Many people consider changing their careers at some point in their life. Such change may be challenging, especially if you want to move to a completely different niche, but it’s not impossible. However, you need to be ready to commit, work hard, and acquire some necessary skills.
This road won’t be simple, but don’t worry – we’re here to help. In this article, you’ll find all the necessary information about changing your career successfully. Read on, and learn what you have to be prepared for, which skills you need, and how to find a new job in a different field.
Steps To Change Your Career
How do you know what career would suit you best? This is a question people ask themselves in middle school, high school, and sometimes all the way up to their 40s. How can you figure it out? Here are some steps you can take in order to organize your goals and skills, and to create a list of possible career change options:
- Write down all the factors that affect your decision to change a career. In most cases, the main reason for choosing a new profession is the lack of motivation or engagement in your current job. Maybe the work is too monotonous, or you have no opportunity for promotion. If you can’t find a good reason, don’t worry – sometimes it’s just a feeling that makes you want to change your job. Make a list of pros and cons of staying in your current job and making a switch.
- Start looking for a job that would be interesting for you. If you don’t know anything about a certain field, try to get information about it. Spend time in this area, and talk to people who work there. For example, if you want to become a designer, visit art galleries and see what kind of art people buy there. Knowing how people earn money in this area will give you an idea. Especially about whether or not it would be possible for you to make a living in it.
- Check out the educational requirements for jobs in different industries. In most cases, educational requirements will depend on the level of education and qualifications required by employers. The more skillful and educated the workers are, the higher their salaries will be. The best way to find out educational requirements is to contact job placement centers or call some of those companies directly.
- Find out what skills are needed for jobs in different fields. Let’s say you’re trained or educated in one field, but want to change your career. Check out other fields that are related to your current profession. See whether you already have any skills that could help you to succeed in these careers. You can also do some research and find out what skills are required for jobs in different industries.
- Think about the career options available to you, and try to determine which path will be easier for you to choose. Don’t forget about your personal life goals and financial concerns.
Now that we’ve covered all the basics of changing your career, let’s see which fields are most popular among people who want to change their profession.
What Skills Do You Need To Change Your Career?
You’ve decided what career you want to pursue. You have a clear idea of your goals, what industry you want to work in, and whether or not you have the necessary experience for the job. Now, you need to learn the skills necessary for jobs in different fields.
Learning new skills can require some time and effort. It’s best to start learning as early as possible, but if you’re already working in a certain field, you can still acquire new skills on your own. There are several ways to do this:
- Community college – you can take vocational courses part-time, and fit your education into your existing work schedule. Community colleges are also affordable, so you won’t have to deal with crushing student loans.
- Online classes – these have become very popular and accessible to many people. You don’t need to take classes from formal educational institutions, but if you’re learning skills like programming, it’s enough to be disciplined and take courses made by programmers outside of the educational system.
- Take a moment to access the skills you already have but aren’t using. For example, if you know how to speak another language, it might be a gateway for another career. Check what’s going on in the industry. In the case of being multilingual, you can check translation services by Architekst to see what marketable translating services are in demand, or contact them directly to see what positions are open. You can follow the same procedure for any other skill you might have.
You need to be open to education, but also be prepared to sharpen your skills and develop them further.
Changing Your Career: Finding a Job In a New Field
Now that we’ve covered all the basics of changing careers successfully, let’s talk about how exactly to find a job in a new field. Take a look at these tips and tricks:
If you want to find a job in a new field, make sure that this field is really what you want to do with your life. Don’t choose a change of career just because it’s trendy now or because it seems easy for you. If you feel that it’s the right thing to do, go ahead and make a switch!
Don’t accept the first job offer if it doesn’t interest you professionally or financially. Even though switching careers can be quite challenging, don’t settle for second best just because it seems easier for you. If the offer doesn’t suit your needs now, take some time and wait for something better.
When sending out applications, make sure that they are concise and well written (use spell check and grammar check). Don’t send out multiple copies of the same application (this could lead to rejection). If you don’t get any response after sending out multiple applications, try reaching out directly to employers by phone or email.
In most cases, it’s easier to find a job online than offline. Don’t rely on offline job placement agencies too much – most of the jobs are found online nowadays (through Indeed or LinkedIn).
When applying for a job, don’t forget about your personal brand (LinkedIn profile and resume). Make sure that everything is up-to-date (if there are any changes in your education or work experience). Also, don’t forget about including keywords that could help the employers find your application. For example: “project management” or “IT support staff”.
Conclusion
It’s okay to want to change careers – people do it all the time, especially in recent years. In order to be successful we need to be flexible. The days when people had one job all of their adult lives are pretty much gone – same with your career “direction”. In fact, having experience in one field may improve your chances of being successful in another field. So, what are you waiting for? Sit down with a pen and paper and write out your plan today.
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash
About the Author/s
Tom is a lifelong New Jersey resident, Rutgers and FDU alumni and the publisher of The Digest.
