Women in Financial Services
E2W Coaching Partner Louise Newton Steps to switch job or career
katie.robertson / 15 Jan 2024
Louise Newton
A certified career coach and CV writer, I empower women to find their voice, create or reimagine their professional brand and ensure they are being heard in the right places in the right way. Working collaboratively, I help my clients identify what makes them strong and unique and how to showcase the value they bring to an organisation.
If you would like to be connected with Louise for an introductory call, please contact Katie.Robertson@e2w.co or view her packages here.
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Taking the leap and switching jobs and even careers can be exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.
To prevent fear from holding you back and stand a chance of making your desire a reality, there are steps you can take to put yourself in the best possible position to take the leap.
First, be honest with yourself about why you feel the need for a change of job or career. Is it the actual job or career that is the problem, or are you unhappy with the current environment, manager or results? Get to the root of the issue. Do you enjoy your work, but don’t feel you are getting enough financial remuneration for your input? Do you feel the pay is OK but there’s no support or a lack of development? Are you bored and/or unfulfilled?
We can become disillusioned at work for many reasons so be sure to pinpoint your reason (with laser precision) otherwise you might make all the effort to change role or even career only to find it has not transformed your world and solved all your problems. Remember, the grass is greenest where you water it, not in another field.
Analysing your desire for change might show you that a job or career switch isn’t the solution for your current situation, but if it is, here are a few tips to help focus your thinking.
Do your research…then do more
Think about your strengths, experience, interests and motivations (what are the parts of recent jobs that you most enjoyed, what excites you), imagine your ‘dream job’ in detail (lots of detail) then explore both the opportunities and the reality. Talk to people about roles, companies and industries of interest to uncover the reality – good and bad – so you can make an informed decision (or at least a more educated guess).
Analyse your needs and wants
Explore your curiosities and follow your interests, but also think about practicalities. Work is always going to be more fulfilling if you are excited by doing something you enjoy, working in a role and environment that meets your needs. I know from experience that being paid a juicy salary is very nice, but the joy diminishes pretty quickly if you consistently feel underappreciated or overwhelmed.
There are many influencing factors in why a role or career is right for us so think about what would make you say yes or no, what would keep you interested and motivated. What do you need…and what do you want?
Stop trying to find the “perfect” job
Have the right mindset for thinking about a job or career change. Do you believe that ‘soulmate’ jobs and careers actually exist? That one job or career that would bring you never-ending happiness and fulfilment? I’d say not. For most of us, there is more than one good option for a job or career and each will have its great and not so great parts.
To create a realistic picture, work from the general to the specific, rather than the other way around. Draw a line and at one end note down all of your ideals. At the other end of the line, note down your no-go factors. Think about everything you want and don’t want, including the practicalities such as pay, role potential and your daily commute, breaking down each general point, for example, ‘opportunities for future development’ into the specifics of what that would look like. Keep noting down all of these influencing factors and arrange them along your line and you’ll find a much more realistic picture of what you want, what you don’t want and, in the middle, areas of potential flex and compromise.
Be proactive in positioning yourself for a change
Map your network to see who does what and works where and then – crucial step – look at who they know. And this is not just your LinkedIn network, it can be friends, family and neighbours, social or hobby connections. Essentially, it is anyone you interact with.
The more you communicate with people already experiencing a particular job or career, the more understanding you will gain about how you can make a step in that direction. Be clear and concise about what you are looking for and why to build a path towards initial conversations then interviews then, ultimately, the change you are looking for.
Embrace feedback
Consider working through your wish for change with a career coach or mentor. An independent, unbiased thinking partner can help you be more objective than family and friends and can offer useful guidance and support. They can also challenge your thinking in a way those who know you may not feel comfortable or equipped to do in a safe way.
However, also take into account the opinions of your ‘champions’ – the people closest to you, who know you well and whose support you will need to explore change and make it a reality. Seek out a diverse range of opinions and be open about asking for feedback to form the fullest possible picture of what this change will bring and what it will take to achieve it.
If you would like to explore how to switch job or career or uncover whether you even need to take such a leap, why not get in touch for a free chat about how Career Therapy can help you find the answers?
What’s stopping you?
If this article has resonated with you, then please do get in touch to be connected with Louise for your free introductory call.
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