Written by: Rebecca Brown
Many people dread going to work in the morning, fighting the Sunday blues whenever Monday is around the corner. If you are spending your days at work staring at the clock and waiting to leave, it might be a good time to consider a career change.
Once you start thinking about jumping that ship, you have to carefully think things through and prepare yourself before cutting current ties for good.
To make the transition as smooth as possible, make sure to do your homework and check out these six tips for changing your career successfully!
1. Start With Self-Assessment
Begin with exploration and identify your strengths, core values, and interests. Also, think about what you like about your current job, and what you dislike. This information will help you determine preferred activities and career opportunities that would suit you best.
Also, you need to consider your priorities. How important is work culture to you? Where do teamwork and money stand in your priority list?
Coming up with things you would be compelled to do without getting paid is also a good start.
When you consider all of these, together with your skills, values, and interests, you will have a better picture of potential careers that will allow you to utilize your strengths best.
2. Career Exploration Phase
Once you have an idea of what might interest you, make sure to do your research and find out as much as you can about the career options that have emerged. Figuring out what skills and experience are required to get the job you want is crucial.
You may want to talk face to face to people who are already involved in the industry or career you are interested in. Or, you can do online research to learn about job prospects, salary estimates, and other relevant things, such as work-life balance.
Seminars, conferences, trade shows, and other meet-ups are an excellent opportunity to engage with people from the industry and learn valuable information about the career you want to explore.
Doing research will help you determine if some of the skills you’ve learned in your current career can be useful for your new profession.
3. Consider Hiring a Career Coach for Expert Advice
Finding an occupation you will enjoy is invaluable since you will most probably stay on that path for decades. A career counselor or a coach can provide guidance and help you transition to a new profession.
A counselor can help you investigate career options, increase self-awareness, and identify your unique combination of personality, skill sets, abilities, and experiences.
It’s essential to understand your assets and communicate them to your future employer.
When you are feeling stuck in your career, consider seeking counseling, since an individualized plan designed around your specific needs and goals is the best way to achieve personal and professional development.
4. Take Advantage of Online Career Tools
Self-awareness about your core values and interests is the key to getting on the right path regarding your career choice. Online career aptitude tests can help you figure out job opportunities that are compatible with your VIPS – values, interests, personality, and skills.
CareerLeader is a great tool that helps in making career choices and decisions with the help of data-driven insights. This online self-assessment program relies on your VIPS to find what works best for you.
123 Career Test is a free career aptitude test designed to assist you in finding occupations and work environments that best fit your personality. As a result, you’ll get a list of professions that suit your career personality.
5. Build Career Bridges
When you make your mind about what you want to do, the next step is making connections and gaining industry experience.
Volunteering, an internship, and part-time work are some of the options for you to consider. If you don’t have a support system, especially regarding your finances, you may choose to stay in your current role and do side projects to build your new career.
Doing a part-time internship is also a great way to test drive your new career and see if it is a good fit for you and how you feel while doing the actual job.
6. Assess the Future of Your Potential Profession
Find out as much as you can about long-term prospects for jobs in your new career. An industry or field that is stable and keeps expanding and adding new jobs is a safer option when considering a career change.
If the future of this industry is grim, and there are predictions about shrinking jobs, consider other possibilities.
When you are looking to make a career change, prepare for a lengthy and time-consuming process. Mastering the necessary skills and gaining the education or licenses needed to pursue your desired career takes time.
Also, having the right support system in place will help you transition much easier, so make sure your family and friends are on board with your decision.
Making a career change is a life-changing event, so take your time and explore your possibilities carefully.
I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.
