A career change often feels like a scary thought and a thought that is so terrifying that many people will opt to remain where they are in their current job or career path. Ultimately, that leads to many individuals who are unhappy in their jobs and in the grand scheme of life, a job takes up a substantial portion of the time you have.
So it’s important that the job you do have is one you really enjoy. Sometimes, taking the plunge and embracing that fear, could be just the move you need to make to find success in a different career path.
With that being said, here are some tips for successfully making a career change at any time in your life.
Understand why you want a career change
A career change is a big move and something you want to be considerate about before just diving in head first. Diving in head first doesn’t always equate to a healthy approach, especially when it comes to a job that you rely on financially to keep you afloat.
With that being said, why do you want this career change? There might be many reasons why or it might be one major reason that is causing you to think twice about how you feel towards your job and career path. A few reasons might be any of the following:
- No longer love the job and career you’re in
- It’s not fulfilling your desires in the way you thought it would
- There’s a limit to how much you can earn
- The work-life balance isn’t adaptable to your new lifestyle
Understanding and acknowledging the reasons for leaving will certainly help make the transition easier.
Explore your existing talents and skills
Before you apply to any old job, consider what existing talents and skills you have. That might give you somewhat of an indicator, as to what career path you might be dipping your toes into next.
Just because you think a certain career path is out of your reach, doesn’t make it a reality. In fact, it might be that you just need to get a better understanding of what’s required from you in order to become eligible for such a role.
Often enough, we’re surprised by just how many skills, talents and applicable experience we might have in order to adapt to a new career path.
Invest in any new training required
In order to shift to a new career path, it’s important that you invest in any new training or courses that might be required to take that next step. For example, if you’re looking to help others fulfil their fitness goals, then taking a personal trainer course is going to validate your work and convince clients to trust in you.
If you’re serious about changing your careers, then you’re going to want to spend the money on acquiring any additional qualifications or training that will put you ahead of the competition.
Update your CV
Next, make sure you’re updating your CV. This is perhaps one of the most important parts of a carer change because you’ll need to adapt it fully to the new career path you’re exploring. Chances are, if you’ve been in the same career for a number of years now, your CV is going to feel a little outdated, particularly if you’ve been in the same job.
Make sure you’re updating your CV before rolling it out to any recruitment agencies or job postings. If you’re struggling, there are plenty of professional services that can offer some assistance when it comes to updating your CV.
Speak with those in the career path currently
In order to get an idea of whether the career path you’re entering is the right one for you, speak to those who are already in it. They’ll be able to give you a better insight into what it’s like and whether it’s something you should go for. It’s also a great way to network and meet people who might be influential in securing a job!
Go all in when applying
Finally, when it comes to making moves and applying – go all in. It might mean that you’re applying for hundreds of jobs and drafting up dozens of cover letters but it’s all worth it to end up in a job you love – rather than sticking in one that you hate.
Making a successful career change is possible for anyone, regardless of their age. So make sure to utilise these tips for your own career successes this year and beyond.
