A Change I Fear

A career change is a very scary thing to think about. After you have been doing something for a long time, simply walking away from it and starting over is an extremely courageous step to take. I have been working in the property management industry for almost 5 years. After all these years, I started to question myself and wondered if this was the career path that I wanted to continue for the rest of my life. My answer was a clear no. In my heart, I was eager to change.

However, I have had a hard time putting my decision into action, as I was often struggling with doubts and hesitations. Building a career from scratch felt enormous. Could I really handle this?

But today, I’m very excited to announce that I have successfully made the transition! Even for someone like myself who is very risk averse, I was able to walk this path. Here is my story on how I decided to make a career change:

A Challenge I Like

I started researching career options in early 2021. Data Analytics piqued my interest as it has been in great demand and there are opportunities to apply data analysis skills across a wide range of industries. Businesses need Data Analysts to increase sales and profits. I consider myself a problem solver at heart. The idea of using data and data tools to help businesses improve and grow speaks to me and excites me. Reinventing myself is not easy. But it is the kind of challenge that I was very interested in taking on.

I also realized that it is totally possible to transition into Data Analytics field from all sorts of backgrounds, and many of my colleagues have made a successful transition. Their stories boosted my confidence to upskill myself through online training and formal courses.

I found instructors at WeCloudData Data Analytics Bootcamp all very inspiring. All instructors shared their own experiences and journeys through their careers. Having industry experts teach me only relevant skills based on roles and contexts was extremely effective as opposed to trying to learn everything without a sense of purpose. Being able to work on projects derived from my instructor’s day-to-day work environment has provided me practical industry grade experience.

Tips: How I Pulled Through

After I completed the bootcamp, I chose to enroll in the WeCareer Mentorship program to help with my job search. When I was very unsure about my chances of finding a job, my mentors provided me with insight and guidance, additional training, interview tips and emotional support.

3 months into the WeCareer Mentorship program, I successfully landed an offer of Business Intelligence Analyst.

I have learned a lot throughout this journey and have many tips to share.

First and foremost, If you have any self doubt about a career change, just remember me. If I can do it, so can you!

Second, starting out as a Data Analyst does not mean you have to be an expert at everything. As soon as you realize that you just need to learn enough to do a job, you relieve yourself of the self-inflicted anxiety. You will pick up things at your own pace as the situation requires.

Third, you are not starting from zero. Your past experience is not a throwaway. There is always a way to combine the old with the new and re-adapt your past experience to become relevant in a new context. No matter what you have done in the past, it can help you in some way to build a new career.

Finally, don’t give up too early. If you ever feel lost, confused, or want to give up, find someone to talk to. Reach out to someone who has made it. WeCareer has many great mentors who genuinely want to help you pull through.

To conclude, everyone is different. Don’t compare yourself to others. Some are fast, some are slow. As long as you are on the right track and growing, it will be a rewarding career.