Five Questions to Ask Yourself If You’re Changing Careers

So you’re considering a career change. Congratulations! While this can be a daunting pivot, it’s also a really exciting one. The first thing I’d suggest is to do some reflecting (and maybe even some writing) on the following five questions. This will help you winnow your focus and assess whether you’re moving in a strategic (and desired!) direction. 

Question 1: Could I do the job for 12 months?

All roads begin here. One trip around the sun will allow you to see the full cycle of a role, including busy and slow seasons. It will also give you enough time in the role to learn your job, get good at it, and meet a few new people who could open doors to something new/next.

Question 2: Will the role financially support my life?

There's no better feeling than walking away from a job you hate. Unfortunately, there's no worse feeling than not being able to pay your bills each month because your “escape job” doesn't meet your basic financial requirements. I always tell clients to know their “no-go” number: the amount of money that they *must* make in a job to even entertain it. Know what you need to make (this is different from *want to make*). Don't consider roles that don't pay what you need.

Question 3: Does the role need tons of upskilling?

Some will disagree with me here, but I'm not a fan of investing a ton of time, energy, money, and effort into becoming a viable candidate for a job I don't even know if I'll like (lookin at you, Instructional Design. Sorry not sorry). Until you do the work, you'll never know whether you like the job. If pivoting is your primary focus, choose something with lower barriers to entry.

Question 4: Will you generally enjoy the work?

Talk to people in the job. Read about the job. Maybe attend a local or online event related to the role type you're pursuing. Do your best to understand the role and the day-to-day of the job. Would you like doing this every day? Do some of this research, then be done. You'll never be 100% certain that you'll like the work until you do it yourself. Aim for 80% certainty here.

Question 5: Will the job showcase your talent? 

We all have things we're naturally good at. Find roles that value the things that feel easy for you.