How To Change Career: Key Considerations [+ Tips]

4 Nov 2024

So, you’re thinking of making a career change. It’s exciting, but we all know it can be a little scary. But there’s no need to worry as we’ve gathered a few tips and considerations for changing careers.

Consider why you are changing careers

There are differentreasons why you may choose to change career, such as:

More flexibility or a better work-life balance.
Progression.Less stress.
Fulfilling your purpose and passions.
Increased earnings.
Learning something new or professional development.

It’s important to understand why you want to change, to help you identify new careers that will be right for you. One thing to consider when thinking about switching careers is that it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to leave the company or industry you work in. For example, there may be opportunities for you to take all your company and industry experience and move to a different area within the same business.

How to change careers

Changing careers for the right reasons will help ensure you are successful in achieving your goals, so here’s some things to consider when weighing up your choices and next steps.

H3: Identify whether you’re happy in your current role

Identifying how you feel in your current role will help you determine which type of role you’re looking for, or the industry and the type of environment you want to work in. This can help you research the typical responsibilities around your preferred roles.

Delve into your interests, skills and values

When considering how to make a career change you should think about your previous roles and the transferable experience and skills you have gained. Core transferable skills like leadership and communication are essential in more industri This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as your core values enabling you to align potential job roles with your goals and aspirations.

Understanding your interests can help you align them with typical job responsibilities or specific job descriptions and help you highlight them in your CV, cover letters and interviews.

Research potential industries you want to work in

Start researching industries you are interested in. You can also talk to friends and family as well as your network to get their views and experience, and even see if they know about any available job opportunities or top tips. This is also a great opportunity to gain some career change advice from your peers.

Identify potential job opportunities

You can use job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn to identify potential job opportunities in your chosen industries. Making a list of potential roles you can refer back to and research is also a good idea.

Create a plan of action

Now that you’ve properly researched everything you can make note of all your goals and how you plan to meet them. Within this you should think about the types of skills and experience you need, and how you’re going to address any gaps. This will help you feel confident when applying to roles.

Consider undertaking extra training courses

Upskilling is a great way to make you stand out from the crowd and prove that you want to work in the industry. There are plenty of free online training courses out there (depending on the industry you are or are wanting to work in) as well as courses you could pay for.

Online training platforms you could look at include:

Consider furthering your education

Depending on the role you’re looking to enter, furthering your education may be the best course of action. Night classes and online classes are available as well as going to college or university.

Professional development workshops, conferences and presentations are also available to help you enhance your knowledge and skills.

When wondering how to change your career you should also amend your CV to suit the new industry or role you are applying for and Practice for interviews. Don’t forget to always tailor your CV to the opportunity you’re applying for.

Navigating a career change can be a daunting prospect, but by following these steps, the journey to a new career can be approached with clear direction and purpose for future success.

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