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Because a lot of my work focuses on career change, and I am a multiple-time career changer myself, I hear from a lot of people who hope to make a similar leap but something holds them back. Sometimes the person just needs a nudge over the inertia of getting started. Sometimes the person is in the throes of a change, confused about next steps, and needs an outside opinion or some accountability to get over the hump.
But too often, I also encounter the person who says s/he wants a career change. S/he may even wax poetically about how wonderful this will be when it happens. However, s/he never gets started. To this person, there are very good reasons why the career change would never work, but the good reasons I hear over and over again are either worries that won’t materialize or problems that are easy to overcome if you genuinely look into solving them.
If you feel like you are stymied in your career change, are these obstacles just excuses to give up or never get started? Here are five lame excuses keeping you from making a career change:
I don’t know where to start
Unlike the person who just needs a nudge and is off to the races, the person who hides behind lack of knowledge overanalyzes every stop. Rather than starting somewhere, anywhere – reading a book, talking to a person in the field, taking a class, attending a lecture – this person wants to be sure of the outcome before doing anything. If you suggest an action step, s/he finds a reason why it’s not right.
If you’re shooting down everyone else’s suggestions, it’s probably not the suggestions, but you . Try to say Yes to something, any one thing. It’s easier to course-correct when you’re moving than when you’re standing still.
I can’t afford to take a pay cut
I hear this one a lot, and it amazes me because people who fret about salary usually aren’t in the stage where they are negotiating salary. Many times, they haven’t even started a search! You don’t instantly go from “Hey, I want to try something new” to “Wow, I need to take a 50% pay cut and may lose my home!”. You will have enough time to make necessary arrangements.
If you haven’t seriously looked into new careers because you assume you have to take a pay cut, don’t assume you have to take a pay cut to make a career change . You might keep your same role but in a new industry, thereby keeping your salary constant. You could move into a higher-paying field, thereby increasing your salary. There is a lot to do in your career change before you even get to salary, so if a pay cut is the fear that’s holding you back, that’s more excuse than legitimate reason.
It’s too late
As a recruiter, when I interview candidates who have stayed too long in a role, company or industry, sometimes it’s for a good reason – they were still growing in their career, getting results or otherwise adding value. But when there is no reason – just complacency or fear of moving on – then it reflects badly on that candidate. Too many other candidates can take a difficult situation and still make it work. The role is stagnant, the company is not doing well, or the industry is dying, and still a truly strong candidate makes it work by leaving for something better OR by staying put and being part of the solution.
If that productive scenario doesn’t describe you, then it’s not because it’s too late for you but because you are inactive. Besides, if you think it’s too late now, what excuse are you going to have next year when you’re in the same or worse situation?
I don’t have the time
Most aspiring career changers who complain about lack of time could simply redirect the time spent complaining towards career change activity, and then they’d have plenty of time.
It won’t work out
This excuse is like a collection of all previous lame excuses because it affects decisions to get started, continue and drive to the finish when things get hard. I can’t get started with a class/ book/ fill in any first step because it won’t help me get a job…though it will give you firsthand insight in the new area you say you want. I did get started but most job postings I’m seeing pay less than I make…but not all jobs and certainly not all salaries are posted. This change is taking longer than expected, so it’s too late in coming…but you’ll stick it out where you’re miserable. I looked into making a move but these interviews take a lot of time from my work day…so you’ll forego prospects for a job you want to make time for the one you don’t.
Any job change takes time and effort. Career change is even more disruptive because you’re trying something new. So it won’t take much to uncover reasons not to go for a career change. I even advise people not to make a career change the very next step because it is so disruptive. (What you want to do first is actually unrelated to career!) But when you know that you want to make a move, don’t let these lame excuses convince you not to do it.
