There is no rule that says you have to find one career in life and stick with it until you retire. In fact, more and more people today are making major career shifts once or twice throughout their adult lives. However, there are better ways to go about the experience than others and it is helpful to understand common mistakes so you don’t repeat them. Let’s take a closer look at what not to do when you’re thinking about making a major career change.

1. Not having a plan. The top mistake that many job changers will make is launching their new job search without a plan of action. It isn’t uncommon to not know what you want to be when you grow up, but an employer can’t help you decide that. You need to know what career path you want to take, the steps you need to get there, and have a solid plan that will help you achieve your goals.
2. Hating your job. Some people think that leaving a job they hate for a new career will solve their problems, but that doesn’t work out in practice like people think. When someone quits a job they are likely quitting their managers, have a problem with coworkers, or they don’t feel challenged enough. Simply not liking your job won’t guarantee that a new career path with provide satisfaction.
3. Being money motivated. Leaving one career path for another because you’ve heard that it pays more is also a disingenuous way to go about the process. Your primary motivation should be personal satisfaction, not a high salary. You will quickly find that money doesn’t solve the problems and you’ll have the same concerns about your new career.
4. No self-reflection. Making a career change is never just about the environment, the money, or the daily duties. It is about feeling more fulfilled as a person. And before you dismiss that advice as being touchy-feely, it really does work. To decide what you really want to do you need to assess your interests, passions, and talents and determine the best place you can be of service to yourself or others.
5. Not possessing the skills. Finally, speaking of skills, another big mistake that job changers will make is thinking that they’ll be able to wing the job for a while until they get the experience they need. This isn’t the case. Some of your skills will be transferable but if you honestly don’t know how to do something you do yourself and your new employer a disservice by pretending that you do.

Do you feel like your current career isn’t fulfilling and want to explore new things? Contact the experts at VincentBenjamin to learn about your options.