Sometimes, it just makes sense to switch career paths all together.
Just ask Antoine Sicotte.
You may recall him better as one half of the duo “Sky,” with the hit songs Love Song and Some Kinda Wonderful from back in the day.
Since then, he’s re-invented himself professionally three separate times, from Juno-winning musician to record label producer, now to celebrity chef (known as the “Rebel Chef” for his rock and roll vibe).
He’s also the face of some of the country’s highest profile advertising campaigns, like Lays “Do Us a Flavour” contest.
In addition to his Juno, Sicotte has three cookbooks (one bestselling) and three TV shows under his belt, with another filming this summer.
So we turned to him for some seasoned insight on why everyone should switch up careers at least once.
1. You’ll Get a Fresh Start if Your Job is Starting to Feel Stale
A new career path could be just what you need to rediscover that hunger and determination you had in back in your early days out of university; you know, before the shine turned to rust.
“At one point my music career, I was no longer getting the creative satisfaction I needed,” said Sicotte. “I’ve always cooked and a friend had a small publishing company, so we got together and created a cookbook with a rock and roll tone. This provided me a new outlet for my creativity and a fresh perspective. Developing the cookbook into a television show was a simple transition because of my stage background as a musician. It made sense to take the book from two-dimensional to three-dimensional.”
2. You Can Repurpose Your Interests
Now that you’re armed with practical workplace experience, you may want to consider turning one of your passions or side projects into a new career path – and one that won’t even feel like “work.”
“When I was 12 years old, my father introduced me to Italian cuisine and we cooked together. I remember making pizza with my father from a young age and those times help fuel my interest and passion for good cuisine,” says Sicotte.
3. Many of your Skills Are Transferrable
Even in two seemingly unrelated career paths, there are many skills – like networking, problem solving, or working on deadlines – that are transferrable between them. All of your previous work experience will help you in a new endeavor.
“There are so many similarities between all three of my careers. All are grounded in creative. The process of writing a song and creating a dish are very similar,” says Sicotte. “When writing a song, you start with finding a melody and then add other elements to make that melody shine. Then, you always want to work with the best people you can – you want talented musicians, and of course a recording studio with good equipment. Mixing a record is all about balancing the right sounds. Finally, the pleasure of sharing your music on stage and getting the applause and screams from your fans. Developing a recipe has a similar process.”
“When creating a recipe, you start with a main ingredient and add flavours and spices to make that dish shine. Again, you want to work with the best ingredients you can – you want to use quality produce and fresh ingredients to help get the best results. Mixing the ingredients in a recipe is also all about finding the right balance of flavours. Finally, the pleasure of placing the food on the table for your guests or family to enjoy and getting their response of how wonderful everything tastes. There truly are so many similarities when you break them down – the core principles apply to both.”
4. You’ll Be Challenged
Too many people stay in professions and careers because they’re ‘safe’ or ‘comfortable.’ Transferrable skills or not, a new career means you’ll be challenged, or you’re missing the whole point.
“There is so much to learn and to discover, and for that reason, it doesn’t make sense to me to just focus on one career in your life,” says Sicotte. “If your current career isn’t stimulating, it’s time for a change. Give yourself the opportunity to try something else. For me, happiness comes when I’m challenged, when I’m evolving and constantly moving forward. I’m not happy when I’m coasting.”
5. You Can Create Your Own Job
In our age of start-ups and an embrace of the entrepreneurial culture, a new career can involve creating a job for yourself. Sicotte cites the best part of his job now as his freedom to have creative control.
“I’m in control of my artistic visions. When I’m developing my cooking show, I decide who I work with, the look and feel of the show, the music, the recipes, all of it. I love the freedom,” he says.
6. It’s a Way to Reinvent Yourself
If you’re feeling a little stale in a career rut, switching professions is a way to reinvent yourself and to create a new legacy as a professional.
“Don’t be scared to reinvent yourself. Life is too short and there are too many interesting careers to just focus on one for your life. Don’t limit yourself to one thing,” says Sicotte.
7. You’ll Have More Choices When it Comes to Career Highlights
If you have a full, diverse career, it will be difficult to find just one highlight.
“Because of my varied career, it’s hard to pick just one highlight,” says Sicotte. “On the music side, I’d have to say winning a JUNO Award was really a big moment in my life. In my food career, I’m proud to say my first cookbook, “Rebel Cook” was honoured at the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in “The Best First Cookbook” category.”
Now that we have you thinking about switching careers, you may want to consider one of these 17 hot jobs of the future.
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