Self-Improvement

Making a career change is big commitment for most people. I struggled on and off for years to figure out a way to change. However, once I figured out my goal, everything went quickly and turned out well.

My previous job was working in a Japanese restaurant as a chef. I worked there for about 18 months. At first, I was concerned because I would not be able to use English at work when the owner offered me the position. However, he accommodated my schedule so that I would be able to drop off and pick up my daughter from daycare and he gave me weekends off. It was perfect for me, so I accepted his offer. It’d been a while since I had worked and met new people because I was raising a child, so I enjoyed every single day.

After a year though, I started to think about a career change. I realized I wasn't enjoying my work. I began to feel like I wasn't using my full potential and I couldn't imagine doing the job for the next 3 years. I started to research the kinds of jobs that I was interested in as well as the high demand jobs in Canada. I finally decided that I wanted to work in an office as an Administrative Assistant. It was one of the most difficult periods of my life. But as soon as I decided what I wanted to do, I started to make a plan.

My original plan was to take a course at college to have some education because I had no experience or a certificate to get into the industry in Canada. I actually had some experience working in an office in my native country but it was a long time ago and I thought going back to school was the best way to achieve my goal. At the same time, I set the date to leave my job. Sometimes you need to make the first move in order to not miss out on things.

I was very positive after I made my decision. Then, all of a sudden, a “chance" came to me. I had friends who had been building their careers in Canada and they were always positive and willing to learn. One night, we had dinner and talked about our situations. Some of them had been working in offices for a long time and they told me how much they enjoyed their work and how they got their positions.

Coincidentally, one of them was just about to change her job, so she told me to apply for her old job. At that time, she was still working at her old job and there was an event coming up in couple of weeks. She invited me to assist with the event so that I would be able to build a relationship with her employer. Of course, I took advantage of the opportunity. Why not? I really liked what they did and wanted to work for the organization. It was a great experience and I was able to have a conversation about it at my interview.

Eventually I was chosen out of 11 candidates for the position and I have just started working as an Assistant to the Secretary General at the organization. My life has completely changed, in a positive way, and now I’m really happy doing what I do.

What I want to say is that chance favors those who are prepared for it. Once you decide something, just do it and believe in yourself. Do the research and plan for it. The most important thing is to not be afraid to make the change. Making a change is a chance to improve yourself. Don’t miss your chance. You must move proactively and be positive.