Tips On How To Shift From A Career To Another?

[didirci]

Hi everyone,

At the moment I am looking into different career paths I could go into but still in the selection process. I work in the food industry and I am not sure this will be a long-term career for me

Therefore if you have managed to move from a career to another while working a 9-5 job please could you share your experience?

I find myself completely drained and exhausted when I get back from work and this might partly explain while I am still in the selection process (I am very aware of my own responsibility in delaying things although I did start writing a blog while working but stopped after 5 or 6 articles)

I would like to have some real-life experiences if possible and how you manage to do the transition?

Some of my friends have quitted their jobs because they hated it and wanted to start something new. Most of them are now broke and going back to that very career they were running from because of their financial situation.

Thanks for your help!

Di

[Mohsinuddin]

On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 6:59 AM, didirci said:

Hi everyone,

At the moment I am looking into different career paths I could go into but still in the selection process. I work in the food industry and I am not sure this will be a long-term career for me

Therefore if you have managed to move from a career to another while working a 9-5 job please could you share your experience?

I find myself completely drained and exhausted when I get back from work and this might partly explain while I am still in the selection process (I am very aware of my own responsibility in delaying things although I did start writing a blog while working but stopped after 5 or 6 articles)

I would like to have some real-life experiences if possible and how you manage to do the transition?

Some of my friends have quitted their jobs because they hated it and wanted to start something new. Most of them are now broke and going back to that very career they were running from because of their financial situation.

Thanks for your help!

Di

You are same shoes as mine except I am fulltime mathematics student.keep questioning what do you like and what you don't. May be try Leo's life purpose course. Just go deeper and deeper. Also quite or change you job as soon as You financial capable. Also start meditating, it helps. Good luck. 

[Mr Green]

Hi there, I'd thought I'd share with you my story as I changed careers at the age of 27. Basically I was working as an accountant with a pretty good wage in the UK. I just sort of fell into that career though and it didn't fulfill me at all. I spent a lot of time talking with my roommate who was in the same boat as me and eventually I realized that I couldn't spend another 30+ years working this career that frankly bored me to tears. I always wanted to be a teacher, it was something I regularly fantasized about, and after a lot of introspection and asking myself difficult questions I decided to go for it. 

 

To put the wheels in motion I basically started by having to go to night school to make up some much needed qualifications that I didn't have. It took me a couple of years of working 9-5 and then going to night school. Was it difficult? Yes. Was it tiring? Yes. When I had enough foundation qualifications to move into a basic position in the field I quit my boring accountancy job (all the late nights and exhaustion were worth just that). I didn't quit before I had a solid plan or some certificates to back me up like some people do.  

 

 Was it worth it? Yes. 

Now I'm working in higher education teaching linguistics in Latin American cultures and I can honestly say my work is much more fulfilling and I'm very happy.  Don't kid yourself though, you will have to make up for lost time. I'm still in the first stages of my career at the age of 30. I have to pay my dues and build up my experience all over again. It's hard work, and it's exhausting, but at the end of the day that's nothing compared to spending a life time walking in the wrong direction.

[Tancrede Pouyat]

Hey.

Look, no offence to "Mr Green" over there, but I'm actually getting tired of hearing stories over stories, so, you're not gonna get one from me.

Here's the harsh truth, YOU HAVE TO STAY IN YOUR CURRENT JOB !!!!! You only feel drained and exhausted because you eat shit, and you know it. You could do better than that, and you know it. Quitting your job, changing careers, all that bullshit, it's a distraction. Your Job does not determine whether or not you're tired. How you eat does. That was my first point. Second of all, you actually think that your job owes you something, like it has to give you value before you can put valuable work. Well, guess what, you have to provide value first, then you can have all those things that make up for a good job. Third of all, you're a dabbler, you can't stick to anything, you can't put in good habits, and you're a huge victim. It's time you wake up and start getting the right information, not stories.

Okay now that was a little harsh, but here's something you might want to consider. You can actually turn your career into something you love, by simply putting in the most obvious habit. From now on, every Saturday, you will be inventing a new recipe, cooking it up, and serving it to people who will give you honest feedback. You're going to back this up with research, go look at cookbooks, cooking blogs, youtube channels, and any other information resource about cooking. This right here is called deliberate practice, you'll find that it's hard to do, but if you keep doing it, you will get better and better until you become world class after having spent 10'000 hours (7-10 years on average, I personally tell myself that it's going to take me 10-12 years, it helps pacing myself and keep resistance at bay). I hope that now you see what it means to have a great career, it's not that you have a pre-existing passion that needs to be discovered, but more like building skills so that you are good at what you do, only then will you love your job, but never before. You don't have to go to night school and pay your dues and start all over again, you can just start practising now, it doesn't matter what you're practising, it's still hard, and the reward is the same, unless the industry you're in is horrible, but that's not your case, you have the chance to be an artist, to have your style of cuisine, to make your contribution, to have other people notice you

PS : those things I said in that first part, I only said them so that people take this seriously. You might want to read "So Good They Can't Ignore You" by Cal Newport. Short and Packed with wisdom about how to find work you love, really inspiring. And while you're at it, take Leo's book list and read all the books and success, creativity, and life purpose in there. Doing that can really help you change the way you view your work and your career.

[didirci]

On 17/02/2016 at 10:15 PM, Mr Green said:

Hi there, I'd thought I'd share with you my story as I changed careers at the age of 27. Basically I was working as an accountant with a pretty good wage in the UK. I just sort of fell into that career though and it didn't fulfill me at all. I spent a lot of time talking with my roommate who was in the same boat as me and eventually I realized that I couldn't spend another 30+ years working this career that frankly bored me to tears. I always wanted to be a teacher, it was something I regularly fantasized about, and after a lot of introspection and asking myself difficult questions I decided to go for it. 

 

To put the wheels in motion I basically started by having to go to night school to make up some much needed qualifications that I didn't have. It took me a couple of years of working 9-5 and then going to night school. Was it difficult? Yes. Was it tiring? Yes. When I had enough foundation qualifications to move into a basic position in the field I quit my boring accountancy job (all the late nights and exhaustion were worth just that). I didn't quit before I had a solid plan or some certificates to back me up like some people do.  

 

 Was it worth it? Yes. 

Now I'm working in higher education teaching linguistics in Latin American cultures and I can honestly say my work is much more fulfilling and I'm very happy.  Don't kid yourself though, you will have to make up for lost time. I'm still in the first stages of my career at the age of 30. I have to pay my dues and build up my experience all over again. It's hard work, and it's exhausting, but at the end of the day that's nothing compared to spending a life time walking in the wrong direction.

Hey !

Thank you so much for your story !

I think it's great you've finally found the right job for yourself and I do think it is never too late so you've just done the right thing!

It's always inspiring to realise that other people have done it before me (btw I am 27 ) so those were really encouraging lines to read!

I do agree I should definitely make sure I am ready to quit before doing anything stupid...

Thank you so much for sharing again!

All the best 

Di

[didirci]

On 17/02/2016 at 11:35 PM, Tancrede Pouyat said:

Hey.

Look, no offence to "Mr Green" over there, but I'm actually getting tired of hearing stories over stories, so, you're not gonna get one from me.

Here's the harsh truth, YOU HAVE TO STAY IN YOUR CURRENT JOB !!!!! You only feel drained and exhausted because you eat shit, and you know it. You could do better than that, and you know it. Quitting your job, changing careers, all that bullshit, it's a distraction. Your Job does not determine whether or not you're tired. How you eat does. That was my first point. Second of all, you actually think that your job owes you something, like it has to give you value before you can put valuable work. Well, guess what, you have to provide value first, then you can have all those things that make up for a good job. Third of all, you're a dabbler, you can't stick to anything, you can't put in good habits, and you're a huge victim. It's time you wake up and start getting the right information, not stories.

Okay now that was a little harsh, but here's something you might want to consider. You can actually turn your career into something you love, by simply putting in the most obvious habit. From now on, every Saturday, you will be inventing a new recipe, cooking it up, and serving it to people who will give you honest feedback. You're going to back this up with research, go look at cookbooks, cooking blogs, youtube channels, and any other information resource about cooking. This right here is called deliberate practice, you'll find that it's hard to do, but if you keep doing it, you will get better and better until you become world class after having spent 10'000 hours (7-10 years on average, I personally tell myself that it's going to take me 10-12 years, it helps pacing myself and keep resistance at bay). I hope that now you see what it means to have a great career, it's not that you have a pre-existing passion that needs to be discovered, but more like building skills so that you are good at what you do, only then will you love your job, but never before. You don't have to go to night school and pay your dues and start all over again, you can just start practising now, it doesn't matter what you're practising, it's still hard, and the reward is the same, unless the industry you're in is horrible, but that's not your case, you have the chance to be an artist, to have your style of cuisine, to make your contribution, to have other people notice you

PS : those things I said in that first part, I only said them so that people take this seriously. You might want to read "So Good They Can't Ignore You" by Cal Newport. Short and Packed with wisdom about how to find work you love, really inspiring. And while you're at it, take Leo's book list and read all the books and success, creativity, and life purpose in there. Doing that can really help you change the way you view your work and your career.

Hey,

 

It's great to have an answer like yours because I see my problem with a new perspective now and I really want to thank you for this!
Btw didn't find any of your words harsh (you've never heard my mum talking to me ahah)

I have to say I will be taking a lot from your advice because there might be something more within the food industry if I become really good at what I do (which unfortunately for me is not cooking but more sitting at a desk and making sure the food you buy from the supermarket is safe  - but regardless there still might be something more to it because there are a lot of areas within this industry for sure).

I will start prioritizing which skills I could improve in order to bring more value to my job, and who knows maybe I'll get something more in return and will end up loving it  

It's worth giving it a go, really enjoyed your comments!

Thank you so much!!!!!!

Di

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by didirci

[didirci]

On 17/02/2016 at 6:23 AM, Mohsinuddin said:

You are same shoes as mine except I am fulltime mathematics student.keep questioning what do you like and what you don't. May be try Leo's life purpose course. Just go deeper and deeper. Also quite or change you job as soon as You financial capable. Also start meditating, it helps. Good luck. 

Hey!

 

Thanks for sharing!  I should definitely not quit my job before I'm 100% ready for sure.

Have a look at both answers below yours, it might also help you to decide what you want to do later on if you're in my shoes as well  

Thanks!

Di

 

[RyanSubconscious]

Hi Di!

 

Firstly, I feel@Tancrede Pouyat  was a little brutal on that approach. I think he has some good points though. However, if you're not happy doing what you're doing, you definitely should not waste any more time doing something you're not happy with. Lifes too short to toy around, you have to grab it by the balls.

I too have done a career move a couple years back. Before I talk about what I did, do you have a career you want to change to? Why? 

Have you gone over Leo's material about aligning your values with what you're doing? If so, does your new career path fulfill that list? Does your current career path fulfill that list? If so, perhaps it's you not giving it enough chance to grow?

What study have you done on the chosen path if you've no experience in it? 

I would definitely suggest not letting onto your boss you're moving (worst still, quit) if you do decide to change, you still need to pay the bills during transition ;).

I think most importantly, just ensure the career path lines up with your values then research and learn about (practically or theory) your possible career path and make sure it's right for you. It's also good on the CV for future interviews.

When you're sure, throw everything at it, then don't stop until you've made it. Once you've dreamt up a plan it's time to put those feet to the fire and start getting results.

I used to work as a chef, working 6 days a week normally 12-14 hour shifts. My boss was an arsehole and while I did like the job, too many factors burnt me out and I had enough. I had always been an gamer, love messing around with PC's and was quite technical. So, I decided to look into IT. 

I got some material and made time, which was all the spare time I had, to study the shit out of it. I knew after a few hours of learning about it, this is what I wanted to do. At the time, I hadn't found Leo's fountain of wisdom so I didn't have a value list per say, it just felt right at the time.

I saved enough money to last me and the family a couple of months and I jumped ship. I wouldn't advise quitting like I did though, the stress of the ticking time bomb of depleting money was more stress than it was worth. 

I just went full force at it then, I drafted up letters to all the IT firms in a 20 mile radius and sent my CV to all of them. After a good month of  15+ applications a day plus speculative queries, a few bum interviews, I finally got my break.

After 2 years of working back up from the bottom of the pile, I'm in a good place with a stable job. It's been hard getting there and still much further to go but taking that risk was the best thing I've done possibly so far in my life. Bar from having kids.

 

I hope this is of some form of help for you, good luck!

 

 

[didirci]

Hey Ryan, I have just answered below  @RyanSubconscious

Edited March 2, 2016 by didirci

[didirci]

On 19/02/2016 at 9:57 PM, RyanSubconscious said:

Hi Di!

 

Firstly, I feel@Tancrede Pouyat  was a little brutal on that approach. I think he has some good points though. However, if you're not happy doing what you're doing, you definitely should not waste any more time doing something you're not happy with. Lifes too short to toy around, you have to grab it by the balls.

I too have done a career move a couple years back. Before I talk about what I did, do you have a career you want to change to? Why? 

Have you gone over Leo's material about aligning your values with what you're doing? If so, does your new career path fulfill that list? Does your current career path fulfill that list? If so, perhaps it's you not giving it enough chance to grow?

What study have you done on the chosen path if you've no experience in it? 

I would definitely suggest not letting onto your boss you're moving (worst still, quit) if you do decide to change, you still need to pay the bills during transition ;).

I think most importantly, just ensure the career path lines up with your values then research and learn about (practically or theory) your possible career path and make sure it's right for you. It's also good on the CV for future interviews.

When you're sure, throw everything at it, then don't stop until you've made it. Once you've dreamt up a plan it's time to put those feet to the fire and start getting results.

I used to work as a chef, working 6 days a week normally 12-14 hour shifts. My boss was an arsehole and while I did like the job, too many factors burnt me out and I had enough. I had always been an gamer, love messing around with PC's and was quite technical. So, I decided to look into IT. 

I got some material and made time, which was all the spare time I had, to study the shit out of it. I knew after a few hours of learning about it, this is what I wanted to do. At the time, I hadn't found Leo's fountain of wisdom so I didn't have a value list per say, it just felt right at the time.

I saved enough money to last me and the family a couple of months and I jumped ship. I wouldn't advise quitting like I did though, the stress of the ticking time bomb of depleting money was more stress than it was worth. 

I just went full force at it then, I drafted up letters to all the IT firms in a 20 mile radius and sent my CV to all of them. After a good month of  15+ applications a day plus speculative queries, a few bum interviews, I finally got my break.

After 2 years of working back up from the bottom of the pile, I'm in a good place with a stable job. It's been hard getting there and still much further to go but taking that risk was the best thing I've done possibly so far in my life. Bar from having kids.

 

I hope this is of some form of help for you, good luck!

 

 

Hey Ryan,

Thank you so much for your answer. It's really inspiring to read your story and I have definitely realised that I could not live most of my values through my current job. Although I also know that there is potential in my field to turn things around the way I want it. Recently I have realised that one of the things that bothers me even more that the actual job is not being financially independent.

I am actually interested in so many things that finding a purpose in life or a dream career has led me through depression because I did not know which path I should follow. I have recently realised that the only thing all my ideas had in common was: being my own boss and therefore financially independent. So I have been thinking about investing in property (and obviously will make sure I am fully aware of everything there is to know about it) as this gives me a clear goal that is linked to my need of independence. Another project I have on the long-term will be to launch my own food product or idea and starting my own business. This other project is in line with both my work experience and this need of independence so it just makes perfect sense to me.

The ultimate goal is to have enough money to do what I want when I want it, and being there for my family when they will need me to support them. I am also really interested in charity and having that extra money will be definitely useful for this.

I had to admit to myself that money was important to me and probably this is the reason why I am too scared to start from the bottom again in a career I am not sure to like long-term because of all my interests. I am really glad it worked out for you perfectly though  

Now I don't know if that is a life purpose as such but at least I have a foundation now and hopefully will be able to start building up on it.

Thank you again!

Di

[Dhana Choko]

How do you take care of yourself? Do you meditate daily, do you exercise, how do you eat?