Many if not all of us have gone through major or minor changes at various points in our lives and mostly at our workplaces, relationships and in our careers. Indeed, change is inevitable.
However, there is something about a career change that still stirs the murky scary waters of any individual. Before we delve any further, let me just make sure you understand exactly what I mean when I say the words ‘Career Change’ or ‘Changing Careers’.
Change is a byproduct of growth, and people constantly strive to grow in their careers.
Changing careers can take very many forms – you could change your role, shift your function, change departments, enter a new industry, or a combination of all. Personally, I am no visitor to almost all the forms of career change, however whatever form your career change takes, I am here to remind you that all is well.
So, perhaps you’ve been promoted, found a job at a new company, or feel that your college major doesn’t directly align with your current role. You’ve gone through changes, no matter how minor, and you can do it again.
A few years ago when I opted out of active employment taking a rather different course in life, many people told me that I was done for. You see, self employment in itself is a change in careers, but one many people don’t often talk about.
My quick jump to self employment didn’t exactly take me away from doing the things I am passionate about. It only changed how the things I am passionate about are done. I get to choose my own clients, I get to choose my office time, I get to decide when to meet my clients, and I also get to decide how much I will work for. Isn’t that interesting???
Now let’s delve into what a successful career change takes because many times, it doesn’t fully rely on a colorful, heavy resume and or a clear cover letter (though those can help). If you want to settle into a career path that feels more aligned with your interests and preferences, it’s important to deeply understand your career aspirations, goals and values and how you can fuse them with your life.
Today, I share five steps to consider when making a career change.
- Assess your current career.
This honestly just requires you to look within yourself and figure out why you want the change and also what it means when you take the step of change. Here, you figure out whatever is motivating the change, and also whether changing will better align with your goals and future aspirations. It’s not advisable to just jump to conclusions and make a change before this crucial step.
- Clarify your career goals.
What are your career goals? Get a pen and write your career and personal goals. Understanding what you’d like to experience in this next stage of your career can help you focus your efforts and better prepare you for what is to come ahead.
- Research potential careers.
Now, it’s important to start looking out for careers that align with your career goals. Start by looking at job boards like Brighter Monday or LinkedIn to gather general information about new careers, such as the average salary, typical educational background and experience required, and so on.
- Read job descriptions.
After researching potential careers, it is very important to carefully read their job descriptions (JD) to get to know what employers are looking for. This is also quite important because it gives you a sense of what to focus on in your resume.
- Define your course of action.
Now, it’s time to make a decision. What next?
