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The Career Change Kiss of Death

November 6, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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Curt Rosengren

When it comes to pursuing your dreams, the notion that "the time isn't right" is the kiss of death. Instead of taking action to move toward the career you really want, you end up sitting and waiting, hoping that things will change and the time will be right...someday.

The trouble is—that perfect day when the stars align and everything is ready for comfortable change almost never comes. There is always something getting in the way. There is always something less than preferable about your circumstances. There is always something that you need to know, or do, or have, or...well, you get the picture.

If you continue waiting for the time to be right, the ultimate effect is a rolling buffer zone between you and the life you want to create. The right time will always be sometime in the future, "after I fix this or after I overcome that."

If you want to pursue a career that lights you up, there is never any better time than RIGHT NOW to start taking action. That's not to say you should be foolhardy. Reality has a role to play. Rather, I'm suggesting that, whatever your circumstances, you should commit to action. Commit to taking steps in the direction of the career you really want.

If you start taking small steps on the side right now—say, taking a class or getting involved in an organization where you can get to know people in your targeted field—and continue taking steps, you are exponentially more likely to reach a point where the time is "right enough" to make the change.

After years as a professional malcontent, Curt Rosengren discovered the power of passion. As a speaker, author, and coach, Rosengren helps people create careers that energize and inspire them. His book 101 Ways to Get Wild About Work and his E-book The Occupational Adventure Guide offer people tools for turning dreams into reality. Rosengren's blog, The M.A.P. Maker , explores how to craft a life of meaning, abundance, and passion.

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Curt the first sentence of your article is dead on. Especially now! I hope you will also read:
http://professionaljobchange.com/what_are_you_waiting_for.html
EMPLOYEES PLEASE HEED!
W2-employees and 1099ers alike must realize that there is no corporate safe harbor; job security is a legend of the past mostly publicized by my father’s generation AKA the * 40/40 Club..
The term “Career Change” is also mostly mythological and not at all practical for most domesticated financially responsible executives. What do you tell a 45 year old CPA with two kids in college, 5 years in to her third home refi who says she will do anything but accounting? The likes of these fairytale transitions make for good sales dialogue for career counselors and marketing firms, but are typically far from reality.
Curt, you are absolutely right when you say change/transition happens over time. We the people each and everybody on the face of the planet, who presently trades hours of his life for a paycheck, must adapt an entrepreneurial mind-set..That’s right! You must always be in “selling/reinventing yourself” mode! Just as a large corporation is always diversifying its product and market demographic, you too must always be looking at least five years ahead of your counter peers. The job stability mind-set is lethal to your long-term career successes.
The minute you land your next position, update your resume, and begin transformation. If you want to remain successful and happy in your work, you must adapt my mantra; if you are not in transition you are in denial. One of the most successful and product remodeling/transformations I have ever witnessed was accomplished by the Toyota Corporation. They started with an ordinary Camary, added some gold trim, leather, changed the name to Lexus and doubled the price! You must realize you too are a commodity and must continuously be cognizant of who may be in need of your product and how to reinvent and constantly position and promote yourself for the future. As you said Curt, this doesn’t happen overnight! Career Change is an instilled mindset that must be ever present if you expect to continue to successfully climb the “cliff face” of success.
My best advice: If you are absolutely in love with your job and company, get the heck out of there now!
*40/40 Club…An employee who works for the same company for 40 hours a week for 40 years and retires with a $40 gold watch.

John Seraichyk -- Browning Associates of CT 1:33PM December 13, 2008

Hi Dawn and Waffles. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Dawn, you're right. At some point you do have to take the plunge. The question is what that plunge looks like.
Often we tend to think in terms of the flip of a switch when it comes to change. But from what I've seen over the years, that's not typically how it works with our careers. Most of the successful career changes I see unfold over time (though to those on the outside, some may look like a sudden leap).
That plunge can be more of a slow-motion plunge with actions like the ones you mention.
Waffles, you're spot-on about the importance of understanding why you want to change. I think we often think in black and white, which can lead us to over-correct (i.e., I'm unhappy in my current situation, so obviously a full career change is the answer).
If what's really wrong is that your boss is a jerk, but you actually do love the work you're doing, the steps to "solve" the situation will be substantially different than if your path is completely out of alignment with what makes you tick.

Curt Rosengren of WA 3:00PM November 08, 2008

I agree with both of you. There is no better time than right now for someone to start taking action or the necessary steps toward a new career. However, I would argue that the very FIRST step should be for someone to thoughtfully reflect on why he or she believes a career change is necessary.
As someone who made a career change and has since assisted thousands of professionals with their own career transitions, I have found that, too often, people are simply dissatisfied with their current job or situation. For example, my company (The Barrett Group, http://www.careerchange.com) has worked with many attorneys who swear they never want to practice law again. However, once we help them land their “dream career,” it turns out the new position still requires their law degree and background. They find themselves hip deep in legal issues on a daily basis just as they were before, but the difference is they love every minute of it.
Therefore, I caution everyone to first distinguish whether their feelings are a result of job dissatisfaction versus career dissatisfaction. Your first move should be reflection and appraisal, not a resignation letter, especially in this job market.

Waffles Natusch of RI 2:23PM November 07, 2008