First steps to career change

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Career change is an important decision that can affect your course of life. Reasons for considering a new profession are often different. Some people feel they’ve reached a dead-end in their current career, some face professional burnout, and some have to look for something new because of the pandemic or personal reasons. Yet, despite your reason, planning the early steps will help you transition to a new career faster and avoid disappointment. In today’s article, we will share tips on how to do exactly this.

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How to get ready for your career change?

Reflect on the reasons for a career change

Before you go any further, make sure you fully understand your motivation behind a career transition. Some people believe they want a new career whereas what they really want is better job flexibility, improved work-life balance, or job autonomy.

If you’re unhappy with your schedule, your boss, or corporate culture, consider freelancing, changing industry (i.e. from construction marketing to environmental marketing), or starting your business. Chances are, you will increase job satisfaction and quality of life without making a big change.

Create a savings account

Financial consultants recommend that you save six months of living expenses if you plan to change your career. Even if you plan to retrain without quitting your day job, these savings will come in handy. You might use them to pay for training or to pay bills while you’re job-seeking.

Also, if you make a big change, be prepared for a drop in income. Most likely, you will have to start from a lower-level position. So, think in advance if you are financially prepared for that and consider cutting expenses.

Don’t rush to quit your job

If you are frustrated by your current job, you might feel tempted to quit as soon as possible. But don’t make hectic decisions. Keeping your job will contribute to your financial well-being while you are learning a new profession or attending interviews.

Talk to people who have your target job

To make sure you see a new career realistically, talk to some people in your dream job. If you don’t know such people in person, reach out to professionals on LinkedIn and invite them for lunch.

Ask them what their typical working day looks like, what kind of tasks they find the most challenging and what are the obstacles. If you are still thrilled by this new career and the daily routine it involves, then you are probably on the right way.

Understand what it takes to make a transition

Study the requirements for your target job. In most cases, you will need to get additional training and gain new skills. Some jobs will require a license, certification, or even a degree. Calculate how much time and money it will take you before you are able to look for a job in a new field.

At this point, you may decide you’re not ready to spend 2-3 years getting a degree or retraining, and opt for a qualification in the same field that is easier and faster to get (say, web development instead of machine learning).

Set realistic goals

Even if you switch to a similar industry, keep in mind that change won’t happen overnight. You will spend months (or maybe years) gaining new knowledge and skills, and then months searching for a job. To plan your transition, calculate how much time and effort you can devote to it every day. Stay positive and persistent, and your efforts will be rewarded!

The Mazatlan Post