How do I begin to figure out what I want to do?

Think about what excites you and what you are naturally drawn toward by reflecting on the conversations you have with others. This will allow you to take the first step in identifying your interests. Spend time each day imagining your ideal working life: focus on what your ideal environment looks like, what types of tasks you want to be doing on a regular basis, and how you see yourself working. Think about the types of things which you like about your current work, since you want to preserve these characteristics in your future work. Then, you need to consider the skills you have developed more recently that might be transferable to other positions. To learn more about yourself, consider attending the You and Your Career Options workshop and the Career Choice and Your Personality. Alternatively, you can complete the first module of the Career Management E-Learning Program - Discover Your Skills and Options.

Remember: The process is not typically a straight forward and linear one. It is more of a process of exploration and introspection which leads you to highlight for yourself what you are most interested in.

How do I face my fears about making a change?

Fear is a natural part of any change. The first step is to articulate to yourself what you are concerned about. Are you worried that you are going to make the wrong decision? Are you concerned about the financial aspect of transitioning or worried that you cannot make money doing what you love? Are you worried that it will be too hard to find something else? Or is it that you do not know if you can figure out what would be a perfect job for the rest of your life?

One very effective way to handle some of your fears is to become informed. Do your research! What often fuels fear is the unknown. Talk about your concerns with someone – make a career counselling appointment or talk to a trusted friend or business contact.

What else do I need to consider?

• To ensure you are not looking for a new career for the wrong reasons, ask yourself if your motivation for a career change is the organization you are working with, the environment you're working in, rather than a bad fit with the career. A little time off may be all that you need to reinvigorate your sense of purpose.
• Set target dates and little goals along the way.
• Make sure you incorporate fun things into your life to offset the stress of career transition.
• Ensure that you have good people around you that are in your corner. Avoid negative people who always see the dark side of any idea.
• Consider talking to someone about your career transition. For 2 years after graduation, you can access Career Counselling appointments.
• Lastly, update your cover letter and resume and getting ready for interviews.

Everyone talks about networking... is that something useful to do when transitioning careers?

Of course networking is important! Networking can assist you with many aspects of your transition. You can talk to people about what they do to learn more about career options; you can learn about potential openings for the work you want to do; you can get connected to other people who can connect you to the work you want to do. The best thing about networking after you have been working for a while is that you probably already have contacts with whom you can start your research. Take the Finding Work! workshop to further hone your skills.