The idea of switching careers can be both overwhelming and exciting at the same time. On one hand, there is the possibility of fulfilling your career goals. And on the other, there are a lot of risks that come with changing careers. If you are not sure about making this move, you should know that feeling this way is completely normal. Developing important skills in a particular field and then starting the process of finding a job in the industry can seem impossible. However, there are a lot of great tips that you can use to make a career change successful. In this post, we are going to address this issue.
Is Changing Careers Easy?
To answer this question accurately, you have to be practical in your assessment. Like anything else in life, it can be easy for some and difficult for others. The last thing you want to happen is to start making changes and expecting everything to be as easy as blinking an eye. As you are going to see, there are specific moves that you can make to ensure that you have a smooth transition. While the tips are simple, the process might not be easy. You might face challenges when it comes to applying for jobs or working on side projects. By putting time and energy into the process, things will ultimately work out.
Is It Time For A Career Change?
Before we start covering how you can make a career change, you need to start by knowing when it’s time to make changes. Here are some of the common signs that it’s time for a career change:
1. Your work doesn’t excite you
Feeling unexcited or uninterested in your work is a clear sign that your skills should be applied elsewhere. If you aren’t passionate about your job as you were when you got it, you should consider changing careers.
2. You feel tired most of the time
Feeling tired and burnt out in the workplace doesn’t always happen due to a heavy workload or demanding bosses. You might experience this when your job isn’t engaging you. If you are always tired for no reason, you should change your career.
3. You hate going to work
If you are starting to feel negative about going to work, then it’s a clear sign that the job isn’t right for you. Work is supposed to be fun and interesting. It’s something that you should look forward to. Failing to make changes because of a secure income can harm your health and well-being.
4. No room for advancement
As the popular saying goes, if you aren’t moving forward, you are moving backward. A good job allows you to work on challenging assignments, negotiate higher salaries and work with a lot of people. If your current job has no room for advancement, you should consider making a change.
Tips For Changing Careers The Right Way
Now that you know when to make a career change, you need to look at ways to make it happen in the best manner:
Figure out why
Before making an important move, you need to know your ‘why’. This means that you should take time to reflect on why you are making a transition. Are you making the move to advance your career? Or are you looking for a less demanding job? Answering these questions will help you figure out why you are making this change.
Create a plan
Once you’ve figured out why you want to make a career change, you should narrow down your options and choose a career that fulfills all your needs. Apart from giving you direction, your new career should energize you. You have to visualize what your career will look like and the benefits that you’ll enjoy from the transition process.
Improve your skills and resume
Changing careers usually involves developing new skills. However, you don’t have to go back to college to develop new skills. There are a lot of online courses that you can access today to improve your skills and resume. When it comes to your resume, you need to consult career change resume writing services before making any changes. Your document has to reflect that you are open to getting a new job in another industry. Pursuing skills to help improve your resume is an excellent way to stand out from among the competition. Although some of these experiences or qualifications may be hard or expensive to obtain or maintain, for these cases you can try to obtain a fake high school diploma online or even a college degree online that could be beneficial as well. There are lots of reputable sites that provide many digital and certificate programs that may also add value to your skill set. Taking these courses or finishing the programs will help increase your knowledge in different areas, improving your chances of impressing future employers or landing yourself a higher paying job.
Consider getting a promotion at your current company
If there are open positions in the workplace that will help you climb the career ladder, why not apply for them? The best part about making a lateral move in the company that you work for is hiring managers to know all candidates well. Therefore, you don’t have to struggle to try to create an impression.
Test the waters
One of the best ways to learn in your new career is by working on side projects. After developing your skills, you should consider coming up with a project that will help you showcase what you’ve learned. After completing the project add it to your resume.
Update your LinkedIn profile
Studies have shown that more than 70 percent of hiring managers use LinkedIn to vet candidates and make hiring decisions. You need to update your profile to show hiring managers that you are working towards a new career.
Use your network before sending applications
One of the best ways for hiring managers uses to find good candidates is through referrals. Studies have shown that referred applicants are 15 times more likely to get a job compared to their counterparts. Therefore, using your network when searching for a job can help you.
Get feedback from hiring managers
As you make a career change, you are going to be invited to many interviews. You need to use them as a learning opportunity to increase your chances of landing your dream job. At the end of your interviews, ask the hiring managers what you can do to improve.
Take a break
It can be difficult to balance between getting a new job and performing the duties of your current job. If possible, take a break from your current job so that you can focus on developing new skills. Taking time off will help you achieve your goals easily.
Be a good negotiator
When you get invited for interviews, ensure that you don’t sell yourself cheaply. You might be looking for a way to get into an industry. However, remember that you will bring value to the organization. To be a good negotiator, you need to find out how people get paid in the industry. As you negotiate, exercise caution to avoid bargaining.
Take baby steps
Changing careers is not an easy process. You have to be careful and ambitious. You need time for the process to be successful. Otherwise, you might end up giving up easily along the way. Small changes eventually add up to big changes.
It’s not too late
You are never too young or old to change your career. All you have to focus on is developing new skills and building a portfolio. If you are not happy with your current job, it’s time for a change regardless of your age or experience.
Conclusion
As you have seen, changing careers is not an easy thing. However, it’s not impossible. By using the tips that we’ve discussed here and being patient, you will achieve your biggest goals. You can also get help from career experts to have an easy time during the transition process.
