Thinking About Changing Career? Here Are 3 Great Tips To Help

Whether it be financial reasons, a change in your personal values, or a burning new interest, there are a plethora of reasons why people make career changes. While it may feel like you’re the only person in the world to want to break the mould and make that leap of faith into a new industry, the average person is thought to switch careers between five and seven times throughout their life. Despite this, even the prospect of where to begin with contemplating switching career can be daunting and overwhelming; it is not a decision that should be rushed or taken lightly. With this in mind, we have put together a few top tips on how to go about establishing whether a career change is right for you and the best ways to go about it. 

1.  Make a real evaluation of your existing job satisfaction
Okay, so you’ve thought of you ‘dream job’ and have realized the industry you’re in might not be the one for you in the long run. What is the next step? Whilst this might seem like a lightbulb moment, and you probably want to get started straight away on how to make the move as quickly as possible, the first thing you need to do is actually to put some more thought into the job you have now. Yes this might sound counterproductive, and it might be the last thing you want to focus your energy right now, but to make a rational and informed decision you need to understand if it’s what you want. 

Begin by making a journal of your reactions to particular things that happen throughout the day at your job, and evaluate what it is about the job that you have negative feelings towards. Is it the new management, the new company culture, the people with whom you work, or the job role itself? In doing so, try to evaluate whether these things are long-term and whether there is anything you could do in terms of communicating them to your work peers the could result in changes of any kind. Obviously, if you hate your job simply because you hate the new boss, there might not be much you can do. But if you feel a disconnect with how things are being organized and delegated, it may be worth bringing this up with your superior as a simple change implemented by them could fix it. 

2. Research, research, and more research
Switching career from something you see as unfulfilling to something you are genuinely passionate about can be one of the most rewarding things in life. However, it is not a decision that should be made rashly or in a spur of the moment. Whilst turning that side hustle of cooking into a blossoming career as a chef might sound perfect, the reality of working in a given sector is often much less idealistic than outsiders perhaps imagine. 

This reality makes it imperative that you spend enough time researching not only what it takes to break into your desired career, but what the role will be once you are in it. For example, try and think about work-life balance, earning potential, the overall state of the industry in today’s developing economy, and the potential for professional development once you take the initial position. Obviously, the answers to these questions will differ between companies, but there is a ton of information on the trends of industries as a whole that can be found through a simple Google search. 

3.  Gain the relevant experience
Regardless of which field of work your desired new role may be in, there will always be some preparation that needs to be done. If you’re looking to break into the fitness world, there are an endless amount of opportunities available to complete personal training courses and other related qualifications at a time that suits you. Through joining courses like this, you can take classes in the evening and fit it around the job you already have; this can limit the downtime of unemployment or entry-level work that you have to do when you finally make the career switch. Another similar thing that is equally as useful is the option to complete online degree courses for topics such as marketing and communications. This heightened flexibility allows even those with busy work schedules and caring responsibilities to fit in study time, and it is now easier than ever to earn a communications degree online. 

These steps might seem simple, but they outline some of the main things to keep in mind when even considering switching careers. The key is to think through every aspect of the decision before making it final and ensure that you are as prepared as possible before making the change. But remember, there is no time like the present; if you are genuinely unhappy in your job and know you could do better in a different field, don’t be afraid to think about making the leap.