From the world of life coaches and TEDTalkers, everyone gets a message that switching careers is real. However, some think of ‘real’ and ‘easy’ as synonyms. Switching jobs might be exhausting regardless of your skills and the number of experiences. How to start a new career without bumping into unexpected challenges? Check the tips from our career advice experts in the article below. Let’s get prepared for a new journey together!
Fill In the Gaps Before You Move
Switching careers is great if your current job is no longer fulfilling and feels like torture. First of all, learn the industry you want to change to. Second, refresh your bot-beating resume at SkillHub – Online Resume Service Platform to Showcase or any other third-party agency, ready to highlight your skills and experience. Last but not least, assess your skills for the new job.
Before you make that vital move of changing industries, make sure your desire to change the job is NOT:
- A burnout. If your workload has been exceeding the average point for months, there is no wonder you want to quit. Signs of burnout would also include the inability to focus on your mundane tasks and the lack of energy. If this is the case, ask your supervisor for a week or two of the vacation you deserve;
- Boredom. We all get bored with our rigid schedules from time to time. If your work shift tasks haven’t changed for years, it’s natural to feel bored. Talk to your supervisor about whether you can have other job responsibilities;
- Ongoing problems in the company. You might still love your job, but things like toxic culture or low pay will certainly discourage you from being a part of the company. In this case, talking to the company’s HR manager might be a good idea. Another idea is switching companies without leaving the industry.
Explore Your Interests and Values
So, this is the moment. You’re holding a two-week notice and are ready to invest in your career but don’t know what career it should be. The truth is that the older we get, the more difficult it is to change things. Also, our older self takes us away from our inner child – yes, those hobbies and ideals that made us happy. So, how to find the career to switch to?
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- Childhood. Rummage through your childhood activities. Which were the things you loved doing? Make a list of them. At the same time, stay realistic. Becoming a ballet dancer at 25 is impossible, but becoming an artist at the same age is still an attainable goal. Similarly, if you like creating designs or graphics, you can start your online clothing brand based on your created designs. You can visit this website to learn how to create and sell graphic t-shirts;
- Values. Write down your values. Let’s say you consider helping others important. Hence, starting a career that requires communication and active listening might be a good idea;
- Skills. Make sure your skills and values intertwine. Craving to help others is noble. However, it requires skills like active listening and strong communication. Do you have them? Another strategy is determining your new possible career based on your skills. For instance, your knowledge of healthcare and ‘helping others’ experience might be a good basis to get a degree in nursing and start a new career in a year or two.
Make a Plan
The greatest architect’s adventure starts with a draft for a future building. Everything is a plan if you want to succeed. Why so? The answer is really simple. By creating a plan, you put all the obstacles and milestones on paper. Seeing your career journey drafted right in front of you will warn you about possible difficulties. Additionally, by having a plan, you’ll be able to check whether there is enough time and resources for all your steps.
- Write down the stages of your career journey. For instance, start with ‘quit my current job’ and proceed with ‘get a degree in graphic design.’ Add other steps like ‘write a job application’ or ‘renew my resume.’ Your career-change plan might include as many steps as you need – just make sure to follow them in the future;
- Consider both financial and educational factors. Becoming an industry changer often entails learning new key skills. Whether you opt for online courses or a college education, gaining new skills is all about time and money. Make sure you restore order on your bank accounts before you quit your current job. Take care of your financial cushion to avoid unexpected expenses;
- Set deadlines. Write down the potential date of your dismissal. Add the dates of starting your courses or any other date that you consider important in your industry-changing journey;
- References. The last thing to remember before actually starting to follow your career plan. Leave your company on good terms and fill in the References section with new contacts.
Be Patient
One of the biggest mistakes a beginner makes while changing careers is wanting it all right now. Why is it a mistake? Because everything takes time. Remember, you haven’t achieved that all in one day in your old career, right? So why do you expect to become a professional in a new field in a day or a week? Yeap, stay patient to be successful.
- Failures. Humans are doomed to stumble and fail. In fact, 99% of success stories include failures. The last 1% is simply luck. Next time you start crying over a job rejection, think of Walt Disney, who got fired for lack of creativity before he started his own company;
- Mistakes. Again, if you’re a human, you’re programmed to make mistakes. But guess what? Each mistake teaches you a new thing. Ironically, the more mistakes you make, the better you’re equipped with the knowledge required to succeed;
- Get a diary. Once you start your career journey, get a special journal to write down your successes and what you’ve learned from your mistakes. The diary will help you stay in a positive mood and remind you of personal growth each time you open it.
Final Thoughts
The career road is full of impediments. The key is to stay calm and be prepared. Always remember that changing a career implies sacrificing your time and resources. So find your passion, make a plan, and exercise your patience.
Don’t forget to land your two-weeks notice on the recruiter’s desk in time. Also, remember that to enjoy the result of your journey, you should enjoy the process. Finally, we hope the article was helpful to you. Good luck!
