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In episode 52 of “The JoyPowered™ Workspace Podcast,” JoDee and Susan discuss changing jobs with Purple Ink Career Coach Peggy Hogan. Topics include why people switch careers, what to do if you want to make a change, and some common mistakes people make in the process. Barbara Quintana and Molly Tekulve call in to share their career change journeys.

The average person changes jobs 12 times during their career – and this applies to Baby Boomers, too! People change for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) higher pay, better benefits and perks, career advancement, escaping a bad boss, or better work-life balance.

Many people make career shifts when they’re mid-career, reflecting on whether they’re happy and their work has meaning. They may also make a shift after a job loss or when they decide to re-enter the workforce. The biggest issue people have with switching to a totally new career is the compensation level; you’re probably not going to get the same compensation when entering a new career as you did after years of experience in your previous career.

If you’re not happy in your current career, but don’t know what types of jobs to target, do some research, and talk to people in different areas that might be of interest. It’s also a good idea to do an assessment, like the Strong Interest Inventory or CliftonStrengths. It helps you assess your interests or what you’re good at, which can be helpful in deciding which careers to target.

JoDee and Susan talk to two individuals who have gone through the process of making a career transition. Barbara Quintana spent 30 years in the financial services industry with roles primarily in HR and Training & Development. She worked with a career coach as part of an outplacement program, and it inspired her to become a coach herself – and she also got a real estate license. Molly Tekulve started out in the non-profit sector, working on getting individuals excited about the mission of the organization. She made the leap into the for-profit world after realizing that there weren’t many opportunities to grow within the non-profit organization.

In this episode’s listener mail, Shakira needs advice on dealing with a negative coworker. In the news, JoDee and Susan discuss some Harvard Business Review statistics on ineffective meetings and ideas to make them better.

Mentioned in this episode

• Purple Ink
• Susan Tinder White Consulting
• JoyPowered™: Intentionally Creating an Inspired Workspace by JoDee Curtis
• The JoyPowered™ Family by JoDee Curtis and Denise McGonigal
• “How Often Do People Change Jobs?”
• The Strong Interest Inventory
• CliftonStrengths
• “Episode 50 – “SHRM Credit: Networking”
• Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
• My Little Ikigai Journal: A Journey into the Japanese Secret to Living a Long, Happy, Purpose-Filled Life by Amanda Kudo
• Springbuk
• Episode 23 – “SHRM Credit: Meeting Skills”
• “Why Your Meetings Stink – and What to Do About It”