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One of the hardest things I have done is make a career switch.
Anyone who has changed careers knows the pain all too well. It is extremely difficult to get that first job in the new industry.
I decided to ditch the glamorous life of buying in New York City to a career in tech in a suburban area down south, and I can tell you that it comes with a huge amount of emotional debt.
As you’re applying to tech and tech-ish jobs, application after application, with no interview invite, you start to lose that glimmer of hope. You begin to think the life in tech you envisioned will not happen.
You give yourself a deadline for how long you should keep trying, before doing the right thing — to be a responsible adult with a job, a retirement account and an insurance plan.
Another struggle you will encounter during your painful job search, is dealing with the constant opportunities that do come your way — in your old industry.
When you tell your friends that you turned down the interview invite, they’ll call you an idiot. They believe you need to get on with your life and get a job — any job.
It is an easy option to go back to your old career. But, you will constantly fight yourself not to go back to yesterday.
When you feel you’ve suffered plenty, you will consider the opportunity. But, a small part of you will feel guilty for giving up.
The thing is, once you’ve made up your mind to change careers, you can’t go back as easily. Your heart won’t let you. You’re stuck. It feels like a lose-lose situation.
It’s important to not lose focus, to stay committed to your goals. To say no to temptation. You made the change for a reason, so follow through. You’ll eventually see the light at the end.
Even a year after leaving the buying industry, I still get LinkedIn messages regarding opportunities in buying. Quite often, they are promising a higher position and salary than what I will get at my first tech role.
Another issue is the constant push from recruiters. They have sat down with me and heard my entire 20-minute story on why I made the bold decision to change careers. And yet, they still push me…
