5 Tips for a Successful Change in Career

Until fairly recently, most people would expect to work in a single career for much of their professional lives, having invested a significant amount of time, resources and experience into progressing their way up the career ladder. However, it’s more and more common for people to find themselves wanting or needing to shift careers after a few years in a particular field. This might be due to a number of reasons, including personal or professional changes, shifts in the economy and technology, or simply a desire to explore something new.

If you find yourself considering changing to a new career, read these useful suggestions to help you plan a successful way to make the move.

Review your current role and identify your needs

Before you dive into finding a new career, it’s important to take the time to review your existing job, and identify what may be causing you a sense of dissatisfaction. A change in career isn’t necessarily the best or most needed option for everyone – in some cases, it may simply be a cause of addressing the issues that are leading to a sense of unhappiness in your current position.

You might want to carry out a detailed review of your current job and employer to identify key issues more clearly. Consider which aspects of your job leave you feeling dissatisfied, as well as what elements of the role you may still enjoy. Taking into account points such as the company culture, people around you, salary, level of responsibility and other useful subjects will help you to identify what you may want to look for in a new role, whether this is something to change, or something you want to retain as you move forward.

It’s also worth discussing your thoughts with your existing employer, to find out whether a change in direction or role might be a better option than starting from scratch elsewhere.

Think about your professional values

A change in career often reflects a new shift in circumstances or personal values, when you start to outgrow your earlier self. While creative reward may have been an important value early on in your career, starting a family or taking on more responsibilities may mean that you are now seeking greater security, financial reward, or more flexible working options, that are in line with your personal goals and aims.

Identify which values are priorities for you, and whether these are being met in your current position. If not, ask yourself what you would like to change. This can often be a helpful way of identifying what to look for, when reviewing potential new jobs.

Carry out a review of your skills and interests

Before you start job hunting, make sure that you’ve done in-depth research into the kind of career pathway you may want for yourself. A key element of this is taking into account your existing skills and interests, as well as past experiences.

You may want to stay within the same field that you have already been working in, or you may be considering a change in direction into something completely different. If this is the case, you’ll need to find out whether you possess the pre-requisite skills and qualifications needed to work in those area, or if you will need to invest in further training, such as in DNP leadership, if you were considering a shift into nursing, or finding a trade school with the help of somewhere like this site here if you wanted to learn a specific trade.

It’s also essential to remind yourself that there may be a significant difference between enjoying something on a casual basis, such as a personal hobby, and making a career of it. If you love baking as a hobby, for example, turning it into a new career might sound like a refreshing and exciting option, but it can be significantly much more challenging, as it may demand a whole new set of skills that you do not possess, such as being able to run a business effectively. 

Research potential roles, and if possible, speak to people working in those areas already, to find out what you can expect and decide whether that is the right step for you.

Dive into networking

Networking may have changed a lot in the past couple of decades, but it’s still a vital tool in your professional arsenal. Meeting people across different industries, roles and businesses will open your career landscape significantly.

Trade networking events and professional mixers are always a great place to start if you are not sure where to begin. Look up events such as job fairs specialising in the area that you want to work in, or trade shows where key businesses in those industries may gather. This will give you the opportunity to connect directly with people in those fields, get feedback on potential career opportunities, as well as a useful source of contacts to help you get started.

Don’t jump on the first opportunity that appears

Changing a career can be a nerve-wracking and frightening prospect, especially if you are forced to look at new jobs following a redundancy or other unexpected event. In such cases, it can be tempting to look for safety and security, and take the first offer that you may come across.

However, it’s worth holding back, and taking your time to consider if this is the right new job for you, before diving in. While it may offer short-term security, take time to think if this position meets your needs and hopes for your professional goals. While it can be worrying to feel that you may not get another opportunity, taking a job that is not right for you can only prolong your career unhappiness, and delay settling into the right role.

Take the time to explore your options and research potential roles as fully as possible. If you don’t feel satisfied with what’s on offer, try not to settle with something that you know you will be unhappy with. Remember that you have a great range of options to consider.

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