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Do you feel like your career is going nowhere fast and you want to change things? People take on drastic career changes all the time, as well as subtle ones. It’s up to you to decide whether this is right for you, but if you think it is, you also need to make sure that you approach it in the correct way.
A few months ago I had to start my day in a different building for my company. While I’ve visited this building many times, I never started my day there. As luck would have it, the building is the same subway stop as my previous job. So I headed directly to the corner coffee guy and, believe it or not, he not only remembered me from years ago but also remembered how I liked my coffee! We chatted for a while and it was as if time was turned back to 3 years. I then realized that, although I had moved to a new job and my little world changed, everything that existed in my previous routine continued on as if in some parallel universe. So, I’m sure you are wondering, what’s the point? Changing jobs is a big deal. Your entire routine changes, new people, new responsibilities and new pressure to perform (maybe a new city or country). So often we forget that the “change management” aspect of a new job. There are many reasons to change your job: new opportunity, more pay, job loss, etc. And, while everything changes, everything also stays the same. Today’s post is about managing the change.
There are right and wrong ways to go about making a career change happen, and we’re going to talk about some of the ways in which you can push ahead with yours without making life more difficult than it needs to be. Read on to find out more.
Start with a Side Gig
Before you go ahead and really make your career change a reality, you should think about whether you can start with a side gig. Doing so enables you to get a taste of what to expect with this new career path and helps you to decide whether it’s something that you really do want to pursue going forward. It could be something that you do in your spare time before you quit your current job for example. That way, you can make a more informed decision when the time comes to do so.
Do you feel like your career is going nowhere fast and you want to change things? People take on drastic career changes all the time, as well as subtle ones. It’s up to you to decide whether this is right for you.
Tweet ThisConsider Moving Within Your Own Industry
If you want a career change but you don’t want it to be a big and drastic one, maybe you could look to find a new job within your current industry. That way, you’ll get the chance to branch out and do something that’s completely new to you while also being somewhat familiar in the broader sense. It’s a lower risk career change and could be the sort of thing that appeals to you if you’re still unsure about going ahead with a larger scale career change at the moment.
Talk to a Career Coach
Talking to someone who is an expert in all things career-related can be a good idea. Career coaches understand what you need from these sessions and can give you advice on how to approach a career change. They’ve worked with many people in your situation before, so they’ll be able to deliver helpful insights that should help you to manage this period of transition in ways that wouldn’t have happened without their help and guidance.
Gain the Qualifications You’re Going to Need
If you’re going to push ahead and make progress in your career, you’re going to need to have the right skills backed up by qualifications. Whether that means looking for nurse practitioner programs or getting a business marketing degree will depend on what your niche is. But there’s a relevant qualification out there for every person and every career path, so think about whether this is something that you might eventually benefit from, either in the short or long-term.
Make Contacts
Making contacts in the career niche that you’re looking to move into is a good idea, especially if you are going to move into an entirely new industry and niche. Going it alone with no contacts is not always a great idea and it makes your life a lot harder than it needs to be. Building up as many contacts as you can and making the most of them all as you transition into a new type of job and career will make your transition much more manageable.
Upgrade Your General Employability Skills
There are lots of general employability skills that make you more appealing to employers. You should definitely look to add to these and expand them in a whole range of ways before you start applying for new jobs. Getter better at communication, pick up new IT skills or even take a leadership course. These are the kinds of things that are useful across most career paths and industries and could help you to get your foot in the door in a new work environment or job.
Look for Shadowing Opportunities
Another good idea could be to shadow someone who already does the kind of job you’re looking to secure for yourself going forward. This will give you hands-on experience of what the job offers and what you can expect to do each day once your transition into this career has been fully accomplished.
Making a career-changing and taking things in a completely new direction can be daunting. But it might also be what you need if you feel that the path that you’re currently on is not fulfilling you. If you think the time is right to push ahead with a career change, take into account the idea above.
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