Many professionals who desire to make a career change may view this as an all or nothing proposition, but as the article below states, there are incremental steps anyone can take to move closer to their dream job. If you’re considering a new career field, here are a few questions to ask yourself to get yourself ready for a successful transition:
- What is one thing I can do today, this week, this month, this year to put things in motion? What risk am I willing to take to make my dreams happen?
- Is there one activity that I can drop to open up more time and energy? For example, could the time I spend on the phone talking to friends, watching TV, surfing the web be converted to more productive use? If so, am I willing to draw those boundaries?
- Is there someone I know in this field that I can interview to gain their insights and suggestions? Can I have an open mind as I interview them without driving a specific agenda?
- Who can I barter with at home or among my circle of friends and neighbors so that I can devote more to this pursuit (i.e. can you carpool the kids with another parent, can your teenage son or daughter teach you a new computer skill or get you set up on Facebook or LinkedIn so that you can broaden your network, can you barter a service with a neighbor like agreeing to take turns mowing and raking each other’s lawn)? How can you be as creative as possible about the new opportunities you are welcoming into your life? How can you keep fear, negativity and self-doubt at bay?
- Is there one college course you can take that will build your skills at your current job and the job you’re seeking (almost any techology course serves this objective)?
ARTICLE:
By ALEXANDRA LEVIT
April 12, 2009
It’s a typical dilemma. You don’t love what you’re doing for a living, but because you work by day and attend to the home front by night, you don’t have time to make a change.
Or do you?
While some might argue that transitioning to a new career is very difficult if you can’t leave your job in favor of a new degree or an internship, it is possible to place tasks related to your dream career alongside your other priorities.
Fresia Rodriguez, 32 years old, decided to pursue a new vocation as a fashion designer while her husband, a U.S. Marines staff sergeant, was deployed in Iraq.
While working full time at a magazine geared toward retirees, Ms. Rodriguez applied to art school and subsequently launched a plus-size clothing line.
“I learned quickly to maximize my time,” she says. “On the train home from work, I’d be sketching the next collection. In the shower, I’d be going down my to-do list.”
To view this entire article visit www.wsj.com
