A career change, or adding a new one?
Transitioning into a new profession was a pivotal decision that changed the course of my life, and I’ve met many people who desire to do the same but hesitate. So, I’d like to share some insights on career growth across different fields based on my recent experience.
Is it an option to pursue multiple careers?
I decided to pursue a career in software development while still practicing law. The journey was far from easy, with the main challenge being emotional rather than technical. I initially hesitated to switch careers fearing it would waste the time I had already invested in my current profession. Besides, societal expectations add more pressure, making it even harder to take life-changing steps.
When I shared with someone that I’m working in a field that is different from my major, they asked me, “So, you just burned your diploma?” This got me thinking: is it really possible to burn an expertise? Does all of our knowledge and experience go to waste when we learn about another field and take professional steps?
A career is the progress, achievement, and expertise gained through time and work in a particular field, a journey of professional and personal growth, rather than solely a source of income. Therefore, you cannot erase a career unless you find a way to undo what you’ve done and been through. You will carry that career with you, no matter where you are. This approach changes the mindset of the “career change”, taking it as more of an enrichment of one’s professional journey rather than a rotation.
Discovering common strengths
It is likely to find commonalities among your interested fields that reflect your professional strengths. Think about it: you are developing skills and finding new strengths in every other learning path you’re facing through your professional journey— and these aspects turn a job into a career. If someone is specialized in a technical field and has strong communication skills, most probably this person can effectively convey complex technical topics. Such a combination shows that the person has versatile talents and ability to succeed in different areas. Therefore, when you have experiences in various fields, these will define different values for each other. Finding and emphasizing these skills and strengths will facilitate your journey through transition and make you feel satisfied with the outcome.
Being open to new career experiences instead of making radical decisions
It’s worth noting that a new career attempt might not always turn out to be your dream. If you aim to pursue a different career, that becomes your Plan B; but this doesn’t change the fact that Plan A remains Plan A. So, the key is being learning-oriented and focusing on the benefits of training yourself rather than deciding immediately to change your job. As someone with a legal background, delving into software development which requires learning new technical skills and coding, was something entirely unfamiliar to me. While learning these, I was also pursuing a Master’s degree in the field of IT Law. So, even if there were failures in my new career attempt, I had the assurance that I could still feel confident in the legal field, which would ultimately contribute to positive outcomes.
Delving into different fields is not an easy path, but it can be turned into a productive journey by focusing on the process rather than the outcome and taking small steps forward. So, it’s worth taking a more opportunistic approach, discovering common strengths, and creating opportunities from the challenges.
