6 Things To Do When Looking for a Career Change!

You are never too old to learn something new or switch your career. There are many reasons why one may consider changing careers. Trends and industries change over a period of time and so do individual choices. You may want to jump to a new career because your goals have changed or you may have discovered a new and exciting professional avenue, or you may want to make more money and provide for a better lifestyle for your family. You may want to change to something that takes away lesser time or offers flexible timings or for the simple reason that you are looking for something more challenging, breaking the routine. If you are thinking about a career change it is a good idea to step back and take stock of your current standing in your job and personal life. Take a good look at your career graph to decide if you really want to make that switch and choose a career which will be more satisfying and rewarding for you.

Here are a few pointers to take into consideration when exploring alternative career paths.

Evaluate your current job satisfaction.

This makes for the first and most important step towards a career change. Take stock of things at your current workplace in terms of job satisfaction, remuneration, performance, goals, company culture and all things that directly affect you. Start preparing for the big move on your current job itself – start networking, take up a new skill and start identifying what is it that will help you build a new, better career.

Assess your interests, values, and skills.

Analyzing your current career and its alignment with your skill set and core strengths can help you determine what will best suit you. Review your journey so far, the roles you’ve assumed, the projects you have successfully delivered on in order to identify where your current interest lies and what you further need to do in order to identify where you are headed.

Make a list of alternate careers.

Start listing out alternative careers that are appealing to you and also help you meet your aspirations. Discuss with friends, family, colleagues about what you are looking for as they could help provide valuable insights about you as a professional and the industry, both of which are essential when looking for a new job. You can also seek professional advice by consulting a Career Consultant to help gain more clarity. You can also simply Google the jobs that interest you to get a better idea about various careers.

Network.

Look for people in your contacts list who are employed in the field of your interest. Gather as much information as you can about their jobs and workplace etc to get first-hand insights on that career option from your list! You can also use social media platforms such as LinkedIn to get in touch with someone who is currently working in the industry you aspire to work for.

Try it out.

Look for volunteer work opportunities or freelancing jobs to get a feel of what you are aspiring to make a career out of. This will give you a complete sense of where you are headed to and help you identify your real calling!

Take a class.

This we cannot emphasize enough on! It is extremely essential that you bridge your background to your future career and that can be done effectively by returning to school. Look for short-term or evening courses at a local college which will not only equip you with the know-how of the industry but also place you right back on the map – you’ll be surrounded by people sharing the same passion and goal and networking is easier this way. If you are looking for a career switch or simply an upgrade in your current position, do check out our Tuition-Free career programs that will help you start your new career in less than a year!