Are you looking for a sign that you should switch careers? Hello there! Take this as a sign, my friend. 

You’ve landed here for a reason– you’re not happy with your current role, your job is feeling played out after years of working for the same company, or you simply want to make a change in your life.

As someone who trained in psychology for years, I know what it’s like to spend years in school (and several more on the job) before deciding that I wanted to make more impact, to truly make a difference in my own unique way, to serve people through my gifts and abilities and help them do the same.

Perhaps you’ve always had the fire within you to be an entrepreneur, to forge your own path and create your own unique company. Or maybe the dream of changing careers to becoming an entrepreneur is a new dream for you. 

Either way, you’re looking for guidance on what to do next. If you’re a would-be entrepreneur who’s ready to escape the corporate world, leave your current career, or hop into work that actually feels fulfilling day-to-day, this is exactly where you need to be!

Keep reading for my top tips on changing careers and making the switch from a 9-5 to owning your own company.

Do a vibe check with your vision.

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“If you’re you’re preparing to transition from employee to entrepreneur and you’re not entirely sure what direction you want to go in, start by thinking what you want your life to look like, and how can you make that happen through your career?”

-MILA YOLI

@Presenceology

This is the time to take stock and get serious about what you really want in life. If your current career isn’t doing it for you, why is that? Do you dislike your hours, your coworkers, your clients? Are you bored with the work? Have you always had a harbored passion for something that you never truly let yourself honor?

If you’re going to go through the process of changing careers, it’s important to be 100% sure that you’re ready for the journey. If you’re only temporarily unhappy in your work because of burnout, the pandemic, or a single project, the feelings may pass. Still, let’s confirm this before writing it off.

One way to be completely sure you’re ready to make a big change in your life is to ASK YOURSELF: Would I be happier doing something else? Do I have a particular dream in mind that I haven’t *really* allowed myself to think about because someone told me it wasn’t possible? Could I make a bigger impact doing something else? Is there a community I’d really love to work with?

Even if you’re not entirely sure what direction you want to go in, start to think about what it is you want to change about your work life, and, better yet, about your life in general. What do you want your life to look like, and how can we make that happen through your career?

Find out what you’re good at.

Have you ever taken a personality test or career aptitude test? Now could be a good time to pursue some interests!

For personality tests, I recommend the Enneagram, 16 Personalities, or StrengthsFinder. These are all a great way to discover whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, how you interact with others, work environments you thrive in, and how you see yourself in the world.

As far as career tests, there are SO MANY of them floating around out there. The Princeton Review has a good free one to get you started though!

Doing both of these things will give you an idea, or at least a starting point, to begin looking into things that fit with your personality, abilities, passions, and talents so that your next career step is completely aligned with who you are.

Leverage your network.

Now that you’re getting a handle on your vision, do you know anyone that owns their own company? Or works in the industry you want to be a part of? Reach out to them, whether to learn more about what they do, find mentors, or simply get a read on their trajectory from 9-5 to biz owner.

Now is also a good time to expand your network. Hop on social media (I recommend Instagram!) and type in different queries for the type of work you want to be doing. Do you see others in the field who are killing it? Follow them and get a feel for their approach. What is their story like, and does it have any commonality with yours?

Another facet of leveraging your network is reaching out to people in your space to see if anyone needs the kind of work you want to be doing. For example, if you want to be a graphic designer, does anyone need brand collateral done? Can you design some passion projects for people you know? 

However, if you’d prefer to build a product business or sell a service that’s unlike what you’re seeing online, now could also be a good time to ask around and gauge interest. You may find that people you know are interested in the thing you want to build! If not, don’t worry yet! It’s possible your ideal clients (aka, the people who would want to buy from you) aren’t in your network, and you’ll have to connect with them first.

If you’re not entirely sure yet and don’t have a concrete career trajectory in mind, you can save this step for when you’re further in the process and ready to start booking clients.

Create an Aligned Presence as a CEO

Once you’ve nailed down what you want to do and started reaching out to your network, now it’s time to get out into the world and start sharing what you’re doing. 

The beautiful thing about changing careers from a 9-5 to working for yourself is that you don’t have to job hunt. Right now, you have all the tools you need to start from where you are and grow towards the business you want to have.

With my 1-1 clients, we begin by cultivating their presence, zeroing in on their dream clients, finding their X factor, and then transforming all of these things into a brand, website, social community, and press-ready profile that’s ready to connect with people and get into the world.

Once you get started, it’s only up from there!

Struggling to turn your ideas into the business of your dreams? Take the first step so you can finally change careers and live your dream!

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