Changing Careers: Taking the Plunge

By Tony Jacowski

Are you changing careers? If answering this question is irritating, equally exciting is the joy of starting a new job. With every career change, you hope to move up and on to new responsibilities. If some want job stability and its benefits, it is not paramount for others; they have a brain full of ideas. Welcome to the exiting world of changing careers!

Changing careers need not necessarily mean switching employers. You can change careers with your current employer, if they are open to such a change.

Changing jobs

You are either bored in a job after having worked for the same employer for long time or you feel you are stagnating with no growth opportunities. Whatever the reason may be, you are most likely to join your competitor. You will most likely negotiate for a raise or a higher position with more responsibilities and challenges. It won’t take very long for you to get used to the new position, as you will feel at home at least with your field. The new environment and responsibilities may pose a challenge or two to you. This job change may, at times, backfire if either the new employer is reluctant to incorporate your suggestions or if your subordinate staff is uncooperative.

Changing careers

You are a restless and an industrious guy. Moving up in the same job or hopping companies for a promotion or a raise no longer excites you. You know that you are capable of chewing more than the best of them. Though you are not highly skilled in something interesting, you are confident of finding your way to success working hard. Some specialized fields may call for a short duration of training. The knowledge you have gained over time about the new profession and the drive that you have to create something is driving you to change professions altogether. For example, if you are a professor of economics teaching at a university you will change careers to a top ranking finance management position of a big corporation. Your finance background will assist you in making the change successfully.

New career options in six sigma methodology has opened up more opportunities for those who excelled in their previous careers. As more and more companies are discovering that implementing six sigma helps them break barriers that they always thought were insurmountable, people with brilliance written on their foreheads are finding new and fulfilling careers. To enter a career in six sigma implementation, you should have well-rounded experience in various management positions and mastery in at least one of them.

Changing careers is not for the faint of heart. It is no fun unless you eat challenges for breakfast. You must like what you are doing and must posses the desire to excel.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.


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