Thoughts on Career Changing (from a "career changer")

After multiple years of ‘career searching’, finding myself in the world of Business & Commercial Banking at Standard Bank South Africa has meant finding purposeful work and a home that I never would have plotted for myself 20 years ago!

There are multiple things that I love about the work I do and the place at which I do this work: the purpose around growing Africa, our Home, by showing up for small to large businesses every day in their moments that matter to start, manage and grow a business; the meaningful contribution this makes to sustaining jobs, supporting livelihoods, and contributing towards the economy; working with talented and diverse teams; being empowered to lead with conviction and strength, and the role models around me who showcase that every day. Whilst I could go on about each one of these factors, I didn’t end up here by initial design, and find myself counting my blessings that I did.

Which is how, on some end-of-year introspection, reflecting on the advice I’ve been asked in the past few years, and taking a step to do something a little out of the norm – i.e. talk about something more personal to me and what I’ve learnt beyond the work I do today, I “penned” down my thoughts on a question I get asked about most: how did I go from school teacher to banking executive and what advise do I have for others looking to make a career change? Below are 5 key thought processes that, in retrospect, I adopted and that propelled me forward. We all have our own journeys; however I hope that something below may give the courage for someone at their own crossroads to keep finding their work of purpose. ?

1.?????? Say ‘yes’ to things outside of your comfort zone. There’s a tendency for people to hold back, to say no, often through silence or not putting themselves forward to take on challenges. The biggest glass ceilings are our own and the first step is not talking yourself down out of something before you’ve even tried – reach out to that person, say ‘yes’ to that podcast, write that article, apply for the role you’re not completely sure is right for you, attend that course; try it and figure out something more about yourself along the way!

• Turn the insecurity of not knowing, or not feeling like you have the right qualification, on its head through the strength of being able to ask questions, find out, and possibly tackle an approach that others didn’t think about given your different take.
• Know that when you put yourself forward, the answer will sometimes be ‘no’ or ‘not now’; a ‘no’ is a mechanism to try approach it differently next time.

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2.?????? Be willing to try anything but have some idea of where you are going. The world of work is ever changing; there are roles today that didn’t exist 5 years ago. While you won't know every opportunity that exists, you will need an idea of where you want to go. Think about what makes you come alive, e.g., a specific industry, or using a skill you have like possibly being really good at explaining complex problems simplistically. When I left teaching, I went into a world of communications armed with snippets of what I knew I was good at even if I wasn’t “qualified” for it; I knew little about this world initially, took a pay cut, and had zero idea of what to expect. But someone was willing to take a chance on me based on being able to articulate what I was good at and how I believed that would benefit them, and I was determined to prove that chance wasn’t a mistake.

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3.?????? There’s no such thing as a ‘wrong turn’. For the first few years of my career, I felt so despondent that I was behind my peers, had none of the experience I could have had, and was seemingly on the wrong path. It’s taken years of continuously moving forward to realise that I was exactly where I needed to be every step of the way. The sum of all my experiences, and how I draw on each part in my career today, has set me up for success in a way I can only now appreciate, and wish I had taken more time to enjoy the journey. With that said, you also can’t sit back and do nothing – if you want a change you need to do something about it. Don’t get caught in the trap of “I first need to do / be / achieve / go back to…” before making a move – self-imposed timelines often leave you disappointed and not grabbing at the opportunities because the timing is always wrong.

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4.?????? People (mostly) want to see others succeed. Have mentors and sponsors and “connectors”. Mentors can be there to plug a gap or support short- or long- term on a goal. Sponsors are normally individuals who know you / your work and will put you forward for consideration for roles and propel you to the forefront as opportunities arise. Sponsors put their own reputation on the line putting you forward; give them something to be proud about. Connectors are individuals that I see as providing a key connection to others for you; they help you expand your network, but it starts with you asking. One person can, of course, fulfill all 3 roles above, but find them all – you’ll need it if you’re looking at career changes.

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5.?????? When you land the opportunity, even if it’s not what you envisioned, give it everything you’ve got!

• Be willing to work harder than ever before as you learn something new.
• Ask questions of clarity with a mindset to learn and contribute, ask advice, buy people coffee to “pick their brains”.
• Thank others for the role they’ve had in your journey and growth; knowing the impact that can be made helps individuals to keep supporting others.
• Pay it forward and help others in a similar position based on your learning!

Have you successfully made career change/s? Would love to hear what has helped you that might help others thinking about or going through a change at the moment.