Page 106 - Marky Stein - Fearless Career Change_ The Fast Track to Success in a New Field (2004)

Fearless Career Change

matter how easy the changes these people made may seem, there is
almost always an element of risk involved in a career change. But
remember, you’ve handled risks before.

All risks are double edged. On one hand, they
can be frightening, but on the other hand,
calculated risks can lead to terrific triumphs.

All of the following stories are true, almost to the letter, except
for the names of the people and the companies they worked for.
These individuals are not different—not more courageous, consci-
entious, or clever—from you. The only difference is that they took
decisive action in spite of fear and unpredictability, and they succeeded.
Let’s review these 10 people’s stories and see what can be learned
from them.

Fearless Career Changers

From Landscaper to Environmental Planner in
Four Weeks Using Strategic Education
Name: Marie
Former occupation: Landscaper
New occupation: Environmental planner
Primary strategy: Strategic education
Other strategies: Transferable talents, on-the-job training
Length of time from career decision to a paid position: One month
Cost (if any) of transition: $350

At 38 years old and working as the head of her own landscaping
company, Marie had plenty of compelling reasons to want to change
her profession. “First,” she said, “my body isn’t holding up to the
strain of bending, lifting, and crawling day by day. My wrists are get-
ting tendonitis from working in rocky soil. I’m tired of running my
own business, and I’d like to get on someone else’s payroll.” She
didn’t need to provide other reasons, but she did. She also expressed

88