So you want to make a leap in your career to something new and exciting? Before you start visualising about how you’ll tell your boss or start planning your lavish leaving party, take a pause!
I’m going to introduce you to a few essential sensible steps that will make your transition more motivating, less scary and a whole lot more prepared, and ensure you don't have a panic attack down the line when a curve ball hits or things don’t exactly go to plan.
This episode is for those of you who feel excited to move on to a new chapter, whatever that might look like, but have not yet thought through exactly how you’re gonna make it happen. By the time you’re ready to hand in your resignation letter you will be ready for your leap and fully trained on how to land!
So go and grab yourself a strong cup of coffee, a pen and notebook and get comfy, because we’re diving into the details!
Links mentioned in the show
Are you feeling frustrated or stuck in your career but struggle to know what direction to take instead? Do you want to discover what you really should be doing with your life?
If the answer is yes, I invite you to check out my FREE guide ‘How to find your Burning Passion (& Re-ignite your career and life).
Find out more and download the FREE guide here...
https://www.nicholaohara.com/burningpassion
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Can't listen right now? No worries, here are some of the highlights!What do I actually mean when I say career leap?
A career leap is when you decide to break away from the path you’re on and go in a very different direction. That takes effort and drive and a strong desire for something new.
A leap is deciding to change your profession, or looking to take up a skill or trade for a living that is not related to your current job. It can also mean taking your specialism into a different industry sector or a new country. Becoming self-employed as a freelancer, contractor or business owner is also a big leap or maybe having a hybrid of two or more of those options. Whatever leap you take, it is diverting from the norm, it’s throwing out the rulebook on what you or others think you should be doing and getting on with what you really want to do.
In this episode, I’m going to go step by step through all these things so that you can start taking action right now towards taking your leap.
The first step is to be clear on what you actually want
This sounds simple but is so important. You have to be sure that making this big move will bring you the life you want. You may very well be unfulfilled, frustrated, stuck or unhappy in your current job, many people are, but making a big career change may not be the answer, so take your time and be really sure before you commit 100% to taking your leap.
Consider if you can get what you want, and feel passion for your work, where you are working now, of course with some changes. Maybe a change of manager or team may help, or the opportunity to work in different projects to enable you to use different skills and get out of a rut. If it is the freedom you now enjoy, see if your employer is open to flexible working or working different hours. If you long for a change of scene, are there opportunities to work in the same company but in a different office or different country?
If nothing resolves the issues you have with your job where you are, Next look at if moving to another role in your current specialism and industry would solve the issue. If you still feel passion for your work but something about the company you work for, maybe their culture or ethos, doesn’t resonate with you and that's causing your frustration and unfulfillment, then this can be a great option. Just make sure that you don’t end up moving somewhere similar and having the same issues a few months down the line.
If you think that moving to a similar or more senior role in a new company is just going to be more of the same and does not excite you, and have no pull or desire to do something different, then it could be you are burnt out or at the very least tired which has dampened your passion or enjoyment . If this is the case, then consider if you just need a break, maybe a sabbatical for a few months, and then can get back on track. If you’ve lost your passion for what you do, sometimes some time away is enough to re-ignite your passion and give you the energy and motivation to continue on the career ladder.
The main test to understand if a career leap is for you, is to ask yourself if you feel you are being pushed from your current career or are your being pulled?
It may be one or the other, or a bit of both, so you could feel unfulfilled and stuck and also feel a strong pull to something new. or you’re relatively happy in your current job but have always felt a strong tug to a different direction.
The deep pull to a different path is essential when making a career leap. You have to have a strong desire to move towards the new direction, the new adventure.
If you just feel unfulfilled and unhappy but have no clear pull to another path, there may be another solution, you should focus on what is making you unhappy, fixing it and try to ignite or re-ignite your passion in that path .
If you’re now thinking, Nichola, I’ve tried all of this, but know I’m so done with this career path, this industry, or this specialism.
I’m definitely on the wrong road, I’ve known for a while that I’m meant for more. I’ve so much more to give and it’s not going to happen where I am, doing what I’m doing . My intuition, my gut, my whole being is ready to make my leap.
If that’s the case...then you’re definitely ready!
So, the next things on your checklist are all to help you leap across that river to your new future on the other side, in a planned, practical, strategic and mindful way. You know you’re ready to make a big change in your career, so now you need to take action to bring it into reality.
I’m going to assume that you already know what your burning passion is. Your Burning Passion is the one passion that has the power, potential and strength to be your new career or business. If you haven’t discovered this yet, then download my free guide How to find your Burning Passion (And re-ignite your career and life) to go through the exercises there to get clear on yours. This not only will help you find your passion but also what you really want from life; your ultimate vision of success.
You also should have decided on what your career path is, so that’s whether you will be employed or self employed, full time or part time, contract or freelance, or if you want a business will you start a side hustle first.
After getting clear on your passion and career path, and before you do anything else, you need to create your strategy.
In simple terms your strategy is the collection of key things (let’s call them pillars) you need to do, or put in place, to reach your ultimate goal which in this case is what you’ve decided is your vision of success. It’s where you’ll focus all your efforts. It also will include a high level timeline of when you want to start working towards your career change and when you want to have achieved your vision of success. Now, your strategy is long term and is not just about making the leap to a new career direction, it includes achieving the success you want in that new career.
So, If you're looking for a change to a new career specialism or profession, the strategy pillars could include:
- Researching your chosen specialism and path - make sure you are fully aware of what you could do and need to do.
- Define main goals -, like the day you hand in that resignation letter!!
- Developing any new skills and knowledge you need to make the change.
- What systems, apps and tech you want to use to help with time and project management
- Dealing practical considerations such as personal and or business finances finding the time to action your plans
- How you will deal with unexpected circumstances or mental blocks
When you have your strategy down, you need to work out HOW you can make it all happen. This is where your plan comes in!
You take the goals you have set and break them down into smaller goals. A good way to do that is to have Annual, 90 day and monthly goals, depending on what your overall timeline is.
For example, if you have a 2 year timeline to go from where you are now, to being successful in your new career, and one of your goals is to resign in a year. You can break that annual goal into 4 milestones, 90 days apart.
You can then further break down the 90 days goals into monthly goals and into weekly goals if you want to go that granular. I’ll be covering all this in a future episode!
The next step is getting really practical as...let’s face it, this career leap will have an impact in practical terms whatever path you decide to take. So rather than being an ostrich and burying your head in the sand, you need to consider this impact and how you can work around it.
So let’s talk about Finances
First up, I just want to say I’m not a financial advisor and am just sharing my experiences and what I have learned over the years. You should absolutely speak with an accountant or financial advisor if you want professional advice.
I’m not going to sugarcoat this, whether you’re quitting your job to work for yourself as a freelancer, contractor or business owner, or moving into employment in a different specialism, industry or country, you’re likely to have some financial change to manage. Now, if you are able to walk into a lucrative freelancing gig, or have built your business as a side hustle to a level that matches your salary, or find employment in your new specialism that does not mean a drop in income, fantastic and well done! But there may still be other expenses you don’t currently have that will kick in. So it’s important to be ready for this.
But, If you do need to temporarily tighten your belt for a bit as you make the transition, it doesn't need to be a stress, if you think about it and plan it well in advance.
Saving is crucial!! Unless you have a partner, or family member who is willing to step in and cover any shortfall in income, this will involve saving. Depending on your level of income and expenditure this can mean you have to delay any change for a while but i promise it will be worth it in the long run.
So how much do you need to save?
This is a question I get asked a lot and I always say to err on the side of caution. The general guidance is to save 3, 6 or 12 months living expenses depending on how long you think you will be earning less. If you are freelancing or contracting this is to protect against possible gaps in between gigs, so 3 - 6 months seems reasonable. If you’re opening your own business on the other hand, then apart from any start-up costs which vary from business to business, you should have at least 6 months living expenses saved, as it can usually take a while before you are able to draw any income. Just to mention you’ll not need as much as that if your business is already bringing in a good income as a side hustle.
For moving into a new career specialism or profession, your savings are to help with expenses while you build up the experience and skills you need in the new career, so a year’s living expenses may be more sensible.
A reminder, we're talking living expenses here, not salary, so calculate what you absolutely need to live relatively comfortably and aim for that.
For those becoming self employed you also need to think about looking for alternatives to any benefits you have had through your employer. So in the UK things like your private pension, health or life insurance are common to be included.
Do check if you can transfer any existing benefits to personal cover as sometimes this can be to your advantage, for example you could have the some of the same terms in your medical cover that had been negotiated by your employer. It may not be the case but worth asking the provider on a confidential basis..
You can move your pension to a private plan and can continue to pay into it once you have financially settled.
Another practical aspect is Time - You will need time to action your plan and work towards your leap. If you’re the same as me you’ll be thinking, I have no time! I would recommend finding at least an hour a week to focus on this change project as a good start. You can increase that if needed later on. Another tip is to try and plan it for when you are most alert. I’m a morning person so the first thing in the morning is when I am most alert and creative. If you’re more of a night owl maybe it will be at the end of the day. Whatever works for you. Just work out when you will fit this work in, and you will feel more confident that you can succeed.
Work on your mindset. Now going for a leap of any kind you have to believe in yourself.
It’s likely you will be hit with Imposter syndrome, which is when you don’t believe that you deserve to be in the positions you are or are going for. Many people, especially women, are affected by this at some point in their life and you are in good company! Many famous people, including Michelle Obama, have said they live with it. I know I certainly do! If it’s something that affects you, there’s no real cure but you can learn what to do when it rears its ugly head! There are also things like mind and money blocks, where things that have happened in your past affect how you deal with things in the present. If you know what these are and what is most likely to bring you down you can find out what to do when you are hit with them. it’s important to have some weapons in your armoury, things that work for you to improve your mood and self belief. By understanding what you could potentially come up against, you can make sure you are ready for them!
Get your cheer leaders on board
You’ll really need to have your own band of cheerleaders as you make this change, to give you the support and motivation to move forward even on the darkest days.
You will need to have support on this journey
The number one person that you need to have on your side is your spouse or partner if you have one, and potentially your parents if you’re close. Now, their natural instinct will be to protect you and keep you from doing what they may consider ‘crazy’. You need to show them that you are going into this with your eyes fully open.
You can do this by showing them you are serious. Tell them about why you want to do it. Share your strategy and headline plan, make it clear that you have thought about every eventuality.
Be confident, and positive and realistic. One sniff of it seeming like a hare brained scheme and they will be trying to persuade you to stick where you are. So show them that you believe in this project and you believe in yourself. That is a well thought out plan and you are ready to go for it!
When you are ready you can also share your plans with friends, but watch out for any negative vibes. Although they may want to support you, they may put some of their own prejudices and insecurities on you. Just because they would never be brave enough to be doing what you plan to do, does not mean it is not viable. Often people can be jealous even if they don’t realise it.
If you're lucky your friends will just be happy for you and supportive.
As I said at the start, taking this leap is a big deal. This is your life and you potentially will achieve your DREAMS! Isn't that worth putting in the time to make sure everything is lined up and secure before you go for that new adventure? It may take time and you may have to delay your plans to leave for a while but when you do hand in that resignation letter you you’ll do it with so much more confidence and joy knowing that you have thought of everything and are all set. Before long, your life now will be a distant memory. The sooner you get started the sooner that day will come. So go for it
Join me in the next episode and remember, everyone deserves to live their passion, so get started this is your time!
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