Career change is a very big decision and this is a decision that you may have to take at any point in your life. You need to make several considerations while making a career change. The different uncertainties associated with this decision often prevent people from altering their career. Yet, in most cases, a career change can prove vital or inevitable. If you are wise and make this decision after considering all the essential facts, your decision will help you progress. But many people do not get the right guidance or direction and end up messing their career or losing out on a few valuable years of their job lives.
Factors to Consider While Making a Career Change:
Stage of Work when you Wish to Switch your Career:
A desire to change your career may arise at any stage of your life. The time or stage of life when you plan to switch into a different career can have a great impact on your decisions and choices. If you are just a fresher in your field and have worked there only for a couple of months, changing a job or field can happen easily. While the months you have spent in the particular career may get wasted, changing field won’t be very difficult.
On the contrary, if you have spent two or three years in a particular field and then decided to switch your field, there are several things that you need to consider. Three years in a field is relevant experience that counts and helps you get a good remuneration. Making a fresh start at this point may mean that you have to make a fresh beginning. Spend time to evaluate whether it is worthwhile to change your career at this stage.
Effort Required to Make the Career Change Possible:
Changing a career is never easy. You may have to acquire some new skills to be eligible to the new job designation. In some cases, you may have to do certification courses and invest a further couple of months in getting trained.
The work culture in different fields could also be way different. You need to be prepared to adjust to a new work culture and work ethic. This may also mean you need to alter your persona to suit the new job life.
Challenges in Making a New Beginning:
There are several challenges that any individual may have to face while switching his career. The greatest challenge is surely readjusting to a new work culture. Another challenge would be to convince people around you as to why you wish to change your career.
Even in interviews, you may be asked this question by interviewers. They may be curious to know why you wish to switch your career. The longer you have stayed in a particular job, the greater will their curiosity be. You should be able to convince the interviewers about your reasons to change the job. This can sometimes be tough and you need to be prepared with all the answers.
Analyse why you Wish to Switch:
Convincing the interviewers is important but it is even more important to be convinced yourself. You need to spend some time to check why you wish to switch the field. There could be several reasons that make you wish to switch the career. There are several people who have a creative inclination and do not enjoy routine jobs.
There are others who like to have some challenge and adventure in their life. These are people who want something new in their job life everyday. Boring and monotonous jobs may not suit such individuals.
Some people decide to change their career when they do not perform well in the present career. If this is your reason for career change, make sure you spend some time to analyse why you are not successful in your present career. Try to alter your methods and approaches. If it helps you perform better, you may reconsider your career change decision.
If after all this, you still have queries and doubts, you may consider speaking to people for some advice related to your career. Most people consult their parents but parents may not be aware of the present career trends and their advice may not prove extremely helpful.
You may also seek advice from your friends who are working in the same field. If you are lacking something in your work or approach, they can guide you and help you to improve.
When to Consult a Career Counselor for Career Change Advice?
You may even consult a career counsellor to help you out with your decision. It is best to consult a career counsellor if you are a complete stranger to the chosen field and there are few who know much about it.
Career counsellors do a lot of research regarding the different career options. They have knowledge about the different careers. Some of the prominent career counsellors may even assess your skills and tell you whether you are eligible for the field you are choosing.
Career counsellors may help you understand the career option better. They will guide you regarding the remuneration and the possibility of growth. The guidance provided by them is extremely useful and it will help you get a clear picture while making your decision.
After you Make your Decision:
After you make sure that you really want to switch the job, try to research on the new job. Check out all advertisements and vacancies in magazines, newspapers and on online job portals. Apply and update your resume.
Confidently head for the interview. Be prepared to answer all the questions boldly without getting nervous. If you have a strong reason to change the field, you should be able to reveal the same to your interviewers.
Making a fresh start is not easy. Very few have the courage to do it. That is the reason why many individuals are still stuck in the wrong job. If you are sure about your goal, you will surely succeed.
