A story that will change the way you think about jobs and careers

Jobs and Careers, a story to give new prospects to think: Most of us, at some points in our jobs and careers or in our journeys to build one, have sat down and considered giving up. Suddenly, a life off the grid living off the land or being taken care of in your parent’s basement doesn’t seem so bad. Anything is better than the constant frustrations and extreme physical and mental exhaustion.

This cycle of crippling self-doubt and existential crisis is one that Amy Costello went through. Her name has, of course, been changed for the sake of privacy. But hers is a powerful story that needs to be shared, which will probably change your perspective on careers.

A giant leap of faith with a happy ending

For as long as Amy Costello could remember, she knew that she wanted to work in finance. She had grown up in some of the most critical cities in global finance, including New York, London, and Japan.

It, therefore, came as no surprise to anyone that her first job straight out of college was as a finance analyst at JPMorgan Chase. Everything seemed to be coming together perfectly. She had put in the work and now had the job of her dreams and was well on her way to getting a seat on the table in New York’s exclusive financial bigwig circles.

But something didn’t feel right. The daily routine of crunching numbers wasn’t as fulfilling as she thought it would be. There was no passion, and there was no fire. She knew she had to do something before she got stuck in a career path that would drain the life out of her.

As you can imagine, it wasn’t easy. How was she supposed to just up and leave the job she had dreamed of and worked for her entire life? What would she do next? How would she survive financially? And if she did stay, would she ever find a new career path as financially fulfilling as her current one?

If you have ever considered or tried a significant career switch, then you know exactly what Amy was going through.

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.

Long story short, after some soul searching and experimentation, Amy Costello found her true calling in human resources management. She took the leap of faith further by choosing to start her own company instead of starting over with the whole job-hunting process.

With time, Amy’s startup has grown into one of the most successful human resources firms in New York. She specializes in headhunting and recruitment and has discovered a real passion for helping companies find their perfect hires while assisting applicants in landing their dream jobs.

What you can learn from Amy’s journey

Switching jobs and careers is never an easy move, and there is always the fear that you will fail or end up regretting the switch and missing your old job.

If you are at a point where you are considering making such a life-changing move, here are a few things you could learn from Amy’s journey and others like her who took that giant leap of faith.

1. Do your research and fully understand what jobs or careers you are getting into.
2. Take it easy on yourself when you first make the switch. It will take time for you to find your beat.
3. Don’t force yourself to stay in a career that you are not happy in. Be brave and take the risk to try something new.
4. Don’t be afraid to start over with something that is all yours. Self-employment is truly a liberating experience.
5. Consult people who have made similar switches for insight on expectations versus reality.
6. Trust yourself and learn to balance gut instincts and logic.

To read some relevant blogs, do check the links below:

> How Can A Declining Career be Rejuvenated?

> How to Recharge Yourself During Work?