Exploring a career change is a huge move – and one you should give yourself a pat on the back for making in the first place. It’s not something to take lightly either; there are certain steps you should go through before making the leap, to ensure you’re making a lasting change that will benefit you, and not a knee jerk reaction that could leave you high and dry.
In this article, we’ll be sharing some tips on how to navigate a career switch successfully…
Reflect
There’s no avoiding it; some introspection is needed if you’re to work out whether a career switch is right for you, and what you should be moving onto. This requires you to dig deep, evaluate your feelings, and understand if there are any other fixes less drastic than changing careers that could make your working life better.
To give this part of the process, a bit of structure, try asking yourself the following kinds of questions:
Why do you want to change careers?
It’s important to understand why you want to change careers. Is it because you’re no longer interested in the industry? Do you feel passionately about something else? Maybe there’s more you want to do in the world, particularly for a good cause, before you retire. If these are the kinds of answers you’re giving, then a career change is probably for you. If it’s because a restructure has changed your role, you don’t get on with your manager or colleagues, or your current workplace is too far away, you may just need to pivot to the same role but at a different company.
What kind of work do you want to do?
You may already have a role and industry in mind, or just know what you want to change about your current career; less admin, less travel, or more interaction with others may all be things you’re looking to get from a change of role. If you’re not able to negotiate these in your current position, it might be time to consider a career change. It may take a bit of Googling to find a career that supports your wants and needs, so don’t be afraid to do extensive research until you find something that appeals.
What transferable skills do you have?
In order to give yourself a good chance of moving onto something that you’ll excel at, work out what skills you already have. Learning from the ground up will be much easier when you can apply what you already know to a new career.
Reacquaint yourself with your CV, and pay more attention to the tasks you do and skills you utilise in your everyday work. It’s skills more than work experience that will enable you to hit the ground running if you can.
Explore
Now that you’ve got a bit clearer on the why behind a career move, and using what you know about yourself and what you want, it’s time to see what’s out there.
Investigate the current job market
Get an idea of what jobs are currently available to work out whether the industry and role you’re interested in is feasible. For example, you should be able to see what skills are in demand, there may be geographic considerations associated with the role that you may need to think about, and you’ll need to know what kind of salary range you’re looking at. This brings us onto…
Work out whether your finances can handle it
Switching careers may mean a drop in pay if you’re starting lower down on the ladder – and this will have financial ramifications for you and any dependents. Work out what you can reasonably afford to do, and make that your benchmark for your career move.
Take a look at what training is available
There may already be a pathway into the career you have in mind; now’s the time to see what’s possible. Everything from an accountancy diploma you can complete in the evening to hospitality apprenticeships are available to adults as well as younger people, so do your research on how you could learn the ropes.
Talk to people already in the industry
Once you know what you want to get into, what’s feasible financially, and what training is available, have a chat with people who are already in that industry. Not only will you learn more about what’s expected of you and what progression could look like in the future, but you’ll also make valuable connections. You could try LinkedIn to find professionals already in your chosen career.
Commit
If you’ve found a move you want to make, and your finances and lifestyle can support the move, it’s time to take action. Begin applying for roles using your transferable skills and any training you’ve undertaken. We’d recommend the two follow tips in particular:
Gain experience
Voluntary work and internships are a great way to get experience within the role or industry you’re looking to pivot into. Use any connections you may have to gain as much knowledge as you can by learning on the job.
Trust the process
Switching careers is hard, but if you’re doing it for the right reasons, it will be so rewarding. It can be an uphill slog at times, and feel like you’re taking a backwards step, but trust the process – you’ll definitely thank yourself!