Many job seekers are unhappy with their careers and believe a new one will make them happier. But they do nothing to change their situation. Year after year, they find themselves doing work that does not align with their strengths, values, or skills.

So why, if they are unhappy, do they not make a change? 

Because they are playing a loop in their brain telling them what they can’t do. Why?  Because, as humans, we tend to fear the negative more than we embrace the positive. These limiting beliefs keep us stuck.

If this is you, I want to bust some of those self-talk loops you might be playing in your head, especially if they keep you from doing something you really want.

You see, I have had the same thoughts at times in my career. But I decided to address them head-on. When I did, I saw I could find a solution to mitigate the downside. Distinguishing actual reality from my imagined reality allowed me to have the confidence to make four career changes in my lifetime.

My only regret with my career changes? Not doing them sooner! 

Limiting Belief #1

I Can’t Make A Change Because I Don’t Know What to Do

Many people want to change careers, but because they do not have a plan, they stop thinking it is possible. So what is the obvious solution to this problem? Start thinking about what you would like to do!

Ok, I know that this can seem overwhelming. So, where do you start?

• Start with what is not working currently.

Sometimes the best way to start is to inventory what is not currently working for you in your career. You likely have a good idea of what is not working for you currently with your role, management, or organizational culture. Write this all down.

• Consider what has not worked for you in the past.

Think about past work experiences and what also did not work for you. Think about why it did not work. If that situation were happening now, would it still not work? Or, could it work now because your values and skills may have changed?

Now you should have a list of items around work that you want to avoid when you make a career switch. Do you see common themes?

• Now consider activities that you have enjoyed. This could be at work, in your personal life, volunteering, school, etc. What were you doing? What was the environment like? What skills were you using? Write them down.

• You may also want to take a few self-assessment instruments (such as CliftonStrengths, Strong Interest Inventory, or MBTI) to help gather information on your strengths, interests, and personality traits. 

• Based on this information, you can start thinking about different occupations that incorporate what you want and don’t want. Start writing everything you can think of down. Ask others for their suggestions. O*Net Online is an excellent tool for finding ideas for potential occupations.

Start talking to people who are doing this type of work. Conduct informational interviews to narrow down your list and get information and tips on how to make the change.

Now you have a plan for finding out what you want to do. 

Limiting Belief #2

You Are Worried That Making A Career Change Will Not Work Out

So you are worried that your career change may not work out as planned. Well, your situation is not working out now, is it? Is a change likely to be worse?

Let’s say you do everything I suggest for Limiting Belief #1. You have completed your self-analysis and come up with ideas for a career change. Then you have talked to people doing what you want to do and gotten advice about the type of career(s) that interest you. Then you thought about what would be required of you to make the change and how much time and effort you want to invest. And based on all this information and analysis, you have made the switch. Is it likely to be worse than what you are experiencing now? Probably not, because you have put in the effort to ensure it does not.

There is always some risk when change happens. But be realistic about the chances that might happen and what you can do about it if it does. Here is an exercise that I use that might help. It is called “What is the worst that can happen.” You keep asking the question…

“What is the worst that can happen if….?”

You can start it this way, “What is the worst that can happen if I change careers?

“I don’t like it.”

“What is the worst that can happen if I don’t like it?”

“I don’t perform well at it.”

“What is the worst that can happen if I don’t perform well at it?”

“I get fired.”

“What is the worst that can happen if I get fired?”

“I can’t pay my mortgage or pay rent.”

“What is the worst that can happen if I can’t pay my mortgage or rent?

“I have nowhere to live.”

Now, what are the chances that a career change would result in you being homeless? In reality, not very likely. You can address each situation so that the worst does not happen. Go through each scenario and ask yourself how I could ensure the worst did not happen. I am sure you have many ideas that could prevent you from not having a place to live.

Let’s start with the first case—you don’t like the new career. Here are some options.

1. Perhaps you don’t like the organization and not the work. Change organizations.

2. Perhaps you don’t like the manager and not the work. Can you improve the situation with your manager or move to a different organization and new manager?

3. Perhaps you don’t like the work. What do you like and what do you don’t like? Is that only a reality of this job at this organization or endemic in this career? Could you change the organization but do the same role, and it would be better? Are there other jobs where you can do the parts of the job that you like?

4. Could you return to your old career? 

When you logically go through these alternatives, you see that you have many more options to make a bad situation better than you think. 

Limiting Belief #3

You Are Worried That You Will End Up Making Less Money or Taking a Step Back

I hear this a lot. Clients say to me, “I can’t make a career change because I don’t want to take a step back in compensation/title/authority.”  My answer always is, “Why are you assuming this?” 

Most have not researched the job market to see if this is a true statement. They assume it is so. 

For example, what you can make at a new job will depend on many factors. Your unique combination of knowledge, skills, experience, and personality will equate to a range that employers will be willing to offer for your services. But compensation will also depend on the organization type (private, public, not-for-profit, or governmental), where you may have different pay rates even for the same jobs. Even within those categories, there might be variations in pay between larger and smaller employers and organizations in different geographical areas.

This means that until you know more about what you want to do and what organizations you want to work with, it is hard to say whether you would be paid more, the same, or less than what you are currently making. The same thing is true about titles and authority.

And even if your research shows the starting salaries will be less, for example, how about other parts of compensation, like bonuses, retirement, and health benefits? Maybe the employers offer a better package than what you have now. One that would provide the same or better total compensation even if you would have to take a pay cut.

Lastly, even if your total compensation would be lower with the change, how would it make you feel to be doing work that makes you happy? What price would you put on that? Sometimes even when you may be making less money or have a lower-level title, the decrease in stress and unhappiness from using your strengths and skills may be worthwhile. Don’t discount how being in a job where you can thrive can change your life in many positive ways.

Limiting Belief #4

You Have No Idea How You Can Use Your Skills and Interests In Other Roles or Industries

I am always amazed by the different ways people make money. Here are examples of unique jobs that would be great for someone with the right knowledge, skills, and experience.

• Flavorist (creating flavors)

• Art therapist

• Game designer

• Large machinery repossession specialist

• Food stylist

• Professional hacker

• Braille proofreader

The list can go on and on. There is a market for most skills. Completing all the steps discussed to develop a plan in Limiting Belief #1 can help you pin down your unique skills and strengths, and informational interviews can help you determine potential pathways.

Don’t assume that there is no market for what you offer. Talk with people about your interests. You will likely come up with many new and interesting ideas. Explore what you need to do to make yourself marketable if you have some but not all of what is needed for the change. It might be additional education or certification, or even experience. Analyze your return on investment and then make the right decision for you. But assuming there is no market is, more often than not, an untrue belief.

Conclusion

Limiting beliefs cause many people not to take actions that would benefit their careers and lives.  Limiting beliefs about what is possible keeps people stuck in jobs and careers that they have outgrown or never suited them in the first place. Don’t you want a career that brings engagement, fulfillment, and the ability to thrive in one’s career? That isn’t a pipe dream. It is possible. But first, you must get out of your head to make it come true. 

You may be interested in more tips about figuring out your career purpose.

Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.