Changing Careers With the Same Employer

Changing Careers With the Same EmployerChanging Careers With the Same EmployerIf youre considering a career change, it doesnt necessarily have to mean changing your employer. If youre happy with the company you work for but unhappy with your job or just want to change the direction of your career, you might want to look into changing positions with the same employer. Just like any transition, changing careers at the same company can come with some unique challenges, but you can navigate them gracefully if youre prepared. Leaving Your Former Position Behind Its possible that your employer may ask you to help out with your old career for a while. If you did well in your previous position, you may be leaving a hole that could take a while to fill. Since youre mucksmuschenstill an employee of the company and didnt really leave your job just changed your focus, your old manager and perhaps even senior management may ask you to do some double-duty until your position is filled. In some cases, this could mean that you wont be able to give full focus to your new position until they hire someone new. Set Clear Expectations If youre changing jobs within a company, its ideal if the company hires your replacement before the switch. But if that cant happen, be sure to set clear boundaries and expectations with management before making the change to ensure they dont expect you to continue helping out in the old position while starting the new one. Get this in writing if possible. Adjusting to Your New Role Another risk that you take when changing careers but keeping the same employer is the temptation to return to your previous career before giving your new career an honest chance. The toughest parts of this type of transition can be the first days, weeks, months or even years. During these challenging periods, many professionals are tempted to just go back to what they know. And since they work for the same employer, going back can seem easy and appealing. But tryin g to jump back after a few weeks when things dont go as smoothly as expected isnt a good idea. The truth is that going back to a former job doesnt work out for many people. Thats because once theyre back in their old careers, they begin to remember why they wanted to leave in the first place. And once their mindset is back to where it was before making the initial career move, it is often too late to save a potentially good career. Allow Time for Growing Pains If you make a career move and stay with your employer, you need to give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the new position. Transitions like this may cause some unavoidable discomfort. Make a list of reasons why you wanted to make the career change as a reminder to help carry you through these challenging times.