Picking a New Career Path
Brainstorm what you are looking for in a new job. Perhaps you are not being challenged in your current role, or you are unhappy with the work-life balance. Brainstorm what you want from your new job. For example, do you want to pursue something more creative? Or do you want to have more control over your life by starting your own business? Write down the most important things you want in your new job. This will help you start to think about new career options.
List your skills and passions. One way to discover a new career path is by thinking about your skills and passions. Ask yourself the following questions: What am I good at? What do I most enjoy doing? What excites me? What are some of my skills? Write down a list of your skills and passions. To help you discover your interests and passions, try taking an online career assessment test.
Make a list of transferable skills. You may be surprised to realize that some of the skills you developed in your current career will also be useful in your new career. Brainstorm any skills that you believe can transfer between careers. For instance, communication, leadership, planning, and bookkeeping skills will easily transfer between a number of different career options.
Research possible new career options. Now that you have a list of skills and passions, research ways that you could turn these into a new career. For example, perhaps one of your skills is teaching and one of your passions is web design. Perhaps you could consider a career in teaching web design at a local college. To help with the research process, try using the U.S. Department of Labor skills matching service at onetonline.org. If you're interested in starting your own business, take some time to research how much time and income doing something like that would take.
Tackling the Logistics of a Career Change
Consider your financial situation. In most cases, switching careers will come with a decrease in pay. This is because you may need to start near the bottom of the corporate ladder in your new career. Make sure that you can afford to take a pay cut. You may be able to supplement your income in other ways. Make small investments or take on a part-time job to make up for the deficit. If you're starting your own business, consider taking out a small business loan. Try to pay off some of your debt so you have more money to put into your savings. As a general rule you should save enough money to cover three to six months worth of expenses. In some cases, you may be able to depend on family to help out financially during your career transition.
Determine if you will need more education. Depending on your career change, you may need to update your skills and knowledge through education. For example, if you want to become a nurse, you will likely need to go back to school and take a nursing program. Start by taking a course of two in your new field to see if you enjoy the work. You do not want to invest the time and money on a completely new degree only to find that you don’t enjoy the work.
Try taking classes. Start taking evening, weekend, or online classes while you're still at your current job. This way you will continue to make money while beginning the process of changing careers. If the course you need overlaps with your current role, you may be able to get your current employer to pay for your education.
Creating Connections in Your New Field
Build a network in your new field. Reach out to people in your desired field in order to talk with them and make connections. You can do this by following people on social media sites, such as LinkedIn. Message them from time-to-time and explain your situation and ask for advice. Always give your contact information so that they can reach out to you in the future. Creating a network is useful because these individuals may be able to help you find a job, provide advice and information, and connect you with other people in the industry. Make an effort to meet people in person, rather than just talking to them on the phone or online. Share your own expertise and advice while networking.
Conduct informational interviews. Informational interviews consist of conversations with people who currently work in your desired field. They give you an opportunity to ask honest questions about the job, industry, work-life-balance, etc. and will help you decide if this career is actually the right fit for you. Some questions to consider include: What do you like most about your job? What do you like the least about your job? What does a typical day look like for you? Are there any major trends in the industry that I should know about? How did you begin your career in this field? What are common entry-level jobs? What kind of education or training does this field require? What advice would you give to someone considering this field?
Volunteer in your new field. This will allow you to gain invaluable experience working in your new field. This is also a way for you to test out the field without quitting your current job. For example, if you want to switch to a career in construction, you could volunteer for Habitat for Humanity on the weekends. Alternatively, you could help out with home renovations for friends to see if you really enjoy the work and the lifestyle.
Starting Your New Career
Update your resume. You may not have updated your resume for a long time. Spend time updating your resume and make sure that you highlight the transferable skills and education that is relevant to your new career. If you are struggling to create a dynamic resume, you can hire a career counsellor to help you construct an effective resume that is geared towards a job in your desired field.
Apply for new jobs. Search online job boards for positions within your desired field. Apply to as many jobs as possible. You should even apply for those that you don’t have all the qualifications for. If there is a position that seems too good to be true and above and beyond what you are qualified for, apply anyway. There is little to lose and you might be exactly what the firm is looking for.
Practice your interviewing skills. It may have been years since you were last interviewed for a new job. In order to be successful in an interview, you should thoroughly research the company. This way you will appear knowledgeable about both the job and company goals and objectives. You should also practice some interview questions with a friend or family member. This will give you an opportunity to speak out loud and determine exactly how you will answer potential questions. During the interview make sure you draw connections between your past work experience and your new career. For instance, you may actually have years worth of experience in management, just in a different field. If you're feeling nervous for an interview, try to channel that feeling into excitement. That will show the interviewer that you're excited about the prospect of working for them.
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