In many of the conversations with my clients, they express fears of a career change. And there are valid reasons why it can be scary. They often highlight several key aspects that can make a job or career change particularly daunting. Here are the top 5:
Fear of the Unknown - A common concern is the uncertainty that comes with switching careers or jobs. The new role, industry, or company may be unfamiliar, and there's the fear that things may not work out as expected. This fear can be amplified by not knowing how well one's skills will transfer.
Financial Risks - Transitioning to a new job or career often comes with financial uncertainty, especially if it involves a pay cut, reduced benefits, or even a gap in employment. Many worry about maintaining financial stability during this stressful time, particularly if the new role is in an entirely different field.
Loss of Professional Identity - For people who have been in a particular career for a long time, a job change can feel like losing part of their identity. The new role might not carry the same prestige and recognition, which can lead to self-doubt.
Imposter Syndrome - There's a fear that one might not be "qualified enough" for the new role. Even with transferable skills and experience, many worry that they will be seen as an imposter, struggling to prove themselves in a completely new environment.
Uncertainty of Fit - Professionals often worry whether they'll be a good fit for the company culture or if they will mesh well with a new team. The social and organizational dynamics in a new job can be a major source of anxiety.
So why do many people step through their fears and concerns and take the leap of faith to improve their work life and career path? I believe there are really only two reasons a person fully embraces a significant change: pain or gain.
Either their situation is so bad that "anything has to be better" than the status quo, or "things are okay" but the opportunity to achieve greater benefits is so great it easily outweighs the perceived risks. Those benefits are most often qualitative versus financial. Things like work/life balance and having a job with a high Psychic Salary™. I like the phrase "A job should be more than a paycheck".
Yet there are people that feel so defeated and unhappy that there’s simply no way out and they feel stuck. This is a decidedly pessimistic place to be in as it offers no path forward. “Doomed if I do, doomed if I don’t” and “It’s a no win situation” are often the lamentations I hear.
After listening I then pose some questions and almost always determine they are both the prisoner and the jailer in that they have convinced themselves it’s a hopeless situation. They feel the need to “tough it out” and make the best of a terrible work environment or job, even if it’s killing them.; how sad.
It takes some time, but I have been able to get these folks to recognize that this message, which they repeat so often it becomes their truth, is in fact false. That they created it and therefore can change it.
Moving from “I’m hopelessly and forever stuck” to “I’m capable and deserving of finding my ideal job and career” is a huge, transformative step for them. And while it doesn’t yield the desired result overnight, it does provide hope that with the right approach and some help they will land the they’ve long wanted and deserve.
Bottom Line: Career change can be scary, but you can overcome that fear to take the most important step: the first.
Let’s talk. Schedule a no cost, no obligation 45-minute discovery call: frank@frankmanfre.com
Frank Manfre
Job Search Sherpa
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