What Are the Key Stages In Career Change

Career change is not a novel phenomenon. People today are willing to explore options, as they are in abundance. They are also susceptible to boredom due to the monotonous nature of work that they do, thus making room for exploring new options. Along with that the way a change in career was stigmatized initially is not prevalent these days. On the contrary, a person pursuing a different career and succeeding in it is glorified.

Therefore, it might sound exciting for a person who reads success stories related to career change. But it is important to realize that all that seems so easy is not actually the case. And a change in career involves a lot of efforts and risks. So it is advisable for anyone who wishes to change a career to scrutinize carefully all the variables at play and understand the key stages that govern the career change.

Stages in Career Change

Experiencing the need to change a career

This is often the first stage in switching a career. People who tend to pursue careers in which they don't have any interest, but still end up choosing it for various reasons, usually experience boredom very early in their career. However, there are several other reasons such as grim future prospects, stress, etc. that can induce the thought for a change and thereby force them to explore other options.

Contemplating on the reasons for the change

This is the next critical stage wherein a person who is serious about moving out of a career, pragmatically evaluates the need and reasons before taking any decision. The importance of this approach should not be undermined because if a person doesn't think critically and makes erratic decisions, it won't help him in the long-run and he/she might end-up getting trapped into a vicious cycle. He/she might suffer the same fate and would frequently experience the need to change careers.

Exploring different careers

Once there is a clear understanding of the need and reasons for the change, the next step is to explore the right career. Once people experience the pros and cons in their previous career, they have a vivid understanding about their own expectations from a career, which is helpful for them in the quest of a new one. For some people, exploring different careers might be based upon their childhood interests. And for others, it can be implementing an idea and be self-employed, whereas in some cases, it can be problems related to health or family issues.

Investing time and money in the new career

Changing a career is not easy. Initially, it involves serious thinking. And once you move into a different career, it can take a lot of time & investments before it starts yielding returns. Also, pursuing a different career may need you to acquire certain skills, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, individuals who wish to start something on their own may need a huge capital to invest.

Once an individual explores and finally decides the career to pursue, he/she arrives at a stage where investing time and money in order to nurture and develop abilities to withstand competition becomes necessary. This is the stage that can be challenging for a person as he/she might face situations that can be difficult to surmount.

Changing a career is a difficult choice. A proper due diligence and a right action plan is critical in ensuring a swift transformation. So it is advisable for individuals to factor all the critical stages and the necessary steps that need to be taken.