Whether you’ve lost your job amid COVID-19 and have struggled to get rehired in your industry, or you’re lucky to have your full time job but feel pulled to a different career, switching industries feels like a huge step that can often feel daunting. Afterall, it’s human nature to stick with what we know, and making a change can feel uncomfortable.
If this is you, my conversation with Sarah Symons, Founder and Director of Her Future Coalition, might inspire you. On this week’s podcast episode, Sarah shares her personal story and gives us some insights on where to begin if you’re thinking about making a change.
A little background on Sarah: Sarah’s career was always centered around music, but when she stumbled upon a documentary about the exploitation and trafficking of young girls, she decided to make the career change of a lifetime. With no experience, she dove in heart first to do whatever it took to learn and understand what these survivors needed most. Today, Her Future Coalition is a result of her learnings, and has rescued tens of thousands of girls from poverty and exploitation in Cambodia, India and Thailand and teaches them to become independent and free. She’s even collaborated with Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance.
So the big question is – how did Sarah make this incredible leap from successful musician and composer to founder of an international charity? Two completely different industries! When starting with no experience, most of us wouldn’t even know the first step to take.
Here are some of my takeaways from our conversation that I think can be helpful to you:
- Research As Much As Possible. This is action step #1. Read articles, watch documentaries, and speak to people in the field. Don’t be bashful about what you don’t know, but feel proud of your beginner’s mind- it’s full of potential!
- Spend Time In And Around The Industry. Think about where you can spend time to better understand what you don’t know. Sarah went right to the communities where girls were experiencing the worst exploitation and not only witnessed it, but also connected with the individuals already dedicated to impact.
- Stay Curious. So many of our limitations are self-imposed and we think we need to be an “expert” to start something new or make a difference. Not true! Your curiosity alone will help you immensely, and as long as you stay curious, the more your work has potential to make waves, no matter what it is you feel called to do.
- Don’t Hold Back. Especially if you feel called to do work that involves helping others. YOUR life is part of the movement of change, and the world needs us now more than ever. Lead with your heart and know that your work matters!
To get inspired on how YOU can make a career change, listen to my full conversation with Sarah on this week’s episode of The Going Beyond Podcast in the link below or on your preferred podcast platform!
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