Choosing my career path (then changing careers time and again)
Two things make changing careers a challenge: knowing where to start and having the guts to begin.
It’s complex, because there are often so many things to consider – such as finding time in your (already) busy schedule to learn something new. It takes guts because changing careers means stepping outside of what is secure and comfortable. This means taking on risks and being ready to commit to seeing the journey through.
This journey isn’t just difficult and scary – it’s also an opportunity. One that will change the way you think about yourself, how you learn and what is important to you. It takes a growth mindset, and the ability to undertake personal development.
My own career has been characterised by change – but the lessons from my first big career move can still be put to use today.
How I got started on my career path
When I left school, I did so without any qualifications, and my prospects were limited to say the least. I started out doing any work I could. I worked as a factory hand, retail assistant, nanny/housekeeper, cleaner, fruit picker - you name it. I was young and life was an adventure - until it wasn’t.
Eventually, this type of work lost its attraction. I felt bored and unchallenged. At the same time, I had no idea what to do next or how to make the change.
In the end, my first career change came about by observing what worked for other people. I looked at what they were doing and imagined how it would feel to do that kind of work. There were no career counsellors or coaches back in those days (which is why I now help people take a shortcut to build a career they love).
Choosing a new career path
Whilst working in a factory, I noticed the women who worked in the factory office had many advantages: they started work later in the day, they had weekends off; they worked in a nicer and quieter environment than the factory floor. I decided I would like to work in an office, too. But I had no idea how to get there. So, I left and tried my luck with other kinds of work.
From there, I landed a retail assistant job at Woolworths. Whilst the work environment was much better than the factory, the job meant that I was standing all day (just like in the factory) and I had to work late nights, although I was no longer required to work weekends.
I experienced the Christmas rush, which was exhausting in a whole new way to working the 12-hour, 7-day factory shifts. It was not quite the office work I was looking for, so I moved on.
By this time, I had realised that, as I lacked the required skills and qualifications to land an office job, I needed to take some secretarial training. With a bit of research, I found a two-year course to learn the basics. However, I lacked the school qualifications needed, and there was no opportunity to secure a dispensation.
Retraining to change careers
“Having a vision even when you don’t know how you will make it happen.”
I was supporting myself (at this stage without any dependents or financial commitments) and could not call on my parents or any other connections for help. I tried going to night school whilst I worked. I gave up when I realised this would take years to complete. I was too tired from working all day that I could not concentrate or take more than a few classes a week.
I was now back to where I started - working in a job I didn’t enjoy, with no prospect of getting to the next level. Then, I hit upon an idea. What if I could go back to school full-time and find another way to support myself?
I started talking to a range of people about how I might do this (back before you could do a quick Google search).
I spoke with a high school principal to find out if there were any barriers to me returning to school at the age of 21. I was thrilled to learn that there was nothing stopping me from attending high school as an adult. I also talked to many people about the possibility of securing financial assistance to go back to school, but was disappointed to find out that there was nothing available. My choices were to give up altogether, or to find another way.
Going back to school
The first thing I did was enrol at the local high school for the following year’s intake. This meant I had made the commitment to go ahead even though I had no idea how I was going to support myself.
Then I set about looking for a job that enabled me to work around school hours and gave me enough time to complete my homework. I secured a job cleaning schools, which suited me perfectly because the work was done before and after school leaving my evenings were free.
I was jubilant when I gained my high school qualifications and some University Entrance exams and duly applied for full-time study at the secretarial college. Luckily for me, this came with a student allowance so I only needed to work a few hours a week to survive.
After two years, I was a fully trained secretary and landed my first role as a PA to a GM. I continued to work as a PA in several roles, including a stint as an administrator at Elsevier, a publishing company in Denmark.
Eventually, I rose to the top of this career with a position reporting to the GM of credit cards at a New Zealand bank. This amazing role introduced me to project management, procurement and supply chain management, contract administration, quality systems, quality assurance, managing and leading teams, and working with multiple stakeholders.
Reflecting on my career journey
Looking back, my first career change was the training ground for many other career changes that came my way.
What I learned from my journey is the importance of these things:
Having a vision even when you don’t know how you will make it happen.
Being persistent - overcoming barriers and setbacks, and keep going.
Commitment to the journey whilst keeping your eye on the prize. This provides necessary self-motivation.
Ignoring nay-sayers - there were plenty of people who told me I was going to fail.
Sacrifice - in order to get where I wanted to go, I had to do things I didn’t want to do. In other words, understanding that some things are a necessary means to an end.
Thinking creatively - going back to school as an adult was unheard of when I did it. But it was the pathway that enabled me to secure my dreams.
My career path has been defined by change, from retraining and moving into quality management roles, to studying for my Executive Master of Business Administration, which catapulted me into a 20+ year career in management.
And finally, retraining again to become a work-life coach and leadership consultant, where I help others do what I have done all my life.
Career advice from Rachel Hill…
Client success stories
