Changing Your Career Path? Here's What You Need To Remember
If you’re considering quitting a job you spent years studying for, don't panic! Changing your career path doesn't mean you've failed. Even if you change your mind more than once, there are plenty of people who will tell you they’ve been there before.
Sure, it may feel like most of your peers have known what they wanted to do when they grew up for a long time. Just know that there's no shame in trying something new and deciding it’s not the right fit for you. Here are six things I learned after changing my career path.
You Can’t Compare Your Journey to Anyone Else’s
Comparing your career path to someone else’s will never bring you happiness. Everyone has struggled in their own way to get where they are, and just because you didn’t find the right career as fast as someone else did doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Decide what's best for you, and don’t worry about what others are doing.
Everyone has struggled in their own way to get where they are.
It’s Okay To Change Your Mind
Sometimes we think we know what we want, and then we find out we were wrong. It’s okay. We’re only human! So, if you want to change your mind, just know that it’s okay!
It’s Scary To Tell Your Friends and Family You’re Quitting a Job, Again
Yes, it can be an uncomfortable conversation to have when you tell friends and family that after all those years of studying, it looks like social work just isn’t the right fit for you. But don’t let the fear of telling others that you're trying something new keep you at a job you’re not happy with. No matter what anyone else may think, you're in charge of your own happiness, and staying at a job you hate isn’t worth it just to avoid an awkward conversation.
It May Feel like the End of the World When You Quit a Job You Just Started
Sometimes, you’ll know in a short amount of time that your new job is absolutely, definitely, 100% not the job for you. I quit a drug and alcohol counselor position after only two months, and it embarrassed me to give my supervisor my resignation. It was a great opportunity, but the heavy caseloads and the heartbreaking stories of patients affected my mental health.
I quit a drug and alcohol counselor position after only two months, and it embarrassed me to give my supervisor my resignation.
I wasn’t meant to be a counselor, no matter how many years I had spent studying human behavior and psychology in school. (I give a big hug to any counselors out there. It's a hard job, and not everyone is right for it, but the ones who are, are so fantastic at it. We're lucky to have them.)
Be Thankful You Can Quit a Job That Isn’t Right for You
There are a lot of working people who wish they could quit the job they hate, but their circumstances don’t allow them to. They might have a family to provide for, they have to pay the bills, and even though their job isn’t their dream job, they do it because they need to. So, if you’ve been able to quit your job and explore different paths, you're blessed. Remember that.
Trying Different Jobs Takes Courage
There are people who hate their job, but they’re scared of change. It may scare them to look like a quitter or have to admit that they made a mistake, so they’d rather stay in a company they’re unhappy working for.
It may scare them to look like a quitter or have to admit that they made a mistake, so they’d rather stay in a company they’re unhappy working for.
So, if you’re finding yourself ready to quit a job you thought was the one for you, don't put yourself down. You're brave, and you'll find the right job. Don’t give up, and don’t worry about changing your mind again. So many people do it, and it’s better to change your mind and take the chance at finding something that will truly make you happy.