At one point in your life, you might have felt that you may have picked the wrong career. You might have dreamt of switching to a different career, one that is more aligned with your vision…or at the very least, with the course you majored in college.

However, jumping from one career to another isn’t easy. We are all held back by fear. On one hand, a career change could mean more avenues to explore your potential and new opportunities to discover. One the other hand, it could mean starting over from scratch and not being equipped with the skills needed for your career to take off. If only there was a guarantee, but like everything in life, there are no guarantees. You can only jump in and hope that everything goes your way. 

If you’re planning on switching careers, best of luck to you.We know that you can make it work. Make sure to avoid these career switch mistakes and you’re all set.

The mistake of chasing money

Your deciding factor should be how well the job suits you, not how much it pays. Most career burnout horror stories start with being lured to switch to that high paying – high powered job only to burnout and be left with a life’s worth of mental illness. A career switch isn’t a solution if you’re looking for bigger pay. You should chase growth and purpose instead of a paycheck.

The mistake of thinking a switch will make you happier

Sure, you’re unhappy at work. You dread Mondays. You’re working for the weekend. I could go on with all the “ I hate work!” cliches but answer this: Is it really your career that’s making you unhappy? Could it be the work environment? Could it be that you’re surrounded by difficult people? Could it be bad boundaries? Think hard about this: is the industry to blame or is it the bad work environment? You might be better off looking for a new opportunity while staying in the same industry.

The mistake of comparing yourself to others

Seeing someone you know do well in a different industry is really a huge draw because you see their success first hand. You might be thinking “I am very determined to learn and if they can do it, so can I!” When your friend makes a killing in sales and you’re stuck in the office as an HR professional, it’s not a long shot to entertain thoughts of switching to a career in sales. However, remember that you do not have the same skill set and skills are not acquired by simply observing from the outside.

The mistake of switching to a “hot” field

Not all industries are created equal. Some really do pay more than others. Some are so in demand that you don’t need to look for a job, the job finds you. But “hot” careers come and go and although you might have the skills and knowledge to make it big in this “hot” career, it is still prudent to assess if it will still be a “hot” career down the line.

What tips can you give those who are planning on switching careers? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

A while back we had to hire staff for a new position that our team never had before. I wrote a lengthy job description thinking it would answer all the questions of a potential applicant only to be told that the job description published sounded intimidating. I thought I was being comprehensive and helpful, but I didn’t realize what I wrote was overwhelming. 

In reality, a well written and concise job description helps you find a great potential hire and will help you weed out those who are not a good fit. Here are a few tips for how to write a great job description that will help you attract your next star performer.

What is the job title? – what will be the position your potential hire is going to fill? What department will they be under?

Who will be the stakeholders? – potential hires should know who they are going to report to or if they will be working with teams. 

What are the essential job requirements and what are the key responsibilities? – you don’t have to get into the nitty-gritty details, that can be discussed during the interview. However, you have to be clear about the requirements and qualifications that you think a potential hire should possess in order to do the job right. Also, detail the key responsibilities, preferably in a separate paragraph as bullet points. This way, the potential hire will know what to essential skills are expected of them and compare that against their existing skillset accordingly. 

What type of employee is needed? – by this, I mean you should be straightforward and describe if the position is a casual position, a temporary position, a permanent position, etc. Also describe if it is a project-based job or if it is a remote job/freelance job, and what working hours are required.

When is the start date? – let your potential hires know what the expected start date is. This is especially critical if the potential hire is meant to replace someone else.

Put them together and you should  have something like this:

• Job title, the department and the person to whom the employee will report.
• The person’s responsibilities: what will the employee be doing (essential responsibilities)  and what is their objective (how can they help the company?).
• The most important tasks and responsibilities – a bulleted list of the potential hire’s key tasks that can be discussed in detail upon being shortlisted or interviewed.
• Skills and characteristics that a good candidate should have, employment requirements and desired level of education.

Not only can you use your job description to attract the best candidate, but it is also a chance for you to tell prospective employees the benefits of working for your business. Introduce your company with a few strong points and a link to your website or online business profile.

What are your tips for writing a great job description? Share your tips with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Before we get to the nitty-gritty of things, let me say this: I’m pretty sure that all of your clients are awesome and really fun to work with. I’m sure that 100% of the time they are collaborative and that you have a great working relationship. Good for you!

These tips are your use-in-case-of-emergency tips. They’re handy to keep in your back pocket for when you come across that one client who turns out to be less than ideal to work with. You may never get them, but it’s best to be prepared if you do get a difficult client.

First of all, you need to recognize the danger signs that your client is a potential liability. Here are some things you need to keep an eye out for:

• They give you an incomprehensive brief that changes halfway through the project.

They usually give you vague instructions and/or concepts that they leave for you to execute. If that doesn’t turn out the way they like, they change the brief in the middle of the project. 

• They have unrealistic expectations.

This can come in the form of unrealistic turn around times, unlimited number of revisions, assuming that you are available to work on their project 24/7.

• They keep changing the deadlines and go MIA.

They’re late in giving feedback or keep asking for extensions but expect real-time updates from you. They don’t reply to your emails or ignore your calls but come back insisting that they want the work immediately.

• They shortchange you.

This is a big red flag. Clients who ask for deliverables before payments are delivered should not be entertained. This can also be clients who want all the bells and whistles but never want to pay for extra services.

• They are inflexible.

They think it’s their way or the highway. 

So, how do you fire a client gracefully? It’s not as easy as saying “it’s not you, it’s me.” It could potentially get ugly, but you should always try to part on good terms. Difficult clients are very rare, but if the situation arises you will need a tailored approach. However, here are some basic points to guide you:

1. Part ways as amicably as you can – be polite and try your hardest to end on good terms. Don’t burn bridges. Your paths might cross again in a few years, so it’s best to end on a good note.
2. Don’t just send a “Dear John” letter – you can start with an email, but it’s best to schedule a meeting or at least a phone call to make sure there’s no bad blood.
3. Don’t go MIA – do not go missing in action, it’s very bad form. Deliver your deliverables and see the project through as best you can.

Have you ever had a difficult client? How did you end that relationship? Share your story with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp