Questions to Ask before You Shift Industries

How many times have you seen graduates running out of Singapore jobs to have, just because they thought that the industry of their time would still be the industry on their graduation? As an executive, you have a lot more to lose than students who just freshly graduated from college. So if your reason of shifting industries is only the money and the amount of opportunities in it, then you need to think more deeply about it.
However, if you have more reasons that are valid and will help you in your career advancement, you may be right in your intention to chase another industry. Make sure, though, that you answer the following questions before you make your move:

• Is the shift necessary for your success? Managing a team of writers is much different from managing a team of programmers. Will moving to the IT industry help you in your managing career, or will it be a detour?
• Is the new industry suited for your skills? If you intend to shift from an accountant job to a sales job, you need to know if you can handle all the new tasks that will come from being a sales executive. You would have to meet with people, interact with them all the time. If you have no intention to master your people skills, then it is best to concentrate on industries and jobs that are more technical than requiring of interaction.
• Have you seen anybody doing the job you want to have? Maybe you only have a vague picture of what it’s like to be in the industry that you are eyeing. It would be best if you can try being a shadow of an executive who’s in the position you want to be in. Shifting industries is a big decision, and so you need to do everything in your position to have an idea of what you will be walking into once you make the shift.
• Can you really do it? Given that the industry shift will do great for your career, you still should evaluate the situation relative to yourself. For instance, if you really want to shift to the IT industry, you should be ready for stressful nights away from home because you need to finish a program. You should also be prepared for quiet times in the office while everybody gets busy coding or rushing deadlines. It may be best to stay in the creative world of writing and focus on managing people and motivating them to do better than yesterday.

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