It is easy to idealise your dream job, thinking your frustrations, boredom, work-life balance issues result from your current role or organisation.
But the truth is, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. So how can you get a realistic idea of the demands of your desired career change without risking the security of your current role?
Taking a career test drive is the answer.
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What is a Career Test Drive
If you are contemplating a career change or just starting out and unsure what direction to take, you have probably completed some research.
Research requires the lowest level of commitment and is also one of the easiest ways to gain insights into a new field.
The internet has abundant resources that will provide you with descriptions of careers, potential pay rates, education requirements, and potentially insights into life on the job.
However, how a career presents on paper and the realities of the job once you are actually performing it can be very different.
Just as you might test drive a car before committing to a purchase, you can also take a career for a test drive.
A career test drive will allow you to have the experience without the commitment. You can obtain the insight you need to evaluate and ultimately make an informed decision.
A career test drive is also beneficial for those contemplating a career change but held back by fear.
Finding a way to gain insight into the actual job experience without being too far down the transition path is invaluable. Here are some suggestions:
1. Informational Interview
Connect with your professional network and find someone currently working in the career or industry you are considering. This should be someone you trust to be honest. You want to ask about the actual realities of their job.
Make sure you get a warts and all account of their role. Ask hard questions. “What are the challenges?” “Is there aspects of your job you dislike?” “What hours do you work?”
Getting a genuine perspective will help you understand your possible experience on the job and identify any misconceptions you might have.
2. Enlightening Education
Taking a course in your area of interest is another way to sample the industry and gauge your match for a new field.
You could complete a short course, a one-off class, study online or complete a degree depending on the area you are interested in or the significance of the career change.
If you can’t maintain your motivation to study or dislike the experience, perhaps the new field isn’t for you.
3. Meaningful Moonlighting
Consider if you might be able to “moonlight”; keep your job but sample your desired career as a side hustle or second job.
Suppose you’re imagining yourself as an entrepreneur. In that case, you could consider starting your business on the side before quitting your job.
You should ensure that you comply with your employment agreement or employer’s outside employment policies before doing this.
Also, be mindful of not jeopardising your current employment by letting your outside work impact your performance.
4. Sample on Sabbatical
The other option is to take extended time away from your work to sample the new career. This will allow you some time without actually quitting.
This option won’t be available to everyone, but if you have generous leave provisions or can take an unpaid sabbatical, taking a break is a great way to build new skills or dust off the cobwebs to gain some perspective.
5. Vocational Volunteering
Volunteering is not just a great way to develop new skills and get extra experience. You can also use volunteering to experience a new industry or role without the commitment of being employed.
As a bonus, your volunteer work will strengthen your resume. Offering you additional experience to draw from to demonstrate your employability and technical skills.
Related Content: How to Add Volunteer Work to Your Resume
Final Words
Whatever test drive strategy you use, you should be open to discovering the realities of the career.
Be prepared to discover things you didn’t know. Try to remember no job is perfect, and don’t be discouraged.
Even if the new career isn’t for you, you won’t have wasted your time. By reaching out and making new connections, you will expand your professional network. You will learn new skills and gain new knowledge that will help your career reinvention in whatever form that takes.
