Career Advice

How to Change Careers

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The average person changes careers between five and seven times during their working life, with Forbes’ leadership specialist, Steve Denning reporting that modern-day millennials hope to “spend their 20s finding out what they don’t like so they can settle down to a career they really love in their 30s.” Much of the reason lies in our expectations of what a job should be. In the past, it was a mainly transactional affair undertaken once or twice to guarantee stability and a good paycheck.

Today, feeling like one is living a life of purpose has gained a whole new importance, and this means that employees are willing to take the plunge into new careers if they discover one that ignites their passion. If you are thinking of making the change yourself, you might find the following tips useful.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Finding A Purpose-filled Job

We spend most of our day at work, and research indicates that Americans are retiring later than ever. For this and other reasons, it is worth investing the time in discovering what gives your life meaning. To do so, you need to take certain steps – including an understanding that risk and sacrifice are inherent when it comes to achieving authentic goals.

Today, feeling like one is living a life of purpose has gained a whole new importance, and this means that employees are willing to take the plunge into new careers if they discover one that ignites their passion. If you are thinking of making the change yourself, you might find the following tips useful.

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If you are unsure about what ignites your passion, then it can be a good idea to write down all of the professions that you might enjoy. Think about why you might enjoy them and what you would get out of them. If you find that there are some shallow or unsatisfying answers, then cross them off the list. When it comes to finding which career path to take, then you want to find one that is going to be more fulfilling than just earning more money, or just better hours. These can be stumbling blocks that can get in the way of you finding out what you really want to do and where your passion really is. 



For instance, if you want to find out how to become a medical assistant, then you will have seen that retraining, career potential, and truly helping people are where your passions are. If you ever find that you are stuck deciding what is going to be best for you and finding out where your passions are, then it could be worth getting a session or two with a life coach or seeking the help of a mentor in an industry that you want to be in.

Building A New Resume

You will have to market yourself to a new sector, and that begins with creating a killer resume that capitalizes on key skills you have gained that can be applied to the new profession. To work out what skills you need to highlight, check out job openings at Fortune 500 companies for the profession you are seeking to fulfill. List down those you already have (these can include leadership, motivation, working towards goals, dealing with the public, languages, etc.), and seriously consider investing in further education to gain expertise in key areas required for the job of your choosing. For instance, you may need courses in technology, SEO, or design.

Map Out Your Path

List down (or use a vision board) to define each of the steps you need to get to your goal. These could include completing a course or postgraduate degree; finding a suitable mentor; performing part-time or voluntary work in your newly chosen industry; joining a network; or making a business plan. Try to set time limits for the achievement of each of these smaller goals so that your ultimate goal seems more achievable.

If you feel your current job no longer fulfills you, then it may be time to make a career change. It is important to be realistic from a financial perspective, to see whether or not you can take time off for further study if required, and to see how soon you can realistically expect to make a change. Setting time goals is also key, and you can use a journal or a vision board to plan out your map to a new, more meaningful life.

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 $17.00

Most people agree there are few things worse than being stuck in a career you hate. It's not just the daily drudgery of work that has become tedious; it's also the hopeless feeling of life moving in the wrong direction and not knowing how to turn it around.

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04/26/2024 01:46 am GMT



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