There are many reasons why many professionals tend to change their careers after a certain point of time. Sometimes people might feel exhausted of their career and try to find out a way using which they can quit their job. Or they might have found some other profession that they are very much interested in and would want to give it a try.
Most people would not dare to change their professions because most of them are afraid of change and most importantly, it is not that easy to quit a job and get a new one in this really bad economic situation.
Therefore, to change one’s career a person need to plan his exit precisely so that there won’t be any chance of regretting that decision. Moreover, there is quite a possibility that after quitting their old job, then they can plan something big in their professional life.
How to Change Careers When You Have No Idea:
Before taking such a big step, make sure that you have carefully thought about the advantages and disadvantages that come along with this decision. Also, try to follow a plan which ensures that you can do the profession that you love.
Also, try not to over think about this too much as this can cause second thoughts for the employee. Many studies have shown that in this day and age, many employees tend to change their careers every once in a while so as to explore the various prospective of jobs and its related fields.
There are several ways that one can use to change their career. Some of the career changing techniques are as follows:
1. Measurement of likes and dislikes:
This helps in measuring actual likes and dislikes and also determines the level of someone’s likes and dislike over his job. And eventually based on that analysis, one can decide whether to continue with their job or whether to plan their career differently.
There are many reasons why many employees tend to dislike their jobs. One of the primary reasons being that most employees tend to dislike their jobs and they are not satisfied with their pay scale.
Another reason is that employees who tend to change careers do not like their superiors and their bosses. This might be one reason for job change because of any form of disagreement between the employee and the employer.
Try to analyze the amount of likes and dislikes to determine which direction you want your next career to be and also to select a career that you really want to be involved with.
Try to find your career which makes you feel excited and enthusiastic to work. If you are really unsure about this issue, then try to seek the help of a career consultant and try to clear your doubts.
Therefore, it is necessary to verify whether a person likes his job more or likes to quit that job more. And based on that measurement, the career switch process can be started.
2. Start researching about new career:
Once you have found your passion that kindles your enthusiasm and interest, try to spend more time and effort in making necessary researches about jobs that is parallel with your passion.
If you are feeling unsure about the whole changing process, then do not fret. Keep in mind that it is a part of the migration process. Also, the amount of research that you do for a new job shows the range of change from your present job and the job that you are aiming for.
For example: If you are a web designer and you want to pursue a job in teaching, then you have to research a lot about the teaching prospective, and learn more about teaching as a career. You can find such information through popular career websites.
There is a possibility that one can find a job quickly when compared to the rest of the people. It is possible because their planning over their job switch matched the perfect timing.
Therefore, it is necessary to have a plan over a job switch to pursue it successfully. And after taking the decision of quitting the job, that person needs to start researching about their new career perspective for their future and this plan can be taken into action eventually.
3. Make use of easily accessible skills:
These types of skills are also called as acquired skills, since they are the skills that the employee has acquired while working in their previous jobs.
These skills can be of great advantage both with the present and the future career. These types of skills are not taught but they are learned and picked up through experience.
Examples of acquired skills include: communication skills, leadership, loyalty, punctuality, honesty, planning, coordination skills etc.
In other words skills can be taken as an added advantage while switching careers.
It is possible that some of the skills that people own because of their talent or hard work can be beneficial for them at some point of their life.
Therefore, use of such skills can favor a person while taking their professional career switch decision.
Moreover, this decision can be backed up with these skills which eventually pay off in its own way.
4. Required educational background:
Sometimes people rush into a decision where it needs time. Similarly, job switch is no joke to anybody, so while taking such decision a person need to check list all the necessary ingredients for the switch of a new career.
Sometimes you might feel that, in order to pursue the career that you are interested in, it might need you to expand your understanding and acquire more knowledge by studying various skills and abilities.
Another factor that you should keep in mind is to start slowly and steadily. Try to take a course that is relevant to your passion and the job that you are interested in.
Therefore, to make this happen, a person needs to check whether the person holds such level of educational background to benefit that new career. And if not, then he should take some time to pursue that skill required.
5. Networking:
One of the reasons why many entrepreneurs and employers are successful in what they do and love is because they try to maintain a large social network and they get in touch with a lot of new people every day.
Networking is essential for an employee to get more in life, be it knowledge or opportunities. If you have a decent contact list, then you will be able to get hands on a few good job opportunities that you are interested in through your contacts and network.
For example: people that you may have contact with might give you good career advice and encouragement or some might even give you career opportunities. Or , if you are new to the career you are going to enter, then try to contact your friends, family or alumni who have prior experience of working in the field that you are interested in.
Nowadays, without networking there is nothing which works for the best for a person if they are career oriented. Therefore, maintaining an amazing network can be beneficial for the change of a new career.
There is a possibility that one definitely can source out all the required contact and networks for their career switch and this process of career switch can make things easy for a person if he owns an amazing network of contacts.
6. Relevant experience:
Before stepping up into a new dimension of work, try to obtain some experience before you start for searching your dream job.
This can be done by joining a volunteering group or join a new part time job that not only gives you experience but also gives you a familiarity on how the job is done. It also gives an assurance on the decisions made regarding the career change.
Taking some time for the sake of making something big in their life can be challenging for many people. And for that risking something precious is clearly not a smart decision for some.
But there are some people who trust their self and move forward. Similarly, when it comes to a new career a person need to have relevant experience in that field of work and once that level of experience is maintained, then everything can fall into places.
7. Seek help:
Try to find someone who is trustworthy and are able to give valued professional career advice and suggestions to you regarding the career change.
Also, make sure that your mentor has prior experience in working in the field that you are interested and is also able to help you in your rough times by exploiting their network and their contacts.
A mentor does not necessarily have to be a famous or well established individual; it can be one of your friends, family or even your colleagues.
There is a possibility during this decision over a whole new career switch, a person might feel lost in the middle of the decision and he eventually can screw everything planned for the future.
Therefore, to keep things on their own way a person need to seek the help of their mentor who can keep supporting them in their rough times.
Moreover, seeking help from a mentor can definitely provide professional and emotional support while taking such life changing decision.
8. Try to be clear over changing profession or the job:
Sometimes there is a possibility that a person might not be clear with their decision over their job change or profession change. In fact, some people find their job frustrating and some their profession.
Therefore, while taking a decision over their career change a person needs to be clear with that small difference of professional background. Moreover, after being clear with their confusion, then one can proceed with their decision over career switch.
9. Job search tools:
There are several ways of job search that one can use for their successful career. These job hunting tools can be beneficial when it comes to finding a career path or new job. Therefore, using such job hunting tools can change one’s professional and personal life entirely.
Moreover, these job hunting tools also provide necessary details about the required knowledge and experience for a particular job change or profession. Job hunting tools can be of varying media.
These include job searching websites, your resume and cover letters, your CV and also your references and recommendations. All these materials will luckily help you find a career that you are searching for.
10. Flexibility:
While changing careers, there are many things that you should be willing to compromise. These might include factors such as job conditions, location, luxury and salary.
Always try to be flexible and adjustable with whatever changes a career change can carry with it. To be adjustable with the changes, try to be confident and encourage yourself with positive goals.
Make sure that you are always ready to face any obstacle that might come into your way during a career change.
Change in life is needed and also change in career path is required especially when it comes to a career where a person feels suffocated. And while changing one’s career, a person needs to focus more on their flexibility.
People who are not flexible with their change of career and keep being rude to others when it comes to their growth, those people should quit thinking about changing their career as handling such pressure need flexibility which lacks in that person.
Finally, the bottom line is that at the end of this discussion over changing career and doing something different with their life which makes them happy is something which requires career planning.
A person need to follow all the steps mentioned above before taking the decision of switching their career.
Always remember that a career change is an inevitable part of life and in some point or another, one has to change their careers so as to develop themselves more as a working individual and be a valuable member of the society.
