How to Make a Career Change Successfully? 20 Great Tips

Once you are done with your education, the first thing that you will do is look for a suitable career option for yourself. But, if you are a senior person who is looking for a career change then you need to be careful with what kind of options you choose further. But, how to make a career change which will be successful and that won’t regret later?

Look for a job which is satisfying and most importantly, it is something which you really want to do for the rest of your life.

Everybody starts their career thinking that this is the thing that they were searching for but few years down the line, the same dream job turns out to be a nightmare. Not because of the payment but because it is not able to provide you with job satisfaction that you have been looking for.

Therefore, even when you are getting promoted, and at the end of the month your bank balance increases considerably, you are not happy with what you are doing! If this is how you feel about your job, then this is the right time to change career.

No matter how many years you have invested in this job but if it sucks, then it is better that you find something that will make you happy while you land up at your work place every morning.

In case you are not able to decide whether it is the right time or not, then look for these signs. If one of the points matches with your situation, then you will know that the time has come to shift the gear.

How to Make a Career Change – Here are the pointers:

• You are completely exhausted and persistently worn out.

• The responsibility that you are sharing or the task that you are doing is not you at all.

• Even the salary doesn’t make you happy about the work you are doing.

• Asking the question whether this is the right choice for you.

• You want to enjoy more creative independence and not happy with the way your talent is being used.

Not everybody is meant for a job, so even when you are doing a job you must ask yourself at least once whether it is the place for you.

If the answer is no, then have the guts to follow your dream and make a career out of your passion.

It might be in business or any kind of creative art form or even consultancy. You must opt for the career which makes you feel happy from inside.Now when you have decided that you want to change career then here are-

20 Tips on How to Make a Career Change:

The following mentioned are few career advises and tips on how to change careers and also ways on finding a career.

1. Identify your strengths:

While thinking about changing career, you must look deep inside you to find your strengths. You will have to figure out what you are good at in terms of skills or talent.

Once you have decided on your strengths, you must not compromise on that even when you compromise on several other things like salary, perks, work timings, etc.

While going for a career change your decision must not be based on salary itself, instead if you want to stick to the career for a long time then you will have to opt for something that will be in line with your interest and strengths.

If you are proficient in public speaking then you must choose a career which will enhance this skill of yours.

2. Take into account the challenges:

It generally takes a lot of time to adjust to the work environment, and in order to better your prospect you need to keep on improving your skill as well.

Therefore, learning as well as unlearning is part and parcel of the game. After going through so much of chaos, you finally settle down in a place, but when you are going to make a career change then you must remember that you have to go through this cycle once again. So before making the change you must keep these things in mind.

3. Go for certification course:

This is one of the best options when you are making a career change. It is always better to enhance your skill and education before going for the change.

Therefore an MBA or degree in your respective field will be highly beneficial. But while doing so you must remember one thing, that you have to balance your work and education simultaneously. Therefore, before pursuing higher studies you must talk to your Manager and let him know about your plans.

Some company has policy of work from home or even a sabbatical option for employees who are pursuing further studies.

4. Chalk out the positives and the negatives:

The best time to gauge the career landscape of yours is when you are seeking for a job change. You must look back and see what have worked for you and what have left you disgusted.

This is a great way of deciding on what will be the next career move for you based on the career history you have.

5. Know what is best suited for you:

It is important that before making the career shift, you understand what is the one thing that really makes you happy and would love to continue doing that for the rest of your life.

You have to know about your orientation before you decide to make the change in your career else you might again end up in wrong place. When you are making any change in your career, then make sure that you get it right this time.

Therefore, prepare a questionnaire for yourself and answer the questions before opting for a change in career. The questionnaire must include questions based on the type of work you are looking for like – do you want to opt for admin work which involves less paperwork, or do you want a job which involves more traveling, or do you want to work from the comfort of your home.

Based on the answer to these questions, you will find it easier to opt for a change that will suit you perfectly.

6.Values added to the services:

Unless until we are forced into some unfavorable situation, we are not aware about whether we have any sort of values or not.

For example, if you have been working as an academician for most of your life and all of a sudden you shift your base to some profit making enterprise, then you will notice that the profit making thought of the top management makes you feel uncomfortable.

This is what the value is all about and in order to take the best decision for yourself, you need to explore the values that you have in your life.

Your value might be like doing good or bringing in a smile in someone’s life or maybe recognizing enterprise and hard work. It might be anything but as long as you don’t explore them, you won’t be able to know what your thoughts actually are.

7. Ready for the change in income:

It is of prime importance because when you are making the change in your career then it is a possibility that your income might be lower than what you are getting.

Before you decide to look down at your income and expense ratio, and see whether you will be able to manage your life with this cut in your salary, you have to make a list about your expenses that is a necessity and things which you can do without, then compare it with the income that you will be receiving and then take the plunge.

If you are not looking for any financial benefit out of your job change instead the reason for job change is satisfaction of a job, then it must be alright for you to seek the change in your career which is high on your happiness quotient and lower on your salary.

8. Career planning with realistic expectations:

In order to achieve something, you need to plan it well, and that holds true even in the planning of career change.

Moreover, when you are planning your career change, you will have to be realistic with your expectation.

You cannot expect to get the perfect job with high salary and a lifestyle that will be the cynosure of everybody. Just believe in yourself and come up with realistic planning that is achievable.

9. Explore new ideas:

Don’t think within the box, instead open your eyes to see what all possibilities you have. You know what your skills are, and what your strong points are, so now you just have to hunt down the job career that will be best suited for you.

It is not necessary that you will have to leave the current job to get into another job in a different location.

Instead, explore the ideas and look for interesting jobs all over the world. If you love traveling, then look for a job which will allow you to see new places or you can start writing traveling blogs as well.

If you are good with your words, then blogs are a great way of expressing your thoughts to the world while continuing with your traveling passion as well. So you can mix your passion with your profession and have a great career change.

10. Research well on the industry:

If you are looking for a change in the industry, then you must research very well on the proposed destination.

Sometimes it looks attractive from a distance, but when you go nearer you will find that it is not worth the change.

Therefore, before jumping into the opportunity it is best that you do your research well and make an informed move in the direction.

11. Connecting with others in the proposed field of work:

If you are planning to change your career then you can plan your move way ahead and get connected with the members of professional association in the field where you want to go.

Get to know more about the industry and how it works and also what you need to do if you want to join the industry. In case you are out of your job all of a sudden, then you need to first head to people who can help you with employment.

12. Adjust to the new environment:

When you are making the change in your career, then your colleagues and the new work environment are the two important things that you have to cope with daily.

Therefore, it will be better if you learn the lingo of the concern fast, because that will easily make you one of them and it will also help you in adjusting yourself in the environment rapidly.

13. Making the change to fit priorities:

Sometimes you have to set your priorities right, and for that you might be required to change your career as well.

Therefore, while making the change you have to decide what your priorities are and then decide on the job which will be best suited for you.

In case you just had a baby and the child is your priority, then you can opt to work from home. In this case, you have to look for jobs which will be according to your skills and will also allow you to stay at home as well.

14. As per your skills:

You must change your career based on your skills that you already possess. It can be from your past job, or the training that you have gone through, or your hobby.

You have to strike the right chord between what your talent is and the career you are targeting.

You cannot land up in a completely unknown field, and feel frustrated all over again. You are making the best career change because you want to better your life and not make it even worse than ever.

15. Back up the claims:

When you are appearing in an interview, then you must be ready to face the stereotype questions.

But you have to come up with an answer that is believable and is backed up with proper example. Just ensure that you justify all your answers with proper examples.

While answering, you have to come up with your achievements in previous jobs and reply convincingly when you are asked about your choice for a career change.

16. Come up with effective resume and cover letter:

You have now decided that you are going for a career change, but you won’t be successful in that if you do not have a cover letter and resume ready for that.

Therefore, when you are making a change in your career ensure that you have prepared the resume that is best suited for the career you are choosing.

The Packaging is very important and that is the reason, if you are looking for a better placement, then you have to present yourself well in the resume of yours.

17. Make a project plan:

While looking for a job, you have to ensure that you come up with a project plan of 30 day goal set or 90 day goal set that you have to achieve.

It will help you to keep yourself on the track and focus more on making the right career choice this time.

18. Big or small change immaterial:

It doesn’t matter whether you are applying your existing skills in a new job, or you are getting yourself trained completely for a new job.

What matters the most is that you have to ensure that you nail it this time correctly.

19. Don’t jump into something all of a sudden:

Never make any decision in haste instead always work your way through it. Look into your financial condition first, and then decide whether you can take the leave to go all out, in order to down the perfect job for yourself.

If not, then hang on to the current job while doing your research for some better career options.

20. Keep personal relationship out of professional decision-making:

Make sure why you want a change of career.

Is it because your job is not appealing anymore or is it because of the personal relationship that has gone sour?

Ensure that the reason is valid behind changing jobs or the career of yours.

17. Make a project plan:
While looking for a job, you have to ensure that you come up with a project plan of 30 day goal set or 90 day goal set that you have to achieve. It will help you to keep yourself on the track and focus more on making the right career choice this time.
18. Big or small change immaterial:
It doesn’t matter whether you are applying your existing skills in a new job, or you are getting yourself trained completely for a new job. What matters the most is that you have to ensure that you nail it this time correctly.
19. Don’t jump into something all of a sudden:
Never make any decision in haste instead always work your way through it. Look into your financial condition first, and then decide whether you can take the leave to go all out, in order to down the perfect job for yourself. If not, then hang on to the current job while doing your research for some better career options.
20. Keep personal relationship out of professional decision making:
Make sure why you want a change of career. Is it because your job is not appealing anymore or is it because of the personal relationship that has gone sour? Ensure that the reason is valid behind changing jobs or the career of yours.Save