Most of us love a challenging work profile. A job, where there is always enough learning, where there is enough pressure to keep you engaged but not too much to strain you. A work profile that makes you feel passionate about what you do! Sounds perfect isn’t it? But more often than not, things are never perfect on their own especially when it comes to workplace. We have to make things perfect for us.
Millions of professionals find themselves stuck in their current job profile which is remotely close to what we described as a perfect job. They are keen on reinventing their careers by changing the industry or inducing a radical career change. But is it really required? Here are 5 checks you should take while considering switching your industry.
1. Think Hard – Why do I have to switch?
Many a time people decide to switch industries/job profiles because of some ephemeral setbacks in their current career and/or industry. Connect with people who have a decade or two of experience in your industry and discuss your feelings. They may be able to validate if your motive of switching is worth the risk, time and energy that it would demand.
2. Try to actively reinvent your current role.
Before taking the plunge, have you tried to seek out new projects or new opportunities in your current role? This may reopen the gates for learning new things and could give you that transformed feeling about your job. It may also provide you with enough challenging opportunities that you would not be tempted to shift you industry.
3. Does it serve the purpose?
You need to make sure that the new role you are moving on to would provide you with elements that are missing in your current role. Your motive of switching industries can be anywhere from relaxed/aggressive work environment, amount of travel involved, creativity involved, etc. Seek out help from your professional network who work in the industry where you wish to switch to validate your motives would be met. Why waste energy and take risk if it would give same on the job experience?
4. Do you have the Right Skills-set?
There are certain work profiles which require a strong general skill set. For e.g. Law firms and Accounting firms demand their candidates to have strong attention to details. Needless to mention, industry experience is always a big plus, but before thinking to switch industries you should make sure if not the industry experience, at least you have the right generic skills as would be required in your new role.
5. Cost-Benefit analysis.
Are you being offered an entry level position in the new industry? Is your choice of switching strategic and objective? Is the timing of your switch appropriate? What else would you have to give up to survive and excel in the new industry? Would you be burdening yourself too much? Are you being a tad more ambitious than what you could handle? If you are inclined towards entrepreneurship or free lancing probably you may start it parallel rather than quitting your current profile.
If you are through with these checks go ahead and give your best in planning for steps to reinvent your career.
Jitu is Co-Founder of Mantras2Success. He has Engineering & MBA degrees to his name, along with 10+ years of corporate work experience in fortune 500 companies. Jitu is passionate about improving the careers of the modern day professional. He would be reading books or watching documentaries if not fulfilling his dreams at Mantras2Success.