Preparing Yourself for a Career Change

If you’ve been working at your job for a long time and you’re experiencing some doubt, then perhaps it’s time for a career change. There’s really no such thing as a calling in life, and it’s common for people to spend years preparing for a job or career and then ultimately switching off it. There are various reasons for this, but in most cases, it’s because they simply don’t enjoy it anymore.

If you think you’re at a crossroads in life and you want to switch your career, then here are a couple of tips to help you make a smooth transition over.

Learn what makes you happy in life

Here’s a simple exercise: take a piece of paper and write down what you used to love as a child. Perhaps you loved watching cartoons, playing video games, or even playing sports. When you write these hobbies down, do a brainstorm and figure out what careers you can take with those subjects. For instance, if you loved video games, then perhaps you can become a programmer, designer, or even an indie game developer. If you loved sports, you could perhaps train to become an athlete.

Our Pick

Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get You Out of Your Funk & on to Your Future

$21.95 $15.94

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

09/28/2023 04:36 pm GMT

However, if you feel like you’re past your prime, then perhaps a job coaching or managing a team would be more suitable.

Do you have enough savings?

Something that everyone thinks of when making a career switch is financial stability. If you don’t have a lot of savings or multiple sources of income, then chances are you won’t be able to support yourself if you start studying or reduce your working hours. Make sure you have plenty of savings or try to establish another form of income so that you can pay for living expenses while you study or look for a new job.

Find resources to help you learn

There’s no shame in attending university at a later age, and there are college courses available for almost anyone. Services like Find Your Context can help you locate the best courses and map a path for you to succeed. There are also online communities that can help you study for your new career path and they might even give you advice on what courses to take, universities to apply for and even employers to look out for.

Considering making it on your own

Although finding a job is the typical route to success, there is nothing wrong with becoming a freelancer or starting up a business. There are many different paths to take in life and a career change doesn’t just mean a change in job. For instance, if you have a passion for art or music, then you don’t have to find an employer that will hire you to draw or produce music for them. Instead, you could become a freelance artist that focuses solely on commission artwork, or you could become a music producer that works on a freelance basis with various clients. You could even create your own music studio, hire artists to work with or even start up your own label.