The idea that you will stay in the same career for the rest of your life probably isn’t that realistic.
For a lot of people, career changes are inevitable and necessary for professional growth. However, it can be difficult to know how to take charge and make that change happen — not knowing your path can feel incredibly overwhelming.
To help make adjusting to the prospect of “starting over”, here are a few tips that may help you with your next move.
Self Evaluation
One of the first ways you can put your ideas into action is by analyzing yourself. Start with looking at your skillsets, your work ethic, your job pros and cons, and so on. By doing this, you can better understand what you want from your next job, and whether its really time for a career change or simply a different role within your current company.
Learn a New Skill
Another way to change career paths, once you’re certain that’s your main goal, is to learn a new set of skills. Sometimes changing your job means a dramatic shift in work roles and responsibilities, meaning you might need to brush up on a few new skills.
I think it’s important during this process to be open to learning a few new skills. For example, if you want to become involved in a medical profession and carry out tasks such as drawing blood, then you’ll need to undergo phlebotomy training to get new qualifications. Not every career change will need such devotion, but if it does, then be open to learning!
Get Involved
If you’re undecided, but you want to test out a potential career change, why not volunteer? By volunteering you’re able to experience the job role you might assume if you change jobs, but without the commitment of leaving your current job in favor of the unknown. Volunteering also means you can gain some important experience, which is especially beneficial if you decide that this new career is the right one for you.
Same Place, Different Role
As mentioned above, a career change doesn’t necessarily involve leaving your job. In fact, it’s quite likely you’ll want to remain at your current company but assume a different role.
This not only makes changing your job easier, but it also creates less work in the long run. By having insider knowledge of the industry, you can hit the ground running in your new title. If you want to know the dos and don’ts of changing roles, read more here.
Need More Career Advice?
You can also read more career tips under the Work Life section of my blog.
