HOW TO CHANGE YOUR CAREER
With terms like ‘the Great Resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ entering popular discourse, it’s clear that there’s been a significant shift in people’s attitude towards work post-pandemic
Traditional career paths, like climbing the ladder in one particular industry or notching up several decades of service at one company, have been on the outs for a while – employees switch roles with much more regularity compared to our parents’ and grandparents’ generation, and side hustle culture has afforded people the opportunity to branch out in a completely different direction from their day job. However, several rounds of lockdown and months of remote working later, our relationship with work has been drastically reframed.
Things like a better work-life balance, greater flexibility in working hours and location, and more fulfilment and a greater sense of purpose from work are now all major considerations when it comes to assessing job satisfaction and these factors are leading more people than ever to change their careers. In 2020 the London Business School conducted a survey featuring 1000 individuals, with 47% stating that they wanted to change their careers, and Learning and Work Institute’s 2022 survey found that 34% of adults are looking to change their job or career in the next two years.
We spoke to four people across a range of industries who all made a significant career change, to find out why they did it, how they found the change, and their top tips for people considering doing the same.
Eloise Skinner | Therapist
What did you change your career to and from?
I started in corporate law (specialising in corporate tax), and wrote my first book while I was still in the legal profession (it was a book called ‘The Junior Lawyers’ Handbook’, published by The Law Society). I left law in early 2021 to write my second book, about finding purpose, and also began training as a psychotherapist at the same time. I now have a third book out this month (called ‘But Are You Alive?‘ – an exploration of depth & meaning in everyday life), which draws on my training as a therapist, amongst other topics!
What prompted your career change? And at what stage in your life did you make the switch?
It was partly a pandemic-influenced decision: I left when the ‘Great Resignation’ trend was really picking up, and it seemed as though a lot of my peers and colleagues were re-evaluating their working lives. The general ‘resignation’ movement definitely gave me the confidence to think I could do it for myself! And, ultimately, having a book deal meant that I had a more stable alternative path to pursue – so I didn’t feel like it was too uncertain to handle the change. I was 28 at the time, about five years into a corporate law career.
What were the challenges and what were the highlights of making your career change?
There were certainly a lot of challenges! One thing that surprised me was the impact of losing my professional network – I had underestimated the support that colleagues, mentors and wider team members provided! It’s difficult to step out of a big corporate environment to become fully independent overnight. And, of course, it was during the pandemic so it felt especially intimidating! But there were also lots of highlights – I felt really excited at having new opportunities, and it opened up a lot of new roles, responsibilities and jobs that I had previously never even considered.
What would be your top tips for people looking to change their career/anything you wish you’d known before you did it?
My top tip would be to know exactly why you want to change careers. It sounds obvious, but it can be easy to overlook the core motivation or driving force behind the shift. Sometimes, we can get caught up in ideals, or in the expectations of others – my top tip would be to re-focus on yourself, and on your own goals/ambitions. Focusing back on your personal motivation for making a change can also provide a huge source of energy and passion during the (many!) times when career change can get challenging.
Poppy Mardall | Funeral Director
What did you change your career to and from?
I was an expert and deputy director in 20th-century British art at Sotheby’s auction house in London until 2011, scouting out, cataloguing and researching important and beautiful artworks, and finding new homes for them. It involved a good amount of travel and time spent with interesting people. I remember the time I flew to Texas with a few days’ notice to see if a lump of marble was a Barbara Hepworth or not. It was! I left Sotheby’s in 2011 and launched ethical funeral directors Poppy’s in London in 2012. Poppy’s is a business founded on outstanding client service and care for the living and the dead. For anyone who doesn’t know, death care is an unregulated industry stuck in the dark ages (in all ways) and it has been exciting and inspiring to show how beautiful, thoughtful, gentle care and service can become the norm for all.
What prompted your career change? And at what stage in your life did you make the switch?
I come from a family that values public service highly and my job felt fun, but over time, not as purposeful as I wanted and needed it to be. In the short term, I funnelled this need for purpose into volunteering – first as a Samaritan and then as a home visiting volunteer for Royal Trinity Hospice. But as my role progressed and I took on more responsibility in my late 20s, my volunteering got squashed. I figured out I needed to make a change and scratch this itch once and for all. In retrospect, this transition seems to me like an obvious quarter-life-crisis! Either way, it was a very good change for me.
What were the challenges and what were the highlights of making your career change?
Following the thread of your own life can be hard, mysterious and confusing. I’d worked really hard to get to that position in my career and I had a lot to lose – friendly colleagues and clients, a reliable salary, validation I was doing ‘a good job’. But I knew in my guts I needed to do something different. Any big change takes a leap of faith. I think accepting loss as well as gain as part of change is a really important step.
So many wonderful experiences have followed – setting any business up from scratch is a great adventure but this opportunity at Poppy’s – where we get to help and support people at one of life’s toughest moments – has been a source of such meaning and joy for me. I’ve had the opportunity to build a team of emotionally intelligent, incredible people who I get to work alongside. It has been the greatest privilege and pleasure.
What would be your top tips for people looking to change their career/anything you wish you’d known before you did it?
Whilst your ideas and plans are embryonic and vulnerable, be really thoughtful about who you talk to. At this stage you’re exploring and investigating – you don’t even know if this is a good idea. It’s a massive trust exercise in yourself. You need people who believe in you, you need good listeners, people who give you space. There will be people who love you deeply who are fearful for you. They are excellent people to talk to once the ideas are strong and need some testing. It sounds cheesy, but this is your life – you have to follow your own path and do what’s right for you.
Hector Hughes | Travel Company Co-founder
What did you change your career to and from?
I went from a high-intensity tech scale up which provided iPad POS systems in restaurants and bars, to founding an entirely tech-free cabin escape company. During my tech career, I did my fair share of roles. I started in sales (which I wasn’t great at), I then ran product (also not my speciality) and then ran their growth. Although I wasn’t in love with any of those roles, I learnt a hell of a lot that I have used to grow Unplugged – a startup providing digital detoxes at off-grid cabins in nature. A different proposition entirely. In fact, the complete opposite.
What prompted your career change? And at what stage in your life did you make the switch?
Burnout was the root cause of my career change. Travelling across the globe, working endless hours and being in front of a screen all day took its toll. It led me to book a silent retreat in the Himalayas in 2019. After two weeks, I came back transformed and quit the tech world a week later. The best thing about the retreat was upon arrival they take your phone off you and you spend 10 days cut off from the outside world, which I don’t think I’d done since before I owned a phone. I was 25.
What were the challenges and what were the highlights of making your career change?
The biggest challenge, as it always is, was taking the first step. Once I made the decision to quit and start something I believe everybody needs, everything else seemed inevitable. The combination of the retreat and a close friend recently starting his own thing helped normalise making the career switch. I found the change hugely liberating, straight from the off. Like I’d finally taken control of my life. It’s easy to underestimate how difficult starting your own thing is, I certainly did, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I quickly found a co-founder in my friend and old colleague Ben. That relationship has been a huge source of strength and really made the last three years possible.
What would be your top tips for people looking to change their career/anything you wish you’d known before you did it?
My top tip: Be bold. Everything is difficult. Starting something from the ground up is a challenge, but so is spending 40 hours a week at a job you hate. Take the first step, that’s the hardest. Another tip: Be the change you want to see in the world. A lot of making a career change work is staying power. It’s easier to keep going if you truly believe in what you’re doing. Lastly: Enjoy it. Look for the joy in what you’re doing. Work with people who give you energy. Optimise your environment. Life is easier with a smile on your face.
Annie Edmonds | F45 Franchise Owner
What did you change your career to and from?
I moved from working in Business Finance and Development to Fitness, by opening an F45 Training Franchise.
What prompted your career change? And at what stage in your life did you make the switch?
I was an avid hockey player and although still relatively young I had injuries. After trying F45 in Australia, I realised how incredibly dynamic it was and how it provided both functional cardio and resistance training. F45 combined with my own studies allowed me to realise my full fitness potential. I was keen to invest in an F45 franchise as I believed in F45’s concept, trusted the brand, and knew that F45 already had a dedicated network of members and results to draw upon.
What were the challenges and what were the highlights of making your career change?
A challenge was the drastic change in routine – I have earlier mornings and later nights since opening a studio, but giving back to the F45 community makes it all worthwhile. A major highlight is the satisfaction I get seeing the positive experience members have in the studio; people are literally changing their lives with F45 and strong community bonds also are long-lasting. I was able to open a second studio after the success of my first.
What would be your top tips for people looking to change their career/anything you wish you’d known before you did it?
Before changing career, I would advise doing your research and understanding the market you are entering. You don’t have to make drastic decisions. I worked in several F45s behind reception, as a trainer and learned from those around me before launching. I ‘transitioned’ rather than ‘jumped’. I researched competitors and had a business plan that made sense with that research, making sure to prepare for the busier and quieter times of the year.