5 Tips to Help You Transition from a Job you Dread to a Career You Love

If you are ready for a career transition, you need a map that will help you navigate where to begin and how to land your dream job. You don’t have to stay at a job that you dread, there is a career that is right for you—you just need a map that will show you how to get there.

Let’s get started.

Find the Right Career Path by Discovering What Drives You

The first step is finding what drives you—what gets you excited, and what sparks joy within you.

Remember the question that adults asked you all too often until you turned 18?

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Many of us never had the answer, some of us did, and many of us didn’t understand why we needed to find our career path at age eight.?Can you recall the answer you gave when you were a kid—the answer that sparked joy and excitement??

If you didn’t that’s okay.?It may just mean there wasn’t a name yet for the job you were meant to do.?In the 90’s few people were saying:

“I want to be a life coach when I grow up.”

“I want to be an SEO expert.”

“I want to create YouTube videos.”

Because these things didn’t really exist yet.?So, if you never had an answer, it’s likely that what you are meant to do just didn’t yet have a name.?Maybe you eventually took a career path that wasn’t the best fit. And that’s okay. You gained experience and insight along the way that has led you to where you are today.

We often lose our answers as we grow up.?Sometimes we change and we no longer hold the same interests, but there is often a tried-and-true map of passions in our childhood that point us in the direction we are meant to go.?Maybe you were always the one who enjoyed hosting parties, or were obsessed with reading, maybe you loved sports, or were often writing short stories, or loved baking.?Whatever your passion was, you can find it again. Or you can find a new one you didn’t know you had.

By finding these passions, you will find again that joy-filled child.?You were never obligated to be the boring adult working in a dead-end job. The opportunities are endless, and you can find a fulfilling career that will spark that joy-filled child within you again.

Take Time Outside of Your Job to Self-Evaluate

When you aren’t finding contentment in your everyday routine, it’s time to stop and self-evaluate so that you can rediscover who you are today.?Take out a notebook and ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are your strengths? What makes you unique? What comes to you naturally?

• Which skills are you consistently good at, energized by, and enjoy using most?
• What are your favorite interests? Where do you like to spend a lot of your time? What subjects do you have a lot of expertise in and enthusiasm for?
• What do you value in a position? What motivates you to work hard??
• Which physical environments do you thrive in? Which environments enable you to do your most effective work?

When you get clear on who you are, you will find clarity in what you are meant to do. You don’t have to have all the answers, but knowing yourself is a great step toward discovering the career that is right for you.

Get Curious and Job Search as Your Future Self

You can always, at any time, recalibrate your career path to where you want to go—no matter your age.

If you don’t know where to start, begin by getting curious. Gain clarity on your next career steps by looking at an industry that makes you feel energized and excited.???

Look at the job market and find a position you would like to apply for.?Find the requirements under the job description and make a list of what skills you need to build in order to apply for that job.?See if you can create an action plan that will help you build the skills and gain the experience needed to enter that field.?A little bit of experience and learning goes a long way.

Do Job Industry Research and Acquire New Skills

We live in an age where opportunities are endless.?There are countless courses, diplomas, and tutorials that can help you transition into a career you love.?You don’t always need another four-year degree for a career change.?Acquire new skills by enrolling in continuing education courses or free online skill trainings.?

Sometimes you just need to try a few things out to know what’s right for you.?If you currently work in a manual labor job, hoping for something less tiring, you may discover that sitting at a desk for 8 hours looking at a computer screen is not for you.?You will only know once you try a few things out, and taking a few courses will help you see if a new industry may be a good fit.

To get started, here are a few resources that offer free courses to build your skillsets.

• Hubspot Academy
• LinkedIn Learning
• Coursera

If you feel excited about any of the courses you enroll in and find enjoyment in the learning process—that’s an excellent sign that you are heading in the right direction.

Start Networking: Connect with People Who Can Point You in the Right Direction

Find people who do the kind of work you want to be doing and who are excited to talk about the topics you’re interested in. Connect with them, start a conversation, and ask them for a “virtual coffee date.”?Seek advice, ask questions, and stay on top of industry news.

LinkedIn is a great place to reach out to connections in another industry.?Many people would be happy to set up an informal meeting to guide you toward your next steps.?You’ll not only receive great advice, you’ll also build meaningful connections that could open potential doors in the future.?Read more about how to land a job through networking?here.

One of the best things you can do at this stage is to hire a career coach.?They can help you find the clarity and direction you need to help you find the right career for you.?

Conclusion: Create a Job Transition Map

By rediscovering your passions, doing a self-evaluation, getting curious, setting aside time to acquire new skills, and taking time to network, you can create an action plan that will help you transition out of the job you dread, and into a career you love.??

Curious if hiring a career coach is right for you??Schedule a free consultation?here.