A long long time ago, there was a theory that individuals would have a number of careers throughout their life. Many people choose to do an additional degree or MBA in order to switch "gears" - particularly from either a technical role or individual function into a management role. Huge questions, so here's some food for thought. Luckily we are all different so what is of interest to one person isn't very interesting right now to another -which means there are always opportunities if you want to find them!
Where people have opted out of "corporate world", many come back eventually, so this is one place I'd use a mind map (another question this week) to think about all the options. Many have one or more of the following:
- a passion for something other than the way they make money to pay the bills
- a need to to change something for the better (including helping other people/giving back)
- a huge change in their lives which means that they don't fit into their old lives
Now to answer your questions (you may note I've answered them in reverse):
What are your chances of being happier in a new field? Is it the work that's getting you down, or are you already down? eg if you aren't happy in yourself, then you won't be happy anywhere else (so BE HAPPY - read the book if you must)
How do you prepare for the experience of switching fields? Map it out and do a little ever day. Read, Learn, volunteer, exchange your knowledge for someone else's. Most professions have associations with student membership (including model trains), so scope them out.
How do you search for things that are interesting when you don't know the ins and outs of the field? Let me ask you a question: What would you be happy doing even if you never earned any money from it and did it up to the day you died? Just about 100 years ago we didn't have electricity, fly, drive cars.... and the challenges we'll face in the next 50 are equally baffling to see from "BEFORE". So figure out what your passion is and go for it; recognise physical limitations as you get older. If you're really stuck, go to the local community college or newpaper and scope the kinds of classes which are being taught.
How do you convince a new employer that you can do the job when you have limited direct experience in the field? This to me is the easy one - How did you get your first job? How did you get your first management job?
You can do, you have a track record of excellence. You have interests outside the job. This is about establishing trust and there's a lot of evidence to suggest that complete strangers take about 30 seconds to determine whether they trust each other. So if you are trust worthy, don't talk yourself out of the job.
BTW, may people get a life coach to help them with this kind of situation. I have a hard time asking for help, so please don't follow my example.
Happy to stay in touch if you think it would be of value.
Where people have opted out of "corporate world", many come back eventually, so this is one place I'd use a mind map (another question this week) to think about all the options. Many have one or more of the following:
- a passion for something other than the way they make money to pay the bills
- a need to to change something for the better (including helping other people/giving back)
- a huge change in their lives which means that they don't fit into their old lives
Now to answer your questions (you may note I've answered them in reverse):
What are your chances of being happier in a new field? Is it the work that's getting you down, or are you already down? eg if you aren't happy in yourself, then you won't be happy anywhere else (so BE HAPPY - read the book if you must)
How do you prepare for the experience of switching fields? Map it out and do a little ever day. Read, Learn, volunteer, exchange your knowledge for someone else's. Most professions have associations with student membership (including model trains), so scope them out.
How do you search for things that are interesting when you don't know the ins and outs of the field? Let me ask you a question: What would you be happy doing even if you never earned any money from it and did it up to the day you died? Just about 100 years ago we didn't have electricity, fly, drive cars.... and the challenges we'll face in the next 50 are equally baffling to see from "BEFORE". So figure out what your passion is and go for it; recognise physical limitations as you get older. If you're really stuck, go to the local community college or newpaper and scope the kinds of classes which are being taught.
How do you convince a new employer that you can do the job when you have limited direct experience in the field? This to me is the easy one - How did you get your first job? How did you get your first management job?
You can do, you have a track record of excellence. You have interests outside the job. This is about establishing trust and there's a lot of evidence to suggest that complete strangers take about 30 seconds to determine whether they trust each other. So if you are trust worthy, don't talk yourself out of the job.
BTW, may people get a life coach to help them with this kind of situation. I have a hard time asking for help, so please don't follow my example.
Happy to stay in touch if you think it would be of value.
No comments:
Post a Comment