#changecareer Archives - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

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#Your Career : When a Change in Times Means a Change of Plans. One Thing is Certain: Many of Today’s Changes we are Seeing in the World Today are Here to Stay.

March 9, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Most would agree that present-day living looks a lot different from what it used to be before the pandemic. While some would say it is for the better, others may be finding the drastic changes we’ve experienced throughout the pandemic unsettling, to say the least. But wherever you are on the spectrum, from loving it to loathing it to at least tolerating it, one thing is certain: many of the changes we are seeing in the world today are here to stay.

Here’s how to make the most of it and embrace the unknown instead of looking ahead with apprehension.

Doing more of what you love

Adjusting to a new way of living has meant for many a change in lifestyle. And if you’ve found that you haven’t been able to adapt to these changes as easily as you had hoped and you want to find new meaning in the days that lie ahead, the solution is simple – find ways to do more of what you love. You’ll not only be happier for it, but you’re sure to experience a level of contentment you might never have known otherwise.

You can start by focusing on how you can grow and strengthen aspects of your life, whether it be health-wise, reaching your fitness goals, or even new career goals. Speaking of reaching new professional heights, perhaps you’ve had the novel idea of starting a business yourself as a result of your newfound passion.

In which case, you could start with looking into an LLC as a type of business worth pursuing if you are a solo entrepreneur. Do I need an LLC to start a business? If you want to start off small with a company with fewer requirements, specific tax advantages, a lot less paperwork, and flexible enough to accommodate your changing needs, an LLC could be the ideal business solution for you. A formation like ZenBusiness can help you make quick work of this task.

Or maybe as the pandemic has progressed — we are a year and half into this thing after all! — you’ve been able to grow a business and now you’re ready to take it to the next level. You can take advantage of the many folks looking to change careers right now by looking into freelancer sites to find the right people to help you make your business bigger and better than ever.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know? First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Show your support

If anything, the pandemic has taught us the steadfast resilience of humanity and how important relationships are in the broader scheme of things. As everything shut down, many of us found new ways we could connect with friends, loved ones, coworkers, clients, and more virtually. For many, it led to the revelation that we are all connected to each other in some way and that we need assistance and support from one another to reach our goals–and we’re the better for it.

So if there are people struggling in your community as they try to come back from the devastation that the pandemic has caused, why not lend a helping hand to those in need? And if you find yourself needing help, well, then gladly accept it.

Revel in nature

Spending time outdoors and reveling in the beauty that is nature is beneficial for your overall physical and mental well-being. And as much as nature is something to truly behold, it also deserves our respect. We need to tend to it well, and to acknowledge our dependence on our earth that gives so much to us and expects little in return.

When change is a good thing

Indeed, change can be unsettling and can even seem a little frightening. Still, it can also be exciting and liberating, freeing us from stale mindsets that need to be readjusted to see the beginnings and promise of a new dawn. And if change is inevitable (as it most assuredly is), then we may as well do our best to embrace it!

FSC Career Blog Author: Ms. Gloria Martinez . You can reach Gloria @ g.martinez@womenled.org

FSC Career Blog – March 9, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog : #YourCareer -How To Stop Sabotaging Your Career. Are You your Own Worst Enemy When it Comes to your Career?

August 24, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Are you your own worst enemy when it comes to your career? Perhaps unhealthy thought patterns or destructive work habits are interfering with your professional development. Self-sabotage occurs when that critical inner voice holds you back from achieving greatness.

By following these do’s and don’ts, you will finally be able to stop sabotaging and start succeeding.

Don’t let fear get in the way

Fear of failure: You fall into your comfort zone, and it’s gotten to the point where you can do your job in your sleep. Then you have the opportunity to take on a completely new and exciting project, but fear of failure creeps in.
Fear of success: It sounds strange, but many people are afraid of succeeding. It’s because once you finally get what you think you want, you realize it’s more than you bargained for. With success comes expectation and responsibility. It can be unsettling if you don’t know how to handle it.
Fear of loss of control: Our need to be in control at all times can be limiting. It might turn you into a micromanager who is burned out because you just can’t seem to delegate work. Ultimately, you are holding yourself back from reaching that next level in your career.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Don’t avoid going outside your comfort zone

You’ve outgrown your position, yet moving from familiar territory to a different company seems daunting. You wonder, “What if I don’t like it as much?” or “What if I end up with a manager who is a tyrant?” You’re in a seemingly “safe” place, but the growth happens outside your comfort zone. The first step is to acknowledge that you want to make a move but are afraid of change. Here’s a secret many people don’t know, fear and action can’t coexist. So, start taking small steps in the direction of your goal. Talk to as many people as you can before jumping into that new role. Learn about the good, the bad and the ugly. Make sure it’s the right fit and then take the plunge. If you feel you still need help combating those self-sabotaging behaviors, you may even consider working with a career coach or mentor to get you across the finish line.

Don’t compare yourself to others

Do you find yourself comparing your career to that of friends and colleagues? Maybe you and your best friend went to the same law school, but your friend has already made partner, and you haven’t. When you learned about it, it may have felt like a punch in the stomach. But career progression is different for everyone because we are all unique individuals. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is the person you were the day before.

By comparing yourself to others, you are not only sabotaging your career, you are eroding your self-confidence and creating unnecessary anxiety. If you do this consistently, it can be paralyzing. Instead of using that energy to feel resentful, use it to motivate you. Invite that person you’ve been admiring to be your mentor. Learn their secrets to success. This is also a good time to take inventory of all the things you’re grateful for. It’s almost impossible to feel envy and gratitude at the same time.

Do focus on your strengths

Often we don’t see ourselves for who we really are. We attribute accomplishments to luck or simply being at the right place at the right time. Make a list of all your biggest accomplishments—the ones you are most proud of. Then post it somewhere you can see it every day. Dig up any positive performance reviews, thank you notes or emails from clients and put them in a “kudos” file. That way, when you’re having a bad day, you can refer to them to boost your confidence. (I have one that I call my “inspiration” file).

Do recognize self-sabotaging behavior

The first step to break the cycle is to become aware of habits that are holding you back. What self-destructive mindsets are interfering with your ability to develop professionally? Here are a few typical self-sabotaging behaviors to be mindful of:

Perfectionism: You tell yourself you can’t act right now or believe you need to perfect your skills before moving forward. Perfection is an impossible standard that keeps you from advancing.
Procrastination: Instead of tackling an important project right away, you wait until the last minute. Start setting hard deadlines to hold yourself accountable.
Negative self-talk: Your inner dialogue is consistently critical. Are you punishing yourself for past mistakes? Be patient, and make an effort to build your self-esteem rather than tear it down.

Do be open to feedback

Knowing ourselves and being open to feedback is essential to career advancement. That way, you’ll be able to pinpoint the areas where you are excelling and need improvement. Don’t wait for others to provide input regarding your performance. Make it a point of regularly soliciting advice from managers, friends and co-workers. By being proactive and having an open mind, you will be able to use that information as a learning tool to propel you to the next level.

You are worthy of wanting more and having more. The world will put endless obstacles in your path, but none will be as big as the ones you create for yourself. Isn’t it time to get out of your own way and embrace the possibilities?

Feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your current career? Download Caroline Castrillon’s free guide: 5 Signs It’s Time to Make a Bold Career Change!

Author: Caroline Castrillon –Contributor Careers – I write about career, entrepreneurship and women’s advancement.

Forbes.com | August 23, 2020

#ResumeWriting : Tips for Writing a Career Change Resume. Great REad!

May 18, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Many are currently needing to pivot to a new career, some through no fault of their own. But to do this, a new resume is necessary. You can no longer rely on your current resume, which focuses on a specific skill set or industry.

Some skills may transfer over to your new career, but many of them won’t. Your main goal should be to discuss in your resume which skills you can use from your previous career, as well as why you are making the career change in the first place.

Employers will have plenty of questions for you, but writing an effective resume can answer a few of them. Here are some tips to consider when writing a career-changing resume.

Discuss Transferable Skills

Every company wants new employees to have a solid mix of technical skills as well as soft skills. Depending on the nature of your career change, some of your technical skills may not transfer well. Instead, executive resume writing services may suggest focusing on soft skills like your personality, work ethic, leadership, communication, and more. Strong soft skills are transferable to almost any profession, so clearly showing your strongest skills backed by examples will make the most significant impact.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Target the Company

The key to writing an effective resume is targeting the specific company you’re applying for and demonstrating your understanding of their needs. The same is true even if you’re going through a career change. While you may not have the hard skills listed in their job requirements right now, if you have a complete understanding of what the company’s overall needs and goals are, you can shift your resume to target those aspects.

Using examples from past experiences to show how you helped previous companies meet their goals will show your track record of success. And when you show an understanding of the company’s goals, they’ll be more impressed that you’ve done your homework and will then know you’re serious about the career change.

Demonstrate Your Passion for the Career Change

Employers today don’t necessarily like taking chances on candidates. They would rather hire someone with the exact experience they desire in their industry. That’s why executive resume writing services will suggest writing your resume to show a clear passion for what you want to accomplish with your career change.

Demonstrate how thoroughly you thought the career change through and why the position is exactly what you’re looking for. Employers will look for any reason to not hire a person in your position, but when you show your passion on paper, they’ll be more likely to at least give you the opportunity to interview.

There are obvious challenges when it comes to making a change in careers. However, when you put forth the effort to write resumes that get you hired, the result is well worth the time and energy. Your resume always needs to be perfect regardless of the situation, and everything is magnified when you’re changing careers.

Writing a career-changing resume is tricky, so take the time necessary to put your best foot forward and think about what the employers will be looking for.

FSC Career Blog Author: Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog | May 18, 2020

#CareerAdvice : #CareerChange – 5 Simple Tips for Evolving During a Career Change. Great REad!

February 4, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

There are many reasons to make a career change, for example:

You need a new challenge

Your values have changed

You want to focus on other things

Your passion lies elsewhere

You’re not happy

Which one are You?

While the reason will be different for every person, there’s one thing that stays the same: the need to evolve during this transition. This is the perfect time to hone your skills and prepare for the new career ahead of you. You’re not merely transferring to a slightly better employment situation, but pushing yourself forward in a professional trajectory that requires you to up-level from where you are now.

Use these five simple tips to make sure you’re evolving during your career change, allowing you to land your next big gig, regardless of where you came from before this.

1. Make an Actionable Plan

Before you take a massive leap into a new career, take time to make an actionable plan. But don’t outline your five- or ten-year plan—while this is important, right now, you want to be thinking more immediate. Consider where you want to be this year, and what small, yet actionable steps you can take to achieve that objective.

For example, if want to make the move from salesperson to marketing specialist, there are a few actions you might take, including:

Shadow a marketing specialist at my current job this month.
Write a list of ways my sales skills applies to marketing so I can be prepared for interviews by next month.

Notice how each of these actions are specific and paired with a time limit. Brush up on what SMART goals are (hint: time-bound is one important element) so you can make sure you’re being as actionable as possible.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

2. Continue Learning and Training

Once you know what you want to do, find out which credentials are either necessary or beneficial for your career evolution. While some positions might require credentials, others may consider certain certifications as a ‘Nice to Have’—which means you’ll get a leg up if you have it.

Continuing your training and education is paramount, especially in the tech industry. In fact, more than 55 percent of developers seek out training to meet current or upcoming needs or to advance their careers, according to the 2017 Developer Learning Survey. In this case, for example with a software engineer, it may be required that you have certain credentials thanks to the fast-evolving world of technology.

In other cases, like the example of moving from sales to marketing, a credential you likely don’t need is a Google Analytics Certification. However, it will look great on your resume and is free to take. Not to mention, knowing how to navigate Google Analytics is a skill most marketers need to have to be successful, whether you learn on the job or come into a new position with the knowledge already.

3. Explore Freelance Projects

In 2018, 56.7 million Americans did some type of Freelance work, according to the Freelancing in America Report. There’s a reason freelancing is increasingly popular in the current workforce: it allows for flexible learning and makes it easier to advance your career. Freelance gigs allow you to gain valuable experience that will bolster your chances of getting the job you want.

It also allows you to dip your toes into a new career, without leaving your full-time job. If you feel passionate about a new career path, aren’t ready to take the leap, freelance and contract-based projects will let you try it on for size. It’s better to take on one project and realize you aren’t cut out for the work than to accept a full-time position.

4. Network and Build Relationships

Networking within your desired industry will give you valuable insights during your career transition. When you meet people within your desired field, you can learn about what you need to do be successful and what you need to avoid. You may even land an interview.

In certain careers, this network can also be the reason you get a job. HR Veteran and Forbes contributor Steve Cadigan explains: “Your network is part of your value proposition. Organizations today are increasingly looking for candidates who bring a strong network to work with them.”

Consider this an extension of your resume if you work in HR (knowing great people to hire), business development (knowing great people to partner with) or sales (knowing great people who want to buy.

5. Develop Your Personal Brand Online

Your personal brand is your outward appearance to the professional world. We live in a digital world, so your brand extends far past the clothes you wear or the job history on your resume. As you consider building your personal brand online, remember to update your profiles on:

Social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter, or any other social profile that isn’t private
Your portfolio or website
Job boards or industry-specific professional websites (think StackOverflow)

If you’re actively applying for jobs, do an audit of your online presence and get rid of anything that’s non-professional because hiring managers will search for you. According to SHRM, 43 percent of organizations use social media and online presence to screen applicants, and 36 percent have disqualified candidates based on public information found. Don’t let one bad photo be the reason you don’t land your next big gig.

With your profiles cleaned up, consider what your personal brand is and isn’t. If you’re not sure where to start, take this Glassdoor Quiz to find out what your personal brand is. Then, let that shine through your LinkedIn headline, Twitter bio, website about page, etc.

Continue Evolving During Your Career Change

Transitioning in your career can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Especially if you focus on these five ways to evolve and grow during this time. Make time to learn, get clear on what action steps you need to take, make time for networking and don’t forget that your brand extends to the online world too—find out what that brand is and let it shine through so recruiters and hiring managers see the very best version of you: someone who’s willing to do what it takes to make a change.

GlassDoor.com | February 4, 2019 | Posted by Jessica Thiefels

#CareerAdvice : #JobChange – 8 Warning Signs that You’re in a #CareerRut (and how to get out)…Do you Secretly Browse #JobListings and No Longer Look Forward to your Company’s Annual Conference? It Might Be Time to Make some Changes.

October 10, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

A rut is never a fun place to be in, but it happens to nearly all of us at some point in our careers. Perhaps you’ve been working in a job for a while, doing the same tasks, working with the same people in the same office every day. Suddenly you wake up one morning and realize you’re no longer inspired by your job. You wonder if it’s time to move on, or if you should stick with it and hope things get better.

1.YOU’RE BORED

“Most career ruts are caused by a lack of challenge, resulting in comfort, complacency, and boredom,” says career-change coach Lisa Lewis. If your current job isn’t presenting opportunities for you to learn and grow, boredom can quickly set in.

It’s often for this reason that a career rut occurs after someone has reached a level of success. After a certain amount of time in that position you desired throughout your entire career, you feel like you’ve mastered it and aren’t finding it challenging anymore. “Learning is one of the biggest motivations for many people in the workforce,” says Lewis. Finding opportunities to learn other areas of the business or to learn a skill outside of your job can help you fight a boredom-induced rut.

2. YOU DREAD MONDAYS

It’s normal to feel the occasional “case of the Mondays.” While we all wish that we jumped out of bed every Monday morning feeling energized to get to the office, that’s not the case for many people. But if you’re regularly finding yourself deep in the Sunday blues, feeling angry, lethargic, and wanting to call in sick every Monday is a good sign that you’re stuck in a rut.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

3. YOUR WORK IS SUFFERING

A common sign of a career rut is when your work starts to slip. You start missing deadlines and making mistakes that you never used to make. You disengage, start to lose confidence in your work, and regularly bcc or cc more people than necessary in your emails, and pass blame onto others for your mistakes.

“When you’re in a rut, you engage in self-sabotaging behaviors to protect yourself, and tend to avoid dealing with your lack of fulfillment,” says career consultant Eli Howayeck, founder and CEO of Crafted Career Concepts in Milwaukee.

4. YOU’RE ACTING COMPLACENT

Do you find yourself being apathetic in work conversations where you previously would have had a strong opinion? Feeling complacent; “phoning it in” or looking for faster, easier ways to get work done without really caring too much about the end result, or without committing your attention or energy to the task, is a clear sign that you’re in a career rut.

5. SOMEONE HAS ASKED “ARE YOU OKAY?” MORE THAN ONCE THIS WEEK

As much as you may think you’re faking your engagement well, inevitably someone on your team, or a manager, will ask, “Are you okay?” “You can’t get away with acting different from the way you feel for very long,” says Howayeck. You may even find yourself avoiding your manager for fear of being “found out” that you’re miserable.

6. YOU FEEL PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED

Being in a career rut can feel like you’re trudging through mud every day, just trying to get to the end of the workday. You feel that you require a greater amount of energy to get prepared for tasks that you used to accomplish easily. Being in a rut can be exhausting–perhaps even more exhausting than being super busy in a job that you love and find rewarding. “We all have an innate need to be challenged and learn. When we are in roles that no longer provide growth opportunities, it can feel as if our energy is being drained in the same way as it might if we’re completing a big project,” says Lewis. Your body begins to feel tired, and your brain can’t understand why you’re not taking on new challenges, so it gets tired too, causing you to feel lethargic and depleted.

7.YOU DON’T LOOK FORWARD TO THINGS YOU USED TO

Is there an annual conference in your field that you regularly attend that you would normally sign up for as soon as registration opens but that you’ve been delaying looking at for months? Losing excitement about making future plans for things you enjoyed doing in the past is a sign that you are feeling stuck.

8. YOU BROWSE THE JOB POSTINGS

When you’re in a rut, it’s common to find yourself drawn to job postings. Surely a new job may seems like a clear path out of your rut. However, Howayeck says looking for a new job is the worst way to start to get out of a rut. “It’s like showing up to prom without a date in your workout clothes. No one is going to ask you to dance, and you won’t feel ready to ask anyone to dance, either,” he says.

Instead, Howayeck says to examine your current situation and see if there are any opportunities internally that would interest you. If there truly are none, try to create your own opportunities by looking outside your current job. Take a class in a subject you’re interested in or volunteer at a nonprofit doing something that’s outside of your current job tasks.

HOW TO GET OUT

When you are ready to move on, take an inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, values, and accomplishments and map out a plan to get out of your current situation. “This means cleaning up your personal and professional brand, and most importantly, your belief system around your experience and skills,” says Howayeck. Then, when you’re ready, start to network and verbalize what you’re looking for in the next phase of your career. Taking these steps will help ensure your next leap is not straight into another rut.

FastCompany.com | October 10, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #JobChange – How to #SwitchCareers in Six Months or Less…Use these Steps to Learn How to Gather the #Skills, Resources, and Connections to Make a Meaningful #CareerMove within Months

August 20, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

While the popular adage is true, sometimes the time spend and money send can get in the way of truly following a new path.

With technology, making a career change (within reason) has never been easier. Using tools like LinkedIn, Udemy, and, yes even YouTube, you can learn the skills of a trade and connect with the masters within it.

Use these steps to learn how to gather the skills, resources, and connections to make a meaningful career move within months (without incurring another wave of student debt!)

ASSESS YOUR CURRENT JOB AND YOUR SKILLS

Maybe you hate your current job. Maybe you’re simply nonplussed with the day to day work and you want something more. Maybe you actually like the function of your job, but dislike your current company. Whatever it is, make sure to identify the why of your desired career move before you take action.

From there, asses your best skills along with your passions. Perhaps you’ve been drafting press releases or doing ad-hoc social media work for your current company. Maybe you’ve done a little graphic work as needed outside of your otherwise administrative roles. Assess your interests and relative experience in order to determine your desired career direction.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

ACTIVATE YOUR CONNECTIONS

So you want to be a graphic designer? Awesome! You know those LinkedIn connections you made in college; the friend of a friend of a former coworker?

Rifle through these connections. You might be surprised what you find hiding in your own LinkedIn connections of Facebook friends. Speaking of friends, speak to them too. More often than not, someone will know someone who is open to talk to you.

Reach out to see if they’d be willing to meet with you. While they might not have a job hot and ready, it’s a perfect opportunity to ask a few questions over a coffee.

TAKE A CLASS

Unless you’re looking to become an anesthesiologist or a trial attorney, you can likely build your skill set without applying to graduate school.

There are boundless opportunities to learn things on the internet (we rounded a ton of them up here). Resources like Udemy, Coursera, and Alison offer hundreds of free classes—you can learn anything from project management to web design.

Even if you’re not looking to change your career (why are you reading this?) you should take advantage of these free classes. Heck, we all should learn about Probabilistic Graphical Models because, why not?

SEND SOME COLD EMAILS

This is my personal favorite thing to do, so approach with wary pessimism if you must.

Once you have a clear idea of the position you want and type of company you’d like to work for, considering reaching out the employees there. A personalized, well-researched cold email can be the perfect way to garner a new relationship.

You don’t have to come in too hot, revealing that you went 80 weeks deep into a CEO’s Instagram, but you can express a knowledgeable, thoughtful sentence or two. In addition, lay out your interest in the company and inquire as to whether they will be hiring for *your role* in the near future. If you see a gap in the team roster, you might even suggest the need for *your role* and why.

Consider sending out a few cold emails to your dream companies that might hold your dream future job. You can even reach out to employees at your dream company using LinkedIn! At best, you will manifest a miraculous job opening in your field. At worst, you will receive no reply.

MOVE WITHIN YOUR COMPANY OR INDUSTRY

If you love the company you are currently with, you might consider this option. Speak to your HR manager about the moves you’re thinking of making.

Before reaching out to HR or your manager, have a good case ready. If you’re looking to move from Sales to Graphic Design, have a good plan in place. Does the graphic design department have an opening? Is there a particular project that you can participate in on a trial basis? Would you be willing to train your replacement? Is there a possibility of a hybrid role?

If your current company is not responsive to your ideas, then consider making the move within your industry. Having a working knowledge of the business landscape within your particular industry is key. When applying to this new position in a new company, make sure to explain your career transition. Use your working knowledge of the industry as a tool to set you apart from the other candidate.

It’s never too late to make a career change. However, it is important to weigh your expectations when doing so. Typically, when making a complete change in your career, you will in effect “lose” some of your experience. This can translate to a lower salary than you’re used to receiving. So before making any huge moves, make sure to reevaluate your salary expectations.

Ultimately, we want you to feel fulfilled in your career. And if you know that it’s time for a transition, we support you in that. These tips will help you to begin your pursuit of a new industry, position, or company—whatever you decide your next move is.

Careercontessa.com | BY CAILEEN KEHAYAS | August 13, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #CareerChange – 9 Tips from People Who Made Dramatic #CareerChanges …It is Estimated that 40 Percent of Current US Employees are Disengaged at Work. Are you One of Them?

August 6, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Some don’t like the company or their boss, but other times the frustrations run a lot deeper — maybe you realize your career doesn’t give you satisfaction, let alone a sense of purpose or happiness. So how do you know what you should be doing instead? And even if you do know, how do you get there?

This is why I founded Repurpose Your Purpose: to help people who feel stuck change their careers. Recently, I invited Anthony Barcelo, VFX (Visual Effects) Supervisor and Senior Compositor for TV, commercials and feature films; Darren Marble, CEO of CrowdfundX (CfX); Ronnie Mok, Sr. Technical Program Manager of Product Design at Hulu; and Nicki Klein, Co-Founder and CEO of Betagig, to join me on a panel discussion on their successes and failures in changing careers at WeWork Constellation in Century City.

These are some of my favorite lessons from our talk:

1. Finding “the One” Takes Time

There’s a persistent myth that you can just read a book, do some self-help exercises, choose a career and voilà! You can go out and find “the one.” Don’t buy into this narrative.

Every one of my panelists changed careers at least once before landing at their current gig. Some changed multiple times. Barcelo, for example, didn’t think of visual effects as his ideal career right away. It grew on him organically until it became his career, and a very successful one at that!

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2. Don’t Sit Back and Wait

Too often we have a feeling something is not working in our career, but we keep waiting for the perfect opportunity to show up before we do something about it. We want to know what to do next, and we want to see a safe path to it. And so we wait, day after day, for that “aha” moment when we finally just figure it all out.

It may be disappointing to hear, but you probably won’t know what to do and how to be successful at it until you do it. Most likely, you will have to follow that hunch that you should be doing something else and then try to do something different, fail, pivot and try again until you find your calling.

3. When It’s Right, You’ll Know

You might not experience an epiphany before quitting your current job, but when you finally find the right career, you will know for sure. Mok used to work as a designer supporting marketing in an agency setting. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that her career, and all that she was creating, were disposable. It was only when she switched to a Program Manager role in the Product Design department at Hulu that everything clicked. Now she has great work/life balance, loves the people she works with and feels that everything has fallen into place.

4. Figure Out Who You Like to Work With

We spend way too much time thinking about what we want to do and not enough about who we want to do it with. One powerful way to assess whether a certain profession is right for you is to hang out with people who are doing it, then ask yourself: Do you feel you would get along? If a career is a good fit, you will find you have a certain affinity with others in that same career. So next time you go to a networking event or meet new people, see if you notice a trend.

5. Find a Job That Fits Your Life

Mok found happiness in her career once she stopped crafting her identity around her job and found work that allowed her to live her life. Now, work is part of her life, but it doesn’t define it. She teaches yoga, climbs and has a lot of other hobbies. Are you unable to choose your next career because you are too wrapped up in how it defines you a person? Try taking a holistic view of what makes you happy besides work, and how your ideal job would help accommodate that.

6. Dust Yourself Off and Try Again

I invited Klein to join me on the panel months ago. She is an amazing entrepreneur, changed careers multiple times, won the Launch Hackathon 2016 with an all-woman team, and went on to get VC funding for her startup Betagig. Amazing, right? But a week before the panel, she announced that Betagig folded. I have to confess, for a moment I wondered whether to cancel her appearance. And then I realized I had just fallen into the very real trap of people who only tell stories of hardships when there is a happy ending. What a bunch of BS! With Repurpose Your Purpose, I want to have real and authentic discussions about changing careers.

As soon as I checked in with Nicki, I realized she was ready to move onto her next project. As someone who had changed careers before, she recognized that failure is part of the process — each time you put yourself out there, you learn new skills, overcome your own limitations, learn about yourself and the world and ultimately, get closer to whatever it is you’re meant to do. Nicki’s story turned out to be among the most valuable of the evening, as people felt inspired and encouraged to take risks.

By the way, this story ends up having a great happy ending after all… just recently, Nicki announced she landed the role of Sr. Technical Product Manager at Amazon Web Services. You might fail in one career or project you embarked on, but have faith that all you learn in the process will lead you to a new and often unexpected path.

7. Failure Builds Confidence

It seems counterintuitive, but each panelist mentioned that failing gave them the courage to continue. The more they failed and learned from it, the less scared they were the next time around, and the more they learned how to handle new challenges while building confidence. So if you are afraid of failure, remember that there is no way around it — only through it!

8. You Can Go Back to School… or Not

Barcelo went back to school to sharpen his film skills and found a lot of confidence and success in doing so. He described it as “building a new toolset to handle new challenges.” Marble did the exact opposite — he dropped out of college early on and learned by doing. The choice is yours, and a lot will depend on the career you pursue and your personality.

9. Anyone Can Change Careers

You don’t have to be young, childless, wealthy and single to change careers. Barcelo shared how having a wife and children to support motivated him to push forward and finally make better choices. Marble started on his journey as an entrepreneur with a wife, two kids, a mortgage and no savings. It took him five years to build a financially successful business, and he kept working at his day job until the income from the business was 85 percent of his salary. When he finally quit his job, he reminded himself that “if you have a career right now, you are likely employable” — and worst case scenario, he could always get another job within his same field.

About the Author: Aurora Meneghello is a Los Angeles-based career coach and the founder of Repurpose Your Purpose. You can find details and reserve your spot for her next panel discussion on changing careers here.

GlassDoor.com | January 3, 2018