Life hacks: Anna Geary on what to consider before making a career change

Lifestyle and performance coach Anna Geary says you need to do your homework before applying for a new job

ARE you surviving or thriving in your career? Another academic year is about to kick off, and it’s a common time for people to reflect on and ponder a career change.

There are 168 hours in a week. When you break down your daily routine, work occupies more time than anything else, even sleep.

For the average person working a 40-hour week, factoring in commuting time, getting ready, out of hours emails/preparation, your work takes up 33% of your available time. And that’s not factoring in weekend work. This is a significant portion of your life, particularly when you feel you’re stuck in a career rut.

In 2015, I was studying to become a life coach part-time and working full time. I started to reevaluate my priorities and values, and began to think about my long-term career.

On the surface, I had a good job as a marketing executive in a large multinational company. I had conformed and followed the usual pattern: School-college-job.

Societal norms largely suggested that this is what I ‘should’ do. I have rarely admitted this, but inside, I felt unfulfilled. I wasn’t enjoying my work because I wasn’t using my full potential. I craved the feeling of waking up and knowing I was making a difference — to someone or something. I wanted to put my own unique stamp on the career world, even in a small way.

In hindsight, leaving my regular hours, monthly salary, job security and benefits — without knowing what I was going to do next — was a courageous thing to do. I just knew I wanted to pursue a different career direction.

I was drawn to media and broadcasting, but there wasn’t a Plan B waiting for me to fall into once I left my job. I tend to over-analyse situations at the best of times, so my impulsive decision even caught me by surprise. But looking back, I think it had been an idea floating in my head for a while, unbeknownst to myself.

For many, the grass can look greener on the other side, but if you are thinking about a fresh start you need to ask yourself some pertinent questions.

Why do you want to change?

I believe that life is not so much about what you are doing, but rather why you are doing it. If you are sure of your ‘why’, or ‘why you started’, this will help to refocus when faced with obstacles or setbacks.

Why do you want to leave your job? If you want to jump into a completely different career why do you want to build a career in that new area? Is it for financial reasons, a different work title, peer recognition, keeping up with the neighbours? Or is it deeper than that? Is it to do with your values?

If there is a disconnect between your daily work activity and what you stand for as a person, it can be frustrating and even damaging to you in the long run.

Do you really want to change career or is it something different?

Be very specific about what you do and don’t like about your current work — it may be your boss, the working environment, your work team, your hours. Think about exactly what would make your working life more enjoyable. Make sure you explore all your options and don’t rush the process.

You may find that you can make a change in a less drastic way. For example, modify your work environment, work from home, or take on new projects if you are experiencing boredom. Write down the pros and cons of your current job. You may realise you enjoy it more than you think, and you can then work on amending certain aspects.

What has been stopping you up to this point?

You can be led by your ambition, but you need to be grounded by your reality. I didn’t have a mortgage or children to financially support, so I had the freedom to leave my career without needing much financial security. However, if you do have financial responsibilities then are you prepared to take a possible drop in income level?

Analyse your current finances and write it all down: Outgoings, income, extra expenses. See where you can make cuts and get a very clear idea of exactly how much money you need to make over a year. Then do the same with any new position or career goal. As the saying goes, ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’.

Can you use your current skills and attributes in a new role?

You need to consider how you will cope with possibly starting from the bottom again, going back to study. Will you have to retrain? I would advise assessing your current skill set, and think about how you can incorporate those skills in a new career opportunity. Perhaps it will give you a competitive edge over others in your new chosen industry.

I feel my greatest strengths are my energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. That was never going to come across on my CV, so I needed to put myself out there and show people what I had to offer.

Don’t underestimate the value of your existing experience and abilities. List your skills and talents and think about how and where you can use them, especially if you are unsure or what type of career change you want.

Should you take the plunge?

Yes, there was a part of me that was nervous about leaving a regular salary, but initially, I was more concerned about what my family and friends would think. There can be fear attached to stepping out of ‘the familiar’ and dealing with the unknown.

Many people are afraid of losing the status they worked so hard to achieve in their existing career, no matter how miserable they are. If you are thinking of moving careers then you need to acknowledge and own the associated fears. Once you own your fears, you can control them and when you’re in control you have the power to change.

But awareness comes first, then action, not the other way around.

One of my favourite quotes is from a Robert Frost poem I studied in my Leaving Cert year: ‘Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference’.

I took the plunge and now I do what I love, both in broadcasting and as a lifestyle coach. I love how I get to connect with people in my new career. That is my ‘why’ and on the long, hard days that keeps me motivated.

This isn’t just about your career — it’s about your life. There are 168 hours in a week. Spend them wisely.

Top tips

Research. Research. Research. Investigate the type of career you think you want to pursue. Try to do a few days’ work shadowing with someone you know, or else talk to people already in your desired role. In my experience, most people are willing to help.

Write down the pros and con of leaving your current role.

Talk to a trusted confidante about your potential career move. Sometimes we can’t be totally honest with those closest to us, as the change may directly involve them so they may be biased when giving advice.

Start part-time or maybe incorporate it into your free time during evenings or weekends. Get a feel for the new career move to make sure it is something you could do long term.

You have to make the final decision, no one else. Accountability has to rest with you as it’s ultimately your career.