Looking to change careers? For a variety of reasons, people seek to change their profession. Your values or career goals might have changed; you might want to make more money or have more flexible hours; you might have discovered new interests that you'd like to incorporate into your work; and so on.
Before selecting a choice, it's crucial to take the time to consider your current circumstances, consider your job possibilities, determine whether your current career needs to be changed, and select a career that will be more fulfilling for you.
Causes of Career Change
People may want to change occupations for a variety of reasons. Of course, there are numerous aspects to consider and it's a personal choice. The top five causes of career changes, according to Joblist's Midlife Career Crisis survey, are as follows:
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Better Pay: 47%
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Too Stressful: 39%
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Better Work-Life Balance: 37%
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Wanted a New Challenge: 25%
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No Longer Passionate About Field: 23%
The advantages of Career Change
According to the Joblist study, the majority of people reported feeling happy after the change:
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Happier: 77%
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More satisfied: 75%
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More fulfilled: 69%
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Less stressed: 65%
Furthermore, those who changed jobs earned higher money. When compared to their prior jobs, survey respondents who changed careers for greater compensation made an extra $10,800 per year.
7 Steps to making a career change
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Start with the ‘Why’
Many people are aware that they dislike or are unfit for their occupations, but their awareness ends there. Before you jump headfirst into something new, you need to be crystal clear on the why. Otherwise, what's the use of all that effort if you wind up in a different place that you ultimately detest?
Consider the following: Why do I desire this? Why do I assume that starting a new career will improve my life? What drawbacks or dangers might there be?
Sometimes, after completing the exercise, you come to the realization that perhaps everything is not quite as ideal as you had imagined. And occasionally? The approach will continue to look more enticing and make more sense.
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Assess ‘what will it take’
Do you lack any abilities that would make you an appealing candidate for this novel type of position? Are certifications required? Classes? Licenses?
Even if you do, it's occasionally completely attainable. To say with confidence, "Yes, I know Excel" or "Yes, I can use QuickBooks," it might only require that you complete an online course and acquire some basic expertise.
But there are situations when you require additional in-depth training or a license. You must investigate this and decide whether or not you are prepared to make the upfront expenditure that this shift calls for.
You should also list the additional resources and potential trade-offs needed to accomplish this. Will you need assistance with child care? Will you have to sacrifice time with your other relationships or activities as a result of this effort? Can you convince your family to join you?
After this, you need to create a plan, assuming you feel "all systems go."
3. Create a plan of action
When creating your action plan, start with the end in mind. What is your main objective and desired time frame?
Once you've nailed that, break it down into important milestones—skills you need to pick up, people you need to meet, tasks in your current work that need to be finished, and personal matters you need to take care of before making this change. What are the benchmarks?
To know exactly what you'll be doing when you sit down in front of your computer in the name of "career pivot," assign yourself daily or weekly duties. This shouldn't be freewheeled.
You'll probably also observe as you finish these tasks how modest steps to making a career change often have a snowball effect, giving you momentum and assurance that this is, in fact, a very real possibility.
4. Monitor the work you put in
Recognize your efforts out of self-respect. Keep an eye on your progress and the next steps to making a career change. Create reminders to help you follow up on tasks as needed. If you're going to put in the time and effort to do something, put in the time and effort to monitor your progress.
An easy Excel spreadsheet will work wonders for you. Use the tool that makes the most sense to you if you're not an Excel person to avoid giving up on it.
5. Improve Your Brand
To be understood by your new target group, you will need to change your professional brand. Simple rule: The likelihood that someone will want to know more about you increases the simpler you make it for them to "get" you.
Nobody is going to figure out how or why you "may" be a good fit for a specific position or career path. Forget about it. Your CV, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter should all make it "smack in the forehead obvious" why you are the ideal candidate for the positions you are applying for.
Because they have experience in the business or in jobs that are similar to yours, at least some of your competitors will appear impressive on paper. So, position yourself as an obvious standout while also making you look reasonable in your branding.
6. Prepare Your Posse
Recruit your supporters, especially those you are confident will always have your back. If you're still employed somewhere else, you may need to be a little shadier about your goals, but now is not the time to go completely unnoticed. Choose your most reliable contacts and ask them for assistance.
Moreover, be specific about when to make a creer pivot. It's all well and well to say, "Hey, I'm thinking about becoming a grant writer," but that doesn't really explain what you need or how—exactly—they can help the most.
7. Connect with the right people
You must without a doubt get to meet accomplished and passionate people in that new area of interest. Do not worry about it. You'd be surprised at how willing people are to share their time and opinions, especially when you show an interest in them and recognize or value anything they're doing professionally.
Never forget that nobody wants to be surprised. The greatest strategy is to complement them or point out anything they're doing that you find fascinating or outstanding. You can ask for a favor or a little of their time if you've established a rapport with them. And without a doubt, be sure to express gratitude to everyone who offers suggestions and counsel. Better yet, take action on their advice. The nicest compliment you can offer is this.
Conclusion
Finally, be aware that change takes time and that simply making the decision to do so is a big step. We frequently overlook the fact that making the jump has worth in and of itself. Transitions take time. I believe it's crucial to be patient with oneself. It's okay if you don't discover the ideal job right away or if you have to think more strategically than you had anticipated when you started your job search.
Everything hinges on perspective. When you approach a situation with uncertainty or negativity, you are more likely to think negatively. For example, you can believe that you have failed if you don't nail the first interview you land or that the first few weeks (or months) of a new job aren't perfect. Try rephrasing the move as the successful outcome instead; you've already succeeded in quitting your previous job or making the decision to take the necessary measures. To make a change, a lot of labor is required. And doing it takes tremendous bravery and courage. And we ought to value that aspect of ourselves.
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