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Making a career transition as a multi-passionate professional

If you are a multi-passionate soul (just as I am) then you surely have a variety of interests and qualifications that you want to unleash upon the world.

As great as it is a lot of us may find it difficult to choose a career that brings real satisfaction. The range of your interests is wide and so there are many choices out there that you could thrive in! Sounds familiar? Then this article is for you.

Before I share my suggested step-by-step approach for when you feel it is time for a career transition, I want to you to consider one thing.

Focus on YOUR version of success.

Who did actually say that you have to choose just one path and not develop yourself in any other? Climbing a career ladder is an outdated concept! A meaningful career for a multi-passionate is more like a painting, crafted with layers of experience and competence from several fields. All of which you bring into a majestic whole over time. So please leave the concept of a career ladder while you continue to read.


“I urge you to think about an area of your life or your career where you find yourself waiting for selection and permission. What part of you still needs to feel validated? What parts of you still needs to feel chosen? Spend some time examining that, and then ask yourself. Who would I be if I stopped waiting? What would I put out into the world if I didn’t need permission? Who would I be if I just f*cking went for it?”

Cara Alwill Leyba from thechampagnediet.com

My 10-step guide to making a career transition as a multi-passionate

  1. If you have a job at the moment and want to make a career transition, identify clearly why do you want a change. What needs does your new job have to fulfill? Why are these needs important to you?
  2. Identify what do you most want to learn and know about. If there are many fields, then what are the things you have done in life that come naturally to you? Energize you? Pay attention to those themes – they are indicators of a direction you could go in. Follow your curiosity. You don’t need to have everything figured out now. Don’t sign up for any courses out of sudden excitement. Yet go towards fields that motivate you and match with your needs + values, you will be exposed to a world that intrigues you.
  3. Identify your values. Rather than following your passions, I’d suggest honing your values and using curiosity as your career compass. As you might have many passions you can incorporate them to your life in many ways, not necessarily through your profession.
  4. Review your current experience, skillset, competences, interests. If you don’t want to do it alone, find a mentor or coach to support you along the way.
  5. Identify your fears and negative beliefs. These are the road-blockers in your journey towards a new job or career path. Swap your negative beliefs with more positive ones. For example: I allow myself to try and I will do it the best way I can. I accept that I can make mistakes. Mistakes do not make me less worthy.
  6. Create a vision of your future workplace. How do you feel being there? What are you doing and what value do you create? How is the atmosphere, culture, colleagues in the company?
  7. To have a clear direction, set up goals and chronological actions plan. While this can be hard to do alone you can take it with a mentor or coach if needed.
  8. Start searching for a job most aligned to your personality, needs and vision. Share with your acquantancies and through social media channels that you are available. State clearly what you are looking for. If you lack experience in your most desired field, consider volunteering in an industry you’re interested in, to gradually gain experience for entrance positions.
  9. Demonstrate how your current skills are transferable during interview with an employer. Being a non-traditional candidate gives you a unique perspective. Talk about your passion for the industry, what value you want to bring, mention your WHY behind the willingness to roll up your sleeves.
  10. Choose a job that will give you the maximum opportunity to learn and network. Expand your network by visiting events in your field or joining networks for professionals in that area.

Learn, grow and re-evaluate where are you heading to!

Your new career will be a jungle gym where you can explore a lot of things you are passionate about. Learn as much as you can from others if you are new in a field – especially the tough stuff they have gone through.

The skills you gain on a way are the most important! Develop your adjacent skills as they will expand your career perspective and improve communication with specialists in fields close to yours. For example: Product management – People management, Engineering – Project management, Coding – Technical writing.

Being multi-passionate you might want to evaluate your choice after some time. Doubts visit all of us from time to time and that is ok! If you create a 1 year personal development plan most aligned with your vision of success you may feel more confident in your path. Having a mentor or coach can be helpful for doing this (but not a must).

Good luck!

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.

Goethe

About Anna Balciune

Anna is a certified career and life coach and mentor for young women in traditionally male-dominated fields such as STEM. She empowers young women to create an enjoyable career that fits their desired lifestyle, to nurture femininity and shine with confidence, by taking consistent action towards inspiring goals. She is a connectivity strategy & portfolio manager, analytics lead, and a board member of labor unions for graduate professionals at a global telco, as well as a wife and a mum. Anna spent her last decade studying & working in several EU countries, and is now based in Sweden.

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