Job satisfaction is at an all time low right now. So, it’s not surprising if you’re thinking about a career change. You’re certainly not alone.
There’s also no rule about when you can take this step although you do need to be realistic about your prospects. If you’re 50 and you’re thinking about starting fresh, then you’re going to need to prepare yourself for a far lower income – at least at first.
But before we get into that let’s look at the key step that you must take before you even thinking about changing careers.
Decide What You Like
First, you need to consider what you like and what you enjoy. On average, you’re going to spend about 33% of your life working. Even with a hybrid position, this means that you’ll probably see people at work more than you see members of your family, your friends, and anyone else. That’s why it’s so important you find a career you actually enjoy. Write down some musts for your next job and that way you won’t settle for the wrong career a second time. If you’re not sure where to start with this, you can take a survey. You just need to know where to take the strong interest inventory online to get your answers.
Decide What You Don’t
Just as important as deciding what you like, you also need to think about the things that you can’t stand. What parts of work do you hate the most? For some people, it’s going to be getting stuck behind the desk throughout the day. That’s okay, there are plenty of jobs and careers that will allow you to be more active while still earning plenty of money. For instance, you could become a PT. You just need to be careful about choosing a career that you’ll only be able to do while you’re still young.
Research The Market
Once you understand your likes and dislikes in detail, it’s time to start researching the market. You need to find out what type of opportunities are out there that are going to be suitable for you and what you are looking for. This could include the level of pay, the type of experience required and the benefits that you are likely to gain. If you research the market you can make sure that there aren’t any nasty surprises. You can also make sure that you are choosing a job that is going to provide long term security. That’s far from a guarantee in the world of AI.
Work On Your CV
Next, you need to make sure that you focus on building up your CV. It’s possible that if you’ve been in a job for some time, your CV is a little dusty and dated. Since we mentioned AI, it’s also worth pointing out your CV will probably be run through software before anyone actually reads it. This will be checking for keywords which determine whether you are the right fit for a job. That’s why it’s important to streamline building your resume. It could also be worth thinking about getting a professional to do some work on it for you.
Gain Some New Qualifications
If you are starting a new career, then you are always going to need some fresh qualifications. As well as showing knowledge, it also ensures that you are determined to succeed and willing to put in the time as well as the money. You might think that this means that you need to go back to university. However, we are pleased to say that’s not the case. In reality, you can now earn plenty of top degrees online. This means that you’ll be able to get everything that you want out of a role and ensure that you have the qualifications to get your foot in the first door.
Start A Side Hustle
As mentioned, if you switch career paths after you have been following one road for quite sometime, then in a couple of ways, you are going to be back at square one. Specifically, this means that you could be earning a lot less money then you are used to. This is going to be particularly problematic if you have dependents including children. Hopefully you have some money saved but if you don’t, there’s no need to panic. You just need to explore a side hustle that you can use to build up your finances and give yourself an extra cushion of support to rely on. There are lots of side hustles worth exploring including blogging.
Make A Progress Plan
If you’re starting a new career, then you’re still probably going to want to earn as much money as you used to and maybe even more eventually. To do this, we recommend you create a progress plan. With the right strategy in place, you’ll be able to progress quickly in different roles. Crucially, you also won’t stay in one role for too long and will always remain motivated to move forward in your career.
Practice Interviewing
In all honesty, you’re going to go on a lot of interviews before you find the right position for you. This is perhaps to be expected and that’s why it’s important to make sure that you get incredibly good at interview. You need to demonstrate confidence and you should also be prepared to answer the key questions that potential employers are likely to ask. Don’t forget that interviews will often come down to who someone likes the most. Qualifications, experience, and even general knowledge of a role will only get you so far.
Know Your Worth
Finally, you should make sure that you understand your worth. If you don’t know what you are worth and what you can bring to a company, you are more likely to take a role that is beneath you or isn’t going to be truly fulfilling. This can also mean that you end up in some rather toxic work environments which is going to be the last thing that you want.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should always take before you decide to complete a career change.
