Changing Careers
Thinking of changing career paths? It can be a big and scary change with an uncertain future, but it may be worth it in the end.
The feeling of wanting to do something new can happen to anyone during a slow or frustrating day at work. Don’t act on this feeling right away but file it away to see if it happens again. Try to source the reasoning behind the why you feel this way. Are you truly bored with what you are doing? Is it the company you are working for or what you are doing? Remember, a job change is different than a career change. With a job change, you can use the experience you have to leverage a potential bump in job position at a hopefully better company. With a career change you will have to show that the experiences you have, along with your soft and transferable skills will be useful and you will most likely have to start at a lower job level than you are used to.
If you truly want to change careers spend some time thinking about what you would like to do next. Do research to see if you need to have a certain level of education and what that entails. Try to find someone to talk to (in person or online) with experience in this career field and ask them questions. What is the day to day like? What experience did they need to get hired? What do they like and dislike about the job? See if there is an option for you to volunteer or do work a part time contract position in this new career field to gain experience that you can later leverage when you start applying for positions.
Remember to also prepare financially before making this change. Will you be able to support yourself if you don’t find a job right away? This new career field will probably pay you less to start off than what you are currently making. If there are educational requirements what do they cost? It may take months or years before you are able to make a full-time switch to a new career. If this idea turns you off, it may be a sign that a career change is not for you.
Changing careers is hard work and takes a lot of perseverance. Potential employers will see the work that you put in but remember to also acknowledge that while you may not be as qualified or experienced as other candidates, you are ready and enthusiastic to learn and take on this new challenge. Good Luck!