Just a decade ago, 180-degree career changes were frowned upon. Selecting a profession you could pursue for the rest of your life was seen as a sign of stability and success. But what happens when your work no longer inspires you? Or when personal circumstances demand a switch? Fortunately, many people do not consider a career for life anymore. They want the agility and freedom to follow their dreams and adopt a more balanced lifestyle that could ensure personal happiness.
According to a OnePoll survey, one in four Americans wants to switch their career path in 2024. Flexible schedules are a common reason quoted for this trend. For nearly two in five people, it is about salary. Besides, technological progressions in the recent few years have also given rise to new roles that didn’t exist a decade back. These could provide exciting opportunities for those in jobs that risk losing their relevance in the years to come.
Whatever your reasons may be, a career change could present daunting prospects. But you can successfully manage the transition with our proven tips.
1. Understand Your Motives
The first step to planning a successful career shift is taking a deep dive into your reasons for a switch. If reducing stress is an important factor, you likely don’t need to move into an entirely different profession. A short break from work or a job change might do the trick.
But some careers naturally involve strenuous schedules with long hours. Stock traders, healthcare workers, and firefighters are good examples. If you are in a similar role and unable to cope with the stress, then a career switch is certainly warranted.
In addition, many other factors could influence your decision. For example, you may need flexible hours to look after your toddler and reduce daycare costs. Or, you could want a career that allows remote working so you can take care of a loved one with a disability or sickness. Gaining clarity on these specific requirements at the outset is vital to understand what your new career should essentially fulfill.
2. Identify Your Strengths and Skills
Next, determine what you are good at in your existing job. It could be organizing events, researching, number crunching, writing content, training team members, or problem-solving. These strengths and skills might be transferable to other professions, too.
For example, you could be currently working as a sales rep at a retail store. If you are good at dealing with people, it could easily be an advantage in your next job—whether you want to become an IT technician, flight attendant, advertising executive, or financial advisor.
So, evaluate the best work you have done in your career and student life. Even personal projects could provide hints to hidden skills and strengths you possess.
3. Consider Your Interests
When you are choosing a new profession, ensure it inspires and engages you. If you select something that you barely have an interest in for the sake of a higher salary or flexible schedule, chances are, you will likely switch careers again before long.
By understanding your interests and passions, you can avoid this issue. Take note of specific tasks, activities, or projects that particularly excite you. For instance, you may have enjoyed preparing the budget for an event you organized in the past. This could signal an affinity toward accounting and finance.
Hobbies are another factor that could guide your career choices. If you love playing an instrument, for example, taking up a new role as a music teacher could be on the cards.
4. Select a Career
Once you have identified your motivating factors, strengths, skills, and interests, you can next move on to the most challenging yet interesting part of a career switch—assessing suitable professions.
This requires a significant amount of research to understand various alternatives. Speak to friends and family members in different job roles for insights. After you have shortlisted a few career options, leverage Leadar to search for professionals in those areas and connect with them on social media. Ask them for their views and opinions based on their industry experience so you can determine how well those job roles could meet your needs.
Key considerations for each shortlisted profession can include:
- Salary scale and benefits
- Norms, practices, and routines
- Flexibility of work
- Availability of job opportunities
- Demand and supply of talent
- Skill and experience requirements
- Future prospects and scope
Roles in high demand, such as data scientists, nurse practitioners, and IT security analysts, present lucrative opportunities for those seeking a career switch. Selecting such a profession could make it easier for you to find work and build a new career.
If you are apprehensive about weathering a dramatic change, consider different roles in your current industry so there is some level of familiarity and comfort.
5. Develop New Skills
Skills and knowledge will determine which level you can start as a new entrant. So, researching and identifying specific requirements for expertise is important after you select a profession to pursue.
Of course, you may have transferable skills that could add value to your new role. But you must also acquire additional ones to ensure you are career-ready. This could mean enrolling for qualifications and certifications, taking online tutorials, attending workshops, or signing up for online courses.
6. Find Opportunities
Finally, prepare your resume and get ready to launch your new career. To find opportunities, use online job boards and job search engines. Attend conferences and other networking events. Don’t forget to spread the word among your friends, family, former coworkers, and social media network, too.
To Conclude
Salary increases, flexible schedules, and better work-life balance have all become reasons for the recent wave of interest in changing careers. Switching to an entirely new profession is undoubtedly an overwhelming process. But you can make it seamless and effective with a careful and deliberate approach.
Start by understanding the specific reasons for the move. Then identify your strengths, skills, and interests before researching possible career options. Once you have chosen a profession that could meet your needs and aspirations, upgrade your skills and knowledge so you are ready to hunt for opportunities.
