Organizing a Career Change – One Step at a Time

Time for a Career Change

Have you seen the quirky new headquarters at Google (UK)? There are rooms called the Velourmptious snug, Granny’s Flat and the Lala Library. Google are well known for their innovative & fun workspace. I think I would be super-organized in a place like that. I feel motivated to get organized when things around me have a ‘place’.

Do you think your life would be less stressed and better organized if you worked at a place like Google? As if having a structured and well-organized workplace would inspire you to follow through and have a less stressed and well –organized personal life?

A study* by Harris Interactive for Everest College, asked why workers feel stressed. In the study, 83% of American workers felt they were stressed out by their jobs. The top eight reasons were:

  1. Low pay.
  2. Unreasonable workload
  3. Annoying coworkers
  4. Commuting
  5. Not my chosen career
  6. Poor work-life balance
  7. Lack of opportunity for advancement
  8. Fear of being fired.

* The study was conducted by phone among 1,000 adults between Feb. 21 and March 3 2013.

If you feel stressed out by your job, here are my top 5 ways to get organized for a career change:

  1. Update your resume/CV & cover letter. Highlight your skills & achievements, update your education, credentials or work experience.
  2. Start browsing through recruitment boards. Finding a new job or a brand new career is not going to happen over night. Be aware of what jobs are available & what experience you need. It may be that you need further training or education before you can step into the role you really want.
  3. Practice your interview technique. Prepare some answers to commonly asked interview questions. Practice a firm handshake. Walk and sit confidently.
  4. Improve your grooming. Get a haircut. Buy a new shirt. Take a good look at your shoes. Seriously, the interviewer will notice these little cues. Plus, you will feel more confident if you know you are looking your best.
  5. Be yourself. Be comfortable with what your skills and experience are. Don’t lie to get a job. It will only stress you out! If you feel you do fall short in some areas then be honest. Some companies will train you up if you have small gaps in knowledge. Be proactive and skill up before you apply for the job.

To feel more empowered to take on a career change visit Michele’s career blogs here at Business & Career.

Have you recently changed careers? We would love to hear the lessons you learned from the experience.

3 thoughts on “Organizing a Career Change – One Step at a Time

  1. Margo says:

    Thank you for the article. I would say that the financial situation indicates why we don’t feel good at work. Also poor planning can lead us to the conclusion, that we would like to work somewhere else, with a different mindset. I work from home – a lot of freedom, no annoying co – workers 😀 but still, without kanbantool.com, I wouldn’t manage all my tasks. That agile tool, supports my planning and all my activities. Good change for starters!

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