How To Overcome the 5 Fears All Career-Changers Experience

How To Overcome the 5 Fears All Career-Changers Experience In the 21st century, we no longer need to feel beholden to old concepts of a successful career.Past generations often thought of a career path as a one-and-done notion you choose a job track as a young person, you work for 30-40 years to gain experience and build your profile and earnings, and then you accept a retirement package and bow out of the workforce altogether. However, todays professional population sees nothing wrong with switching gears and trying different career possibilities. Its completely acceptable to change jobs once or twice or a dozen times over the course of a decades-long career, and if youre feeling stuck at work and want to try something totally new, youre definitely not alone.The Muse recently ran a story about folks who choose to switch careers later in life, but their tips and advice remain relevant for anyone ready to make a change. Weve compiled five of the most common hesitations faced by prospe ctive job-switchers, along with advice on how to overcome them.1. It seems counterintuitive to leave a career after youve invested significant time and energy in building your skills and reputation.If youve been at your current job for a few years, youve probably gained plenty of useful skills and experiences. Perhaps youve been promoted a time or two, and maybe youve risen to a level of seniority that will be difficult to reattain if you move to a different company. However, its important to reframe your thinking on this matter. Does your current job make you feel fulfilled and excited to departure work every day? Will the new opportunity motivate you toward greater growth? If the answers are yes, then its worth your while to critically examine your priorities and to make a decision about whats truly important to you from a work perspective.2. You dont want to start at the bottom when youre coming into a new job with years of experience (albeit in a different field).It stands to re ason that a professional with years of on-the-job experience wouldnt want to start at an entry-level role (or, worse, as an intern or apprentice) when switching industries. While it may be necessary to accept a position thats junior to what youre currently doing, you can also help your own job-application process by considering your transferrable skills and highlighting them on your resume. Are you moving from sales to teaching? Think about the communication abilities youve developed as a salesperson and reframe them to apply to leading lessons and encouraging students.3. Dealing with a potential decrease in pay feels daunting.The financial strain of a career shift proves the biggest discouragement for many whod like to take this leap. However, a bit of advance planning can make a major difference in setting yourself up for financial security even while adjusting to a new work life. Rather than quitting your current job in a haphazard manner, take a long and honest look at your econ omic situation and, if necessary, consult with your spouse and family members to find out what you need to do to establish a safety net. When you do ultimately put in your notice, make sure that youre very clear on your companys pay-out policy for unused PTO and their continued health-insurance options.4. Youre worried about second-guessing your choice and regretting the decision to move into a different career path.Sure, theres always a chance that youll start this new career and quickly discover that it doesnt meet your expectations. In this case, it can be beneficial to focus on the benefits youve gained from the switch (what youve learned, connections youve made, etc.). Also, make sure that youre giving yourself enough time to truly acclimate big changes can be jarring regardless of their particulars, and you dont want to cast judgment on an entire career path just because the first few months proved difficult. Also, remember that youre not stuck. If you decide that this new car eer isnt for you, you can still return to your old industry (if not your old company and old job) or can attempt something else entirely.5. In spite of your enthusiasm and abilities, youre concerned that you wont measure up to other candidates in this new industry.Imposter syndrome runs rampant among career changers as a newbie to the field, you may feel overwhelmed, which may lead you to question your own qualifications and fitness for your position. In this situation, try leaning into your uncertainties. Open yourself up to learning and observing your more seasoned colleagues, and pay attention to ways in which you can apply skills gained during your past career to your current work. Its scary to be new at something. I really like to know my craft and be good at it and not make any mistakes. But after observing others for a few months, it came full circle after a year, where now Im very confident in meetings. I was a very reserved, shy person. And now Im a totally different person , and I love that, RN-turned-recruiter Michele Westfahl told The Muse.--