Believe it or not, it’s never too late to change your career. It can take time and dedication, but whether you’re a fresh-faced grad who’s disillusioned with your field of study or you’ve already been in employment for decades, a career shift is always an option. Of course, you can rarely just decide to swap careers and then get the job of your dreams. You will need to do some planning and some research, but no matter how daunting you find the notion of a career change, it’s more achievable than ever. So if you’re feeling a little uncertain about your current job and you’re curious about the steps to take to a new one, here are some tips to get you started.
Identify Your Strengths
Your first step is to identify your potential strengths that may be of value in a new field. It’s important to look at any transferable skills you may have learned either in education or in your first career, but this shouldn’t be your first step. Instead, write a list of what you’re good at and (more importantly) what you’re good at that actually energizes you. Consider your natural talents, as well as the behaviors and skills that you’ve picked up throughout your life. It’s very easy to develop blind spots when it comes to this kind of self-analysis, so talk to other people if you need help. Don’t forget to consider what you’re passionate about and what makes you work more productively. You can even do personality/career tests online to break down your strengths more easily.
Narrow Down Career Choices
Just because you’re thinking of changing your career doesn’t mean that you always know what career you’re changing to. Your next step is to compile a list of the possibilities. You don’t have to commit to those career options, but knowing more about your chosen options will make it much easier to start doing your research. It’s that research that is going to be the key to identifying just which career options you are most suited to and what you’ll need to do next. That list of strengths can be very valuable at this point because it can narrow down your options.
What Interests You?
There are more options for your new career than you could possibly research, so to gain a clearer idea of your options, you should next identify what matters to you. Do you want a job that is well respected, pays well, benefits the world, or lets you work from home? These questions are always good to answer because they can encourage you to look at career options that you might not have considered. If you want a career that gets a lot of respect, then options like becoming a nurse or a firefighter could be something to consider. Of course, with organizations and private citizens alike saying thank you nurses more than ever, this type of career is always one that’s worth looking at. Consider what excites you about your career possibilities, and make a shortlist of those careers that will utilize your passions.
The Research Stage
You are now going to need to start doing some serious research. Start by looking at job sites so that you get a better idea of the roles that are available in your new field and how much salary you can expect. Make sure that you know the education that you will need to complete before you can start your new career, and use that to help narrow down your options even more. If you want to get more extensive with your research, then you should also consider:
- Reading blogs about that sector
- Signing up for industry newsletters
- Following the biggest names in that field on LinkedIn
- Listening to podcasts about that career
- Attending workshops or even industry events
Talk to people who are already in the careers that you’ve narrowed down, and ask the questions that you haven’t been able to find an answer to. The more that you research, the easier it will be to identify the new career that you’ve been dreaming of.
Make Connections
Networking is critical in many careers, but you’re not exactly going to interviews at this stage. As well as following the right people on social media, you should also be trying to forge connections in other ways. Ideally, you should prioritize making connections with people in the field who followed a similar career path as you. Look for those that changed careers late so that you can develop an appreciation of the work that’s required. This can be a huge confidence booster. Look in your local area for relevant people to connect with, or even look at recruiters that specialize in that industry or profession. Use your existing contacts, the contacts of those contacts, or even simply Google the type of people that you need to be connecting with. Once you’ve opened a dialogue with those connections and learned what you want to know, always finish off the conversation with the question, “Who do you think I should talk to next?” Get a referral if needed, but this is a great way to learn more and to build more connections.
Do Trials
If you’ve got your shortlist ready and you’ve had all of your questions answered, you could still be unsure which career option is best for you. The next step, then, is to start experimenting in those industries. You should already have some idea of the qualifications and training that will be required, but you might be surprised by how valuable it can be to spend time in the environments where you’ll be working. Although it will depend on your shortlist of careers, you should always try to find career-based volunteering opportunities or short but relevant courses. The goal is to get firsthand experience of your new career. This could determine whether or not that career is the right choice for you. All of the talking and connecting with people already in the field won’t always give you the answers that you need, whereas more practical experience can help determine if that new career is the right option for you.
Whatever your goals or ambitions, and no matter what career you’re hoping to find, there are always going to be options. Take your time to identify what you want from that new career, and you’ll be more likely to find that dream job that you’ve always wanted.
