The Mind Switch You Need For Career Transitions

One of the biggest challenges of career transitions is this.

You have been at the top of your field for several years (or decades). You have come to love the feeling of being a 'senior' in that role. People respect you.

You often have a team that follows your lead and waits for your direction.

Now, when you make a career switch, some (or all) of that privilege will vanish.

If your career switch is really drastic, say moving from being an executive in a large company to a solopreneur. Or becoming an musician. Or an entrepreneur.

You may find yourself starting out at a skill level of a novice. Now there are several others who hold the same position that you once did in your earlier role. And that can take some getting used to.

Let me share my own experience at one such transition.

I became a doctoral student mid career. I had already worked for 11 years, and was Head of OD and change at Airtel, when I decided to do a PhD at UCLA. Overnight, I went from being a senior whose perspective mattered, to being a novice doctoral student who would have to earn her stripes afresh.

One day I was leading teams and providing direction. The next day I was delivering mail. That was a transition that was tough psychologically and emotionally.

It can sting. (And frankly, it did.)

Yet many career transitions need you to to accept that in your new chosen field you no longer have the 'rank' and 'privilege' you had in your previous career. And this is a mental adjustment.

And not an easy one.

So much of what we think about careers is linear. Over time your responsibilities and rank increase. And yes, this has held true in the past.

Yet as the world around us becomes more and more turbulent, many (perhaps most) of us will have second or third careers which will need a mind-switch.

A major career transition impacts more than your career. It impacts your sense of self.

So what are proven ways to deal with this mind-switch?

1. Fantasising: To remind yourself of a future destination that makes this change worthwhile. Sometimes this may mean fantasising about your imagined future for yourself. It turns out that at least moderate amounts of fantasising helps in transitions. It also reminds you of the 'why' behind this choice.
2. Switch Mental Frames: This is a bit harder to do. Executives think a certain way. Their concerns range from outcome delivery to managing organizational dynamics to managing their personal life. Entrepreneurs think a different way. Their concerns range from building a good product, to raising funds, to hiring talent. Each professional group has concerns that are particular to that group. Switching mental frames helps make the transition.
3. Become The Hero Of Your Story: We all need stories to make sense of our actions. A hero's journey where we overcome obstacles today to emerge stronger tomorrow is one of human-kinds most enduring stories because it fulfils a strong need. It reminds us that with effort and perseverance we can overcome obstacles today. And that we (and maybe the world) will be proud of the person we will become tomorrow.
4. Manage the Symptoms: Sometimes when the change before us is too large or too fast, all we can do is to manage the symptoms of stress. We could for instance do more yoga or more meditation. We could focus on things in our personal lives that bring us joy. Transitions (even very positive ones) bring the stress of the unknown along.

The truth is that major career transitions are often accompanied by changes in our personal lives too.

Managing stress in career transitions. A research based point of view

All those years ago when I was worried about how I would run a household on a student stipend, a very wise colleague told me this.

"You need to completely change the way you are looking at this.

Right now, you are thinking of this as a senior executive.

But that's not who you will be. Switch to thinking like a college student, and you will find a way."

Wiser words could not have been said.

This mind-switch was not easy. But it worked. And 6 years later I was back.

This time with a PhD.

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(About me: I lead Unqbe, a think-tank and advisory firm around building future organisations, and building future careers. We track change through commissioned and primary research. We help leadership teams build the new workplace through a culture that supports change and people practices for the future.)