sky is the limit”.
Start with small steps
Think about where you want to be in a week, month, year. You don’t have to look very far into the future at first. When you gain confidence, you will realize the first assumptions. Plan a bit more, but focus on short-term projects initially. This way you will avoid too much emotional burden.
Bet on skills
List what you consider to be your greatest strengths in a given industry. Such a list can work wonders. After listing your skills, think about how you can get the most out of them. Putting your thoughts on paper will give you confidence and confirm that you are going the right way. Also, once you get to know your strengths, you will be able to consciously use them in your new job.
Inspiration instead of comparisons
Inspiration is always a good idea. You can choose a person, a group of people, or a company that do something that you too want to be a part of. Maybe you dream about opening your own business? Nothing wrong with “peeking” at those who have succeeded, learning from them. However, never compare yourself to your gurus. Usually, when you start following their activities, they are on a completely different (higher) level than you are. It makes no sense to get in a bad mood and discourage you when, unlike your idols, you are at the beginning of the road. They were there once too! But look how much time they’ve given themselves to develop. Give yourself time too.
How to apply for a job in a completely new industry?
You already know that you want to change your profession. But how do you apply for a job when you don’t have any experience in a new industry?
First, list your previous work experience. What have they taught you? Maybe working in IT allowed you to develop your self-organization ability? Make a note of any new skills, both soft and hard.
Second, analyze your results. These are the thoughts that you will use later in your new CV and in your cover letter. Do you want to move from accounting to creative work? Write down which qualifications you have accumulated will help you in your new job.
Third, create a new job application. Don’t refresh your resume from ten years ago. Just sit back and create all your documents from scratch, using the conclusions you wrote down during the previous analysis. If you need help, check out the CV Hero portal. You will find all the technical (and not only) nuances of your job application there without any problems.
And that’s it, after the pain. You can start a new stage in your career. Do you dare? We will definitely keep our fingers crossed for you.
