5 Key Insights When Changing Your Career Path
Andrea Paul, co-founder of BoardVitals, shares valuable lessons to keep in mind when transitioning to a new career.
Changing career paths is never an easy undertaking. You will meet resistance at several junctures and may feel that staying the course is the easiest way. The change may mean taking some time off from paid employment or even going back to school, and that is not an easy decision to make for everyone at every stage in their lives and careers.
When I decided that practicing clinical medicine wasn’t for me, I was met with strong pushback from my medical community. The physicians charged with training me thought I was making a grave mistake and would regret leaving what was almost guaranteed to be a stable career with reliable recurring income. My family and friends were also concerned that I would be leaving a straight forward path to a stable life in exchange for risk and unlikely success.
What these well-meaning people didn’t realize was that for some people taking a risk is the right thing. Though entrepreneurship is, at times, more stressful and anxiety-inducing than a traditional career, it can also be more rewarding.
For those of you who are seriously considering a career transition, these 5 action steps can help you through that process:
1) Hedge your risk:
Maintaining your education, licensure, and career options in your previous career means that you can always go back. Keep all doors open, at least until you are sure you won’t need to any more.
2) Don’t panic:
You may not immediately succeed at your new venture, particularly if it is something you have never done before. Many new entrepreneurs give up and run back to their more secure previous career path before they have really given it time and find themselves back where they started.
3) Find a mentor:
Locating someone who has successfully made the transition you have made can be invaluable. Someone who has been through the ups and downs of a new path can help you steady your nerves and encourage you along. I absolutely love mentoring and advising new entrepreneurs, and am happy to help anyone making a similar transition.
4) Be ready for pivots:
Almost every new venture makes changes to their initial vision. Pivoting is ok and doesn’t mean you have made a grave mistake. It often takes several pivots to find the best path forward.
5) DO look back:
I know that the common saying is to go for it and “don’t look back”. I disagree. I look back often, checking in with physicians who stayed the clinical path. This helps me both stay up to date as to the unique struggles and rewards of that path, and also is a checkpoint for me that my path is still a better fit for me at this time.
Andrea Paul is a physician-turned-entrepreneur who co-founded BoardVitals, a medical education technology company that was recently acquired. She is also a mentor and advisor to several health, medical, and wellness technology companies and is actively involved in many non-profit/charity endeavors. Andrea remains at the helm of BoardVitals as their Chief Medical Officer.
