Searching for a new position can feel like a never-ending to-do list. But, throw in the fact that you want a new positon in a totally new industry and you’re suddenly babysitting a new list of worries and questions.
There are so many pieces to consider whenever you’re trying to make a career change: Is this new industry truly going to be a perfect fit? How do I show them I have what it takes even though I’m coming from a different industry? How do I make my resume stand out from the competition? Who should I be networking with to help me make this career change? What do I say to these people? The list goes on and on.
With all those concerns on your plate, there are three questions you shouldn’t spend another minute thinking about if you want to successfully change careers as quickly as possible, with minimal frustration:
1. Will this be what I want to do in 5 years?
First, let me ask you: Do you have a five-year plan? Do you really know where you want to be in the next five years? Most people genuinely don’t. Yet, I hear clients say all the time: “Is this what I’m going to want to do in 5 years?” If you don’t know the answer to that yet, then it doesn’t matter. Why waste any more time trying to think about the person you don’t know you’re going to become yet when you know that right now you’re interested and excited about the career change you’re considering?
Obviously, if you know five years from now that you’d like to be in a director role at a specific type of company and industry, then by all means you should make sure your actions today bring you closer to that goal. But, if you have no idea what the five-years-from-now you will be doing, then do what you want to do now and trust that everything will line up for you perfectly.
[“source=forbes]
