Easy Steps To Career Changes At Any Age

Career Path – A career change can be scary when you don’t know how or where to start the process. In this blog post, I will layout easy steps you can take to help you go through a successful career change if you ever find yourself in that situation.

Many people choose their career path due to influences such as their parents, high salary pay, or societal pressure. After years of working in a particular job field, you realize your heart is not in that work, or you are unfulfilled in what you do. Your work should be a service to other people no matter what you find yourself doing; whether you are a doctor, an engineer, a teacher, a chauffeur, or a hairstylist, your service to others should lead you to live a life of purpose and fulfillment.

These steps should help you transition from your current career to a purposeful career.

1. Discover Your Core Values – Values are an integral part of every person’s psyche, and they influence thoughts, behaviors, actions, and reactions. When you live your life, according to the values you believe in, you experience fulfillment and contentment. If you are not sure what your core values are, working with a life coach can guide you to identify your values.

Some core values include Integrity, Accountability, Diligence, and Discipline.

Integrity – Describes who you are and what you stand for. It is a blend of morals, ethics, and values. Integrity is doing the right thing, irrespective of monetary or material gain. People with exceptional integrity of character are instinctively cut for leadership roles.

Accountability – Accountability is the act of accepting responsibility for your choices and actions. High levels of accountability prevent people from blaming other people for their failures and mistakes.

Diligence – Diligence means paying full attention to a specific task and following it through to a successful conclusion without giving up. Diligent people do not give up easily on work, relationships, or themselves.

Discipline – Discipline is a core value that helps you live a more prosperous, healthier, and more meaningful life. Discipline is the ability to obey rules or governance despite being faced with the temptation to stray away from your goals. Self-discipline implies that you have the power to motivate and control yourself.

2. Discover Your Interest – I read a story of a distinguished doctor who had worked in his field for the last 30 years, and for some reason, his professional life had been very unfulfilling and unsatisfying to him. After 30 long years of practicing medicine, he realized being a doctor was not his life’s purpose. He had always been creative and loved to work with colors. After years of working in a Career Path that left him unsatisfied, he switched from the medical field to the creative area. He became an artist and went ahead to own one of the top art galleries in his circle. His career change allowed him to live a fulfilling, purposeful life.

How do you know what your life’s purpose is and not just follow what society expects from you? Envision and visualize – what do you see yourself doing that would make you excited to wake up every day. Pray and ask God about your purpose, what did He create you to do, did He create you to become a florist, a musician, an attorney, a pilot, or a politician. We all have a void to fill, and God has created every one of us to fill a gap in this world. Be intentional, and be sure to pursue a life path that you have been called to lead. What you do for work should be of service to others, and with this, you will find ultimate fulfillment.

3. Take A Course Or Get A Degree If Applicable – Depending on what career path you choose to take, you might need to get a degree, a diploma, or a certificate. Sometimes your God-given purpose will not require you to get a certificate before you start working in your career field.

Let’s look at some scenarios here –

Jesus Christ was the most knowledgeable person in Bible literature – He never went to theological school or a seminary school.

Some of the best technology entrepreneurs are college dropouts, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, to name a few.

Some of the top artists and composers, such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms are musical geniuses without a college degree.

I am not saying getting a degree is not necessary, but as we can see, we all have particular gifts and talents that God has ingrained in us and for us to use as service to others.

Now, your gifts and talents might lead you to become a pilot, a journalist, or a nurse; in this case, you will have to get an education to help you polish up on your skills to help other people.

If you’re not certain what your gifts or purpose is, a life coach can help you unlock your life’s purpose.

5. Volunteer In Your Field – To sharpen your skills, you can volunteer in organizations associated with your field of work. Some of the best places to volunteer include the red cross, hospitals, after school tutoring, museums, YMCA, or the humane society.

6. Bless Others With Your Service – It is always a blessing to serve others. As you work in your chosen career path, don’t forget to be a blessing to others with what God has blessed you with. In Colossians 3:23-24, it says that ”Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”