How to Get Rid of Your Career Change Doubts – Once and For All

You decided to change your job (career), set your career goals but now your doubts keep you stuck. If you are constantly questioning whether you’re doing the right thing, my invitation to you is to stop punishing yourself right now.

Get rid of your doubts once and for all.

While I feel that reflection may be a healthy thing to do when you’re going through your career change, I’d totally hate to see you punishing yourself by questioning your desires, commitment and success.

It may sound logical that you’re searching for some re-assurance right at the beginning of your new dream job journey. But does it really serve you right now? In my view, it doesn’t. There is more suitable time (When) and a better way (How) to check if you’re staying the course.

If you feel the need to justify your decision and seek some re-assurance there is really only one person who can truly assure you.

And that person is You!

How do I know?

Because I have been there, actually a few times.

I went through a mild-burn out and quit my well-paid managing job. I participated in a few community projects to discover my passion while searching for fulfilment. I used to run a community group, organised conferences and out of that started my side gig in career coaching while growing my leadership skills. I also experienced a couple of redundancies due to organisational changes in just 18 months.

Talking of fears and doubts, if you’re doing the right thing right now, I feel like am the expert at it.

It happened in 2013. I run into a mild burnout. As a result of that I was not able to recognise what my career options were. I feel stuck and overworked, but I didn’t resign from one day to another.

The first time I seriously considered the idea of quitting my job was eight months before I handed in my notice. I am the type of person who likes to be prepared and so I did (or at least I thought I did). During that process every month I questioned if I was doing the right thing.

I resigned from my managing job in June, just in time to enjoy my summer off. July and August were amazing. I supported a friend of mine with her online life coaching while focusing on teaching English online.

Maybe they call it beginner’s luck. We delivered an online coaching programme while I was spending summer at home in beautiful Slovakia and then in peaceful countryside in France. I had the break I needed.

September arrived. I returned back to England and the reality hit me hard. I was running out of my savings. I was searching for a part time job to support me financially but I wasn’t landing any. It got to the point when I had let go of my pride and ask my mum for support.

 

Top all of this up with my doubts:

• Am I really doing the right thing?
• Shouldn’t I just go back to working full time?
• Shouldn’t I just return to doing what I am qualified to do – accounting and finance?

The thing was somehow the idea of progressing my career in finance and number crunching wasn’t doing it for me. At the same time I didn’t know what “would do it” for me.

At this point my mum stepped in “Give it time. I will support you. I trust you and know what you’re capable of when you set your mind on something. Isn’t time you started to trust yourself?“

There it was.

And she was right.  I started to focus on possibilities.

Soon a secured a part time job. The cash started to flow in and I negotiated four day working week. I had what I needed – stable cash flow and time to explore my possibilities.

My mother reminded me to stop punishing myself.

So here is what I learnt from my mum and what I practise every time I step into my next career change.

I also support my clients to consider this approach especially at the beginning of their journey when they feel doubtful:

 

• Forgive yourself for all past decisions that feel like a (huge) mistake.
• Acknowledge that the decisions you made were (and are) the best decisions you could take at that time.
• Recognise that it’s a new journey, uncertain and unpredictable. Every step that you take may feel uncomfortable but that can also be exciting. Change your attitude if needed. Ask for support.

If your doubts and fears are keeping you stuck, preventing you to kickstart your career change, feel free to reach out to me to discuss what your options could be. You can message me directly through my LinkedIn.

ps: Finding your dream job is more fun when you’re in a community of like-minded people, I invite you to join our Facebook group –  ZERO TO DREAM JOB CLUB.

Author: AdriAna Kosovska

Professional and certified coach & founder of ZERO TO DREAM JOB ACADEMY

 

I work with employees, couples and organisations that care about

Stress reduction |  Talents and strengths development | Dream job