Taking the next step

Overcoming Career Change Fear

Back in the day, people would work for the same company for decades. Those days are now long gone and, as we emerge from COVID, it has become common for people to rethink their future and search for something more from their career.  If this sounds like you, then you are likely looking to either switch jobs, careers or change industries all together. It feels like a big decision, even risky so lets unpack it and discuss

Making the decision to switch careers

You have already made a name for yourself in a particular industry. You’ve accumulated valuable experiences and have had countless achievements over the years. Despite your achievements, you feel stuck and unfulfilled. You wake up one day and wonder if you made the right career choice. You’ve thought about it a hundred times. Should you take the leap towards a new career in an entirely different industry or should you stick with what you know?

For many, the decision to make a career change can be daunting, especially if you’ve been with the company for a while.

Some executives find themselves in career transition situation due to corporate culture changes, mergers, and downsizing. Others find themselves stuck in a declining or dying sector. No matter what the impetus for your career change, a career transition coach can help you successfully navigate a career switch.

Discover your best career fit

Professionals and executives often sacrifice too much to achieve success. You sacrifice your family time for work and taking time off doesn’t happen as often as it should. Sure, you’re making all the money you need and yet, you’re not happy. You owe it to yourself to at least explore alternatives.

A rewarding career should be synonymous with a rewarding life. That’s where working with a career transition coach for executives pays off. Career coaches will help you identify promising target industries that might be a good fit for your skills, personality, and leadership experience.

At Colorado Careers, your program will be created to ensure that your next career or job fits your own definition of personal fulfillment and professional success. The goal is to help you identify the best career fit and build a new path that is more authentically you.

You need help figuring out what you want

You might be on a quest to find greater meaning and fulfillment in your work, but you’re not sure where to start. Not knowing where to begin can cause even the most seasoned professionals to stop them dead in their tracks.

Most people don’t really know what they want, but they are not humble enough to admit it. It takes courage to ask for help but what youll find is reassurance of your true value and a path to confidently move forward on.

Ensure a successful career change

Congratulations for being brave enough to follow your passions into a completely different industry.

Instead of flying by the seat of your pants through a big transition, find an experienced coach who has been through this before and has guided others through it.

Changing your career at 40 is a huge decision. Some people may not understand it, but a good career coach will take your dreams seriously. By seeking the services of a career transition coach, you can gain not only some guidance, but also a confidant who can offer sage advice. They know how it works and understand what’s involved in a successful career change.

Good career coaches have a successful career change under their belt themselves. They can relate to your experience. They know how it feels and believe that change is possible – and they have the wisdom on how to get there.

Craft a coherent story for your career

A company will hire you to join their team if they think that you can bring a significant contribution to their company. How will you do that when you technically have zero to little experience in that particular field? You are worried that you are too old or have a big gap in your career and all manner of imagined difficulties that hold you back.

As an executive, you possess a number of core competencies and value that may actually be beneficial to your new industry of choice. Career coaches are highly skilled at both career counseling and job search. They will help you create a personal brand that reflects your value which leads to a high impact resume that ensures that your accomplishments get the attention they deserve.

Make the pivot without starting over

One of the challenges with moving into an entirely new field is the thought of being a beginner again. You’ve built so much equity in your career so far. You know what you do inside and out, you have built relationships and a good reputation – and you hate the idea of having to start all over again.

Moving upward or laterally is generally much easier than moving to a completely new industry. But changing career paths doesn’t necessarily mean going back to entry level.

Transitioning to a new career isn’t too difficult if you can bring a hefty set of transferable skills with you. A career coach will help you identify your transferable skills and how they can be leveraged to your advantage.

In rare cases, taking a training class or a new qualification is all that is required to make the move you hope to make. Also, check if there are specific task or role at your current place of work that you can take on to gain additional experience.

Structured and individualized coaching process

With so much information available on the internet, many people turn to online assessments, hoping it would help zero in on their skills, abilities, and educational training. While these tests provide interesting insights, they are not individualized and cant be taken too literally. A client took one such assessment which said he should be a priest – and he laughed out loud. he took it literally rather than recognizing he needed a leadership role where he could use his innate people skills.

By working with a career coach, you’ll get advice that is tailored specifically to your needs and situation. Your program is completely unique to you.

Clarity in your new path

No one knows you better than yourself. But sometimes, you may have blind spots you never knew existed – or, ‘cant see the forest for the trees’. A good career coach will help you uncover who you are and what drives you. He/she should be able to compassionately “hold up the mirror”, so you can see yourself, your current situation, and your future goals and aspirations with clarity and belief. Discovering the right career path starts with understanding what drives you.

Conquer your fear of career change

Doing nothing is always a safe option, but not always the most productive one or the safest. You will likely stay at your current job and pretend everything is okay and allow change to happen to you, rather than driving the changes yourself, for yourself.

Fear of failure or change is what keeps us from securing or enjoying a satisfying career. Taking a small step is often what it takes to set you on a different, more productive path towards your goal.

There is no need to panic. By seeking the services of a career transition coach for executives, you’ll have someone by your side, encouraging you as you navigate through the intricacies of your new career path. It will take a little work, but you will find your next great opportunity and will have learned new lifelong skills. You can do it!

What is career transition coaching ?

A career transition coach is someone who is specifically trained for helping professionals and executives navigate a career change and get through the tough transition. They work closely with their clients to help them uncover what drives them, discover potential careers, and create a plan to make that career change a reality.

To get started with an executive coach or simply see if executive coaching answers your need to get on track, give Colorado Careers a call for a complimentary assessment.