5 Difficult Career Challenges And How To Get Past Them

Posted on Jul 7 2016 - 7:38pm by Editorial Staff

We all know that when it comes to our careers, we can encounter some problems with finances along the way. But you don’t let financial issues stop you in your tracks. Read our guide on how to get past monetary roadblocks and move forward to career success.

Qualifications

One of the most costly significant career challenges can be getting the right skills for the role that you want. The first thing to do is identify what the minimum qualifications are to enter your chosen profession. If you haven’t got the qualifications that you need, then there are several options available to you. Firstly you could quit your job and go back to college full time. Be aware, college success can can be costly, and tough if you have a family to support. It will take time and money to go to college full time, and it may not fit in with your current lifestyle. Think carefully before making any rash decisions.

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Next, you could study part-time either online or at night school. This is a more cost-effective option as the cost of part-time courses can often be spread over several months. It also allows you to keep your current job, and therefore pay your bills and support your family as you learn. Night school is a great option if you do not have a young family. While online learning is particularly convenient as you don’t have to worry about attending classes outside the home. This saves travel costs and means that even if you can’t get childcare, you still have the opportunity to study.

The last option is to take a lesser role in the field you are interested in and benefit from an in-house training program. While this might mean a pay cut, getting trained on the job is held in high regard by employers as it shows commitment to your chosen field. It also means that you will be able to ‘hit the ground running,’ because you have actually worked in the industry. This can be more useful to employers than someone with lots of qualifications and no experience.

Family

Another challenge to your career is deciding to have a family. This can affect both men and women, but is a particular issue for females, as they are often expected to take time off to nurse and raise the child. Even when women do return to work, it is often the case that they are still responsible for the majority of the childcare. This is in addition to running the household when they are at home as well. This can make it tough for them to succeed in their chosen field, and earn as much as their male counterparts.

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Luckily, there are many companies that are now implementing more family friendly policies. This includes paternity leave, increased paid maternity leave, flexible working hours and onsite, subsidized child care. With these new developments, it makes having the cost of a young family a lot easier to manage, as well as enabling men and women to share the load.

Health issues

Unfortunately, many people have to have time off due to physical or psychological health concerns.  It is important to eat healthily, drink enough water and exercise regularly. These things can help prevent health problems. They can also increase your stress tolerance and general well-being making giving your best at work a lot easier.

But there are also health problems that are unavoidable. You may suffer injuries sustained from a car accident or a genetic predisposition to a particular illness. If you are a victim of an accident make sure to prioritize your recovery. Take enough time off work to fully recuperate. Use lawyers like Denena & Points to get the compensation you deserve, so you will not worry about money while you are unable to work.

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If you’re suffering from a genetic issue, then regular screenings and preventative measures can all help you. It is important that you maintain the best health possible, and therefore reduce the impact of this health issue on your career and finances.

No opportunities

Another major financial challenge to your career is when you are trying to break into a field, but you find there are no opportunities in your area. This often means you have to move town, state or even country to find employment with a company in your field. However, there is another option. Consider becoming self-employed in that field. While this can be scary as you are paying your own wages, it can also be very liberating as you get to make all the crucial decisions for your business. Before you take the jump into self-employment, make sure you understand the tax and legal issues. It can be a good idea to engage an accountant or business adviser to help you with this.

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Career change

Lastly career change. One of the major difficulties of a career change is the financial insecurity. Changing your job, once you have established yourself in a particular field, it can be tough. It is easier if the fields are adjacent to one another. For example, if you have been a university lecturer but need a change, you may go into commercial consultancy or training for businesses. Or someone in the medical field might choose to enter the school system and advise on mental health issues for the young.

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The best advice I’ve heard on having successful career change is to ‘try before you buy.’ That’s right, you need to volunteer, shadow, or intern at the sort of role that you are looking for before making a permanent commitment. Although this will be unpaid, it will help you experience all the issues, positive and negative, that are involved in the role. It will also look excellent on your CV as unpaid work shows your enthusiasm and commitment to your chosen course. Also, it can help you decide whether this new role is a viable option, or whether it might be best to stay in the job you’re in?

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.