Overcoming career change concerns

You might have a niggling feeling that you need to be doing something different in the back of your mind. It’s a feeling we’re all too familiar with at Escape. But it’s not always an easy decision to make a career change. 

If you’re thinking about leaving your current role for a career change - perhaps starting a business, going freelance, or simply moving industries, there’s a lot to consider. This article will share some ideas to help you to overcome the concerns you might have to pursue the career you want. 

How do I take the first step in a new career direction?

Taking the first step towards a career change can feel like the most challenging part. But ask yourself if you’re scared because it’s the unknown, or is there a genuine risk you need to think through? Manage the risks, avoid the dangers but don’t let the typical worries of trying something new stop you from taking the first small steps in new directions. Read these 5 small steps you can take to kick-start your career change.

From our experience, doing this alongside others in a similar place is really powerful. You could also try finding an accountability buddy that you can speak with and bounce ideas off of, you could make it weekly, to discuss how to make small steps towards a new direction. From everything we’ve seen, accountability is crucial to help you to keep moving forward and give you deadlines to work towards. It also makes the experience a lot more fun. Having someone ride the ups and downs with you who can encourage you and challenge you is hugely helpful. Reach out to a friend, colleague or network to find others also looking to make a career change. The Escape Rebels Facebook group is a great place to find like-minded career-changers. 

What will other people think?

This is an understandable concern. We’re hardwired to care about what other people think about us. And sadly, this can often impact our decision making. But at the end of the day, this is your life; you are the one who has to live your life and any consequences of what you spend your life doing. 

In the corporate world, there sometimes seems to be a shared mentality that it’s normal to hate your job and that it’s normal to live for the weekend. But it doesn’t have to be like that. More and more people realise that you can find a job that meets your financial needs and your other needs. Stepping away from the corporate world or any world you’ve long been a part of is a challenge. Part of it means shedding old identities and choosing to identify yourself with new things. You can adopt a new identity. 

There may well be people who feel uncomfortable about the fact that you’re going against the grain - people are scared of what they don’t know or understand. They may well be envious that you’re doing something they want to do. 

Your Auntie Pam may never understand, but that’s ok. There are plenty of people out there just like you who understand the benefits of doing work that really matters to you. They say you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time. If you spend your time with five people who talk about how they hate their jobs, you’ll become the 6th. If you spend your time with five career changers, you’ll become the 6th. 

Start by surrounding yourself with people living a life that appeals to you, which will help you normalise a new lifestyle and give you some confidence that a new way of being is possible.

Will I be ‘stepping down’ or losing my identity?

When leaving a job, it can feel like leaving your identity. You’re a manager, a consultant, an executive. Leaving that behind can feel uncomfortable. Try reframing this kind of thinking to be less linear. There isn’t necessarily stepping up or down, or success or failure; your new career path is simply what you make of it. 

A career in 2021 isn’t about a ladder where you’re on this endless pursuit of the top. A career in the 21st century is more like a jungle gym; sometimes you go up, sometimes down, sometimes sideways. The only direction that really matters is that you’re moving in one that is important to you and enriches your life. Up or down, that’s ultimately what brings you fulfilment at the end of the day.

Chaining your income, identity and self-worth to a job or career is mathematically and psychologically dangerous. This danger is the very reason midlife crises exist in the first place. 

Consider what’s more important to you; a career with purpose or the status of a title? Our Co-founder, Rob Symington, brilliantly describes moving from being a consultant to working in a start-up.

“This question is essentially null and void. I no longer want to keep my previous identity, I’ve lost touch with what I felt was so valuable about it. Any sense of identity I had before now feels superficial. So the answer to the question, in my case, is “No - you can’t keep it. But you can find it”.

What about money and security?

In a traditional job, we trade our time and experience for money. And in some cases, there may be a trade-off between doing a job that excites us and sets our soul on fire in contrast to the amount of money we’ll get paid to do it. 

When leaving a corporate role, you might be concerned about a reduction in pay. Depending on what you’re doing, it could be accurate, but it’s also worth considering the trade-off between money and our wellbeing and enjoyment. For you, think about whether it’s worth being less financially rewarded while feeling more rewarded in other ways.

It’s an excellent idea to consider your finances practically. Start by doing some research online and speaking to recruiters and people in the career you’re considering. Find out the average salary of the career path you’d like to go down and the salary trajectory.

Could you still cover all your monthly financial commitments (mortgage/rent, bills, car payments etc.)? Consider the cost of your lifestyle (gym memberships, money spent on clothes, gifts, holidays etc.) and how much you need each month to live comfortably. 

In this 30-minute webinar by money coach and career change adviser Stacey Lowman, she shares practical systems and tips to navigate your career change and manage your money. She recommends trying to live on the expected salary while in your current job to see how it feels for you, and this is also a great way to save money in the short term.  

What about my work perks?

Moving away from corporate may well mean you don’t get the same perks or benefits which can come alongside it. If you’re very wedded to these benefits, it might feel like a dealbreaker when choosing a new role.

Depending on what industry you’re going into, most organisations will have benefits of some kind. If you’re moving to a start-up or starting your own business, you could even help put the perks in place. 

Ask yourself: what’s going to be more painful long-term?

• Sticking at a career that bores your socks off but has some great perks
• Losing the perks but finding a career that sets your soul on fire

Consider going to a new organisation and asking for some of your favourite benefits as part of your compensation package. It may be that you can negotiate some of those things you love as part of your overall package. Consider the other perks you might have access to, flexible working, extended holiday, more time connecting with colleagues. Some smaller organisations may not have the same budgets as large corporates for perks, but they often offer to pack more punch and enhance your life in a more impactful way.

All organisations are looking to hire the best people. Just because an employer might not have a perk right now doesn’t mean they won’t always have it. You can bring those ideas to the table when you join too.

What if the grass isn’t greener?

Thinking that all of your problems will be fixed once you reach a particular goal is dangerous. Naturally, as humans, we want to keep moving forward and strive for more. We always have a grass is greener mentality. Even if you’re in your dream career, you may want to earn more or expand your business. 

Every job, no matter how great-sounding, will have parts that aren’t so great. Saving dolphins in the wild may well also come with taking malaria pills and spending time away from your family. Starting your dream business may mean early mornings six days a week. 

Elizabeth Gilbert calls it the “shit sandwich”, every job, no matter how glamourous, has one. The important thing is thinking about the sort of sandwich you’re willing to eat. You might take those early mornings six days per week in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy you’re looking for. Understanding that there are always trade-offs is important. You’re looking for progress, not perfection.

Very few decisions in life are final. If you don’t like your chosen career path, you can change it. But our advice would always be to give it time. Starting something new takes some adjustment. Your routine may well be different; your salary might change, you’ll be learning new skills which might seem difficult at first. 

Growing pains are real, but nothing amazing ever comes from staying inside your comfort zone. 

From our experience of helping people find careers they love all over the world, we know that different is truly possible for everyone who wants it. There are amazing opportunities and great organisations that prioritise paying people well alongside creating a great work environment. 

The key to career change is experimenting, thinking about what matters to you and then letting that guide you in the right direction. 

For more tips and resources to help you with career change, check out our online course, Getting Started Towards a Purpose-Driven Career, and keep an eye out for our latest events.