Author: Victoria Krstev on behalf of Inflo HR Ltd.
From a young age, we are led to believe that there is some magic formula that we need to follow to find success in our careers and professional lives. This doesn’t just come from our parents, but our teachers and instructors throughout life.
The typical recipe for success is
The reality is, at some point along the line, you’re going to realize maybe you hate your program? Or your job isn’t everything you were hoping it would be. People change as their lives are constantly evolving and developing. It is more common than you’d think the number of times people realize they want to switch to a different role or industry entirely! It may feel impossible or too drastic, but you can do it! And still, be successful!
According to Workopolis, Canadians can expect to hold about 15 jobs throughout their careers! With 73% saying that they do not believe they will stick with the same profession their entire life. As more Canadians are becoming comfortable with switching their career paths, the survey results found that the most common reasons people change jobs are:
We don’t believe that the stigma of being a “job hopper” should still be around as the job market continues to grow and expand, becoming more accessible to employees. The reality is that no one knows what they want to be “when they grow up” until well into their professional career.
It is up to you to find ways to make your non-linear career path work for you rather than against you. Just remember, there are a lot of people just like you out there whose career paths were also non-linear. Maybe you wanted to become a veterinarian and then found a passion for being creative and got into online advertising. Every step of the journey will help teach you valuable skills that you will use throughout your professional career. The most important thing here is to find something that you are passionate about and genuinely makes you happy.
Think about the variety of skills you have learned in your previous job experiences and what works for you. When asked in an interview about moving around with your jobs, just drawback on the positive takeaways you have from each, especially if they are a wide span of fields.
Remember that regardless of how your career path is shaped, the ultimate goal is to pursue your passions and attempt to make them a career you enjoy! Everyone has their own unique and individual experiences. It’s up to you to learn to leverage those experiences and market yourself as a professional who can learn new skills and expand on what you’ve learned through previous work experiences.
