What you go through when you change careers.

Since I am not the last person to change jobs and career paths, I thought I would write a little about the things I have learned through this process. First, let me admit that “change” can be a four-letter word if we allow it to be. Sure, there are perks like a clean desk and a clean slate but there is also some fears about changing. Over the past 12 months things happened that caused me to consider a change in careers. However, there were a few fears that held me back. 

• Loyalty to your employer – 14+ years with Eastwood was a lot to walk away from
• The thought you are what you do – My identity for 28+ years was tied to the title “pastor”. When one’s self-worth is connected to their identity in their role at work, change feels like you are looking at a stranger in the mirror. 
• Will I like a new job – You will never know unless you give it a shot. 
• Fear of failure – We often chalk up our accomplishments to luck or being in the right place at the right time. What I had to do was make a list of skills I currently possessed and utilized in my role as a pastor and determine which of those were transferable to the marketplace. Then in reading job descriptions try to find something that allowed me to leverage those skills I possessed. 
• Can I really find a job – I think this is a fear that folk’s fall into the longer they have been in one profession. For me it was, “Okay you have a BA in Religion and a Masters of Divinity in Theology … what can you do with that?” I found that employers are much more interested in past performance than they are what type of degree you possess.

Once I started here at Missouri S&T, there were a few lessons I learned that I think are worth sharing, especially for those considering a change. 

1. Do not be afraid to ask questions – as the “new kid” on the block realize you are not supposed to know everything. As you ask, then listen and absorb. I had to remember, and this was hard for me, that I had two ears and one mouth so I could listen twice as much as I speak. 
2. Do research beforehand – once you have accepted the job, learn as much as you can about the business, those who work there, etc. This will help calm your nerves because you will go in that 1^st day feeling prepared. 
3. Be friendly and accept the fact there is an office culture already established - If you are entering a well-established team as I was, remember there is an already formed culture. People understand that there are roles, personalities, reputations, hierarchies (whether spoken or not) being played out, and as the new kid you will have to learn these all on your own. They likely will not tell you this because most of them are unwritten and many are oblivious to the fact they even exist.
4. Personalize your space – Once I was able to observe what was acceptable for personalizing the work space it wasn’t until I brought in my collection of Starbucks cups, Bobby Bowden autographed football, and a few things from Asia did I really feel at home.
5. Be yourself - When you were hired those making the decision to hire believed you would add something to the team. 

So, if you change careers, as I did, remind yourself that you are going to do a great job; that is why they hired you. Take the job one day at a time, be positive, learn, and be you! You go this … with God’s help of course.