Step-by-step career change process - Career Switching

5 Tips for Changing Careers. 1.How to change careers.  2.Look for people, not jobs. 3.Review your interests. 4.Career switches aren just simple. 5.Career switching salary

"Riya" is part of the "Creating Your Best and Happiest Career" series.

"Riya" is part of the "Creating Your Best and Happiest Career" series.

Meet Riya, a 28-year-old software engineer who worked for a leading tech company for five years. Despite her successful career, Riya felt unfulfilled. She loved solving problems and working with technology, but the corporate environment left her craving creativity and autonomy. Here’s her inspiring career change journey:

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The Turning Point

Riya always had a passion for baking. During weekends, she would experiment with new recipes and share her creations with friends and family. They often encouraged her to turn her hobby into a business, but Riya dismissed it as a "side hustle." One day, after a particularly stressful week at work, she realized she was happier baking than debugging code. That’s when she decided to explore a career change.

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The Research Phase

Riya started by researching the food and beverage industry. She attended local baking workshops, read books on starting a food business, and even shadowed a local baker for a week. She realized that while  her background didn’t directly apply to baking, her problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage projects were valuable assets.

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Upskilling and Preparation

To fill the gaps in her knowledge, Riya enrolled in a professional baking course. She also took online classes in business management and marketing to understand how to run a successful bakery. During this time, she started a small Instagram page to showcase her baked goods, which quickly gained a loyal following.

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Testing the Waters

Before quitting her job, Riya decided to test her business idea. She began taking orders from friends and family, and soon, word spread. Her weekends were packed with baking and delivering orders. The positive feedback and growing demand gave her the confidence to take the leap.

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The Leap of Faith

After saving enough money to cover six months of expenses, Riya resigned from her engineering job. She started her home-based bakery, "Sweet Innovations," offering custom cakes, cookies, and desserts. She used her engineering skills to create efficient workflows and her marketing knowledge to promote her business online.

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Challenges and Growth

The transition wasn’t easy. Riya faced challenges like managing inventory, handling customer complaints, and working long hours. However, her determination and problem-solving mindset helped her overcome these hurdles. Within a year, her bakery gained popularity, and she hired her first employee.

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Where She Is Now

Today, Riya runs a successful bakery with a physical storefront and a thriving online presence. She’s happier, more fulfilled, and enjoys the creative freedom her new career offers. Reflecting on her journey, Riya says, "Leaving engineering was scary, but following my passion was the best decision I ever made. It’s never too late to start over."

Here are some inspiring and motivational quotes about career change to encourage and guide you on your journey:

And take a leap forward

"The only way to do great work
 is to love what you do. 
If you haven’t found it yet,
keep looking. Don’t settle."

it’s start with this: Change is hard. It’s uncomfortable, it’s uncertain, and it’s scary. But you know what’s even scarier? Staying in a place where you feel stagnant, where your passion has faded, and where your potential is being wasted. You are not a tree. You are not rooted to one spot. You have the power to move, to grow, and to thrive in new soil.Le

"Change can be scary, but you 
know what’s scarier?
Allowing fear to stop you from 
growing, evolving, and progressing."

You might be thinking, “But I don’t have the right experience,” or “What if I fail?” Here’s the truth: Your skills are transferable. That problem-solving ability, that leadership experience, that creativity you’ve honed over the years—those are your superpowers. They don’t belong to one industry or one job title. They belong to YOU. And they can take you anywhere you want to go.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: 
It is the courage to continue those counts."

You don’t have to quit your job tomorrow to start this journey. Start small. Take a class, attend a workshop, or volunteer in the field you’re curious about. Test the waters before you dive in. Every small step you take is a step closer to your dream. Remember, even the tallest skyscrapers were built one brick at a time.

Your life does not get better 
by chance, it gets better by change.
If you don’t like where you are,
 move. You are not a tree."

4. 
   

Let’s talk about failure. Yes, you might stumble. You might face setbacks. But failure is not the end—it’s a lesson. Every “no” brings you closer to a “yes.” Every mistake teaches you something new. Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of the journey.

"Don’t ask yourself what the world

needs. Ask yourself what 

makes you come alive, and then go do that. 

Because what the world needs is 

people who have come alive." 

You might feel like you’re the only one going through this, but you’re not. Countless people have made career switches and thrived. They’ve gone from engineers to entrepreneurs, from teachers to tech experts, from accountants to artists. If they can do it, so can you. Your journey is unique, but you are not alone.

"The two most important days

 in your life are the day you

 are born and the day you

 find out why."

Here’s the thing: Time will pass anyway. A year from now, you could be in the same place, wondering “what if?” Or you could be in a new career, living a life that excites you. The choice is yours. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment. It doesn’t exist. The perfect moment is now.

"Passion is energy. 

Feel the power that comes

from focusing on what 

excites you."

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Key Take aways from Riya’s Story

1. Follow Your Passion: 

2. 
   

3. Identify what truly excites you and explore ways to turn it into a career.

4. 
   

5. Leverage Transferable Skills: 

6. 
   

7. Your existing skills can be valuable in a new field.

8. 
   

9. Start Small: 

10. Test your idea before fully committing to ensure it’s viable.

11. 
    

12. Be Prepared for Challenges: 

13. Career changes come with obstacles, but persistence pays off.

14. 
    

15. Never Stop Learning: 

16. Continuously upskill and adapt to succeed in your new role.

17.