How to make a career change: A complete guide
In the 21st century, it’s normal to switch careers at least once. In fact, the average person changes jobs about 5 times throughout their working life. Whether it’s for personal reasons or financial reasons, only you can make the decision to change careers.
Thankfully, we’re here to offer some advice on how you can successfully pivot into a different career, no matter how far into your career you are.
Quick links:
- How do you know it’s time for a career change?
- What are the benefits of changing careers?
- How to prepare and take action for a career change
How do you know it’s time for a career change?
You know it’s time for dinner when your belly starts to grumble, or time for bed when you can’t keep your eyes open, but how do you know when it’s time for a career change?
You’ll undoubtedly recognise the signs…
Signs you may need a change
When you first start a job, there’s usually a sense of excitement, eagerness to learn, and a desire to impress the people in charge. Through a combination of personal reasons and mismanagement, this feeling might wane.
If you notice that you’re feeling stuck in your career, your values no longer align with the company that you work for, or your work/life balance is beginning to suffer, it might be time for a change.
Questions to ask yourself
Before making the jump into a new career, ask yourself the following questions to assess whether a career change is the right next step.
- “What kind of work excites me?”
- “Where do I want to be in 5 years?”
- “What’s missing from my current role?”
- “What is making me stay, and is that worth it?”
Writing your thoughts down in a journal can help you to work through your thoughts and also determine whether these are simply passing emotions or a sustained, long-term problem.
While you decide if a career change is best for you, it’s important to stay motivated in your current role, even if your mind is in other places.
What are the benefits of changing careers?
Compared to a job you’re no longer fulfilled by, a change in careers can bring about all kinds of benefits. Job search website Joblist conducted a recent survey of career changers, and found that those who packed in their previous role for something new reported the following positives:
- 77% felt happier
- 75% felt more satisfied
- 69% felt more fulfilled
- 65% felt less stressed
Emotional improvements like these play a big role in our own well-being. While better pay was cited as the main reason for switching careers, the survey found that money had little bearing on emotional gratification.
How to prepare and take action for a career change
Now that you’ve made the decision to leave, you’re probably wondering how to go about it. Here are some of our top tips to prepare and, crucially, take action to initiate a career change.
Identify and strengthen transferable skills
Transferable skills are broad skills that can be applied across almost all disciplines. Skills like communication, leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability are welcomed in most professions. By identifying these soft skills, you can communicate them through your CV and perhaps enhance them before deciding to switch careers.
To identify skills like communication and leadership, think back to your previous projects. Perhaps you had to deliver bad news to a client or head an important project from start to finish.
Fill any skill or experience gaps
Now that you’ve got a sense of what skills you have, it’s time to look at skills that you lack. Upskilling doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. There are free, short courses that can be completed in an afternoon, all the way up to diplomas that take years to complete. Websites like LinkedIn Learning also offer free courses to bolster your skills.
Build a financial cushion and a career plan
Starting a new job does come with a certain amount of financial insecurity. This can be mitigated by saving a percentage of your income so that you can make do for at least 2-3 months without a job. As well as this, cutting back on unnecessary spending during your probationary period can allow you to feel more financially secure. Create a plan for how much money you need to save and how long you realistically plan to be out of work.
Start networking early
In the world of job hunting, there is no greater truth than the old saying, “it’s not what you know but who you know”. Expanding your network with colleagues, employers and connections, and attending functions and events, can put you in front of all kinds of valuable contacts.
By attending in-person events or simply using LinkedIn to join in with industry conversations, you can expand your network and find it easier to secure a job when the time comes.
Take practical steps toward your new role
You can’t just expect to walk into a completely new role in an entirely new industry without taking the necessary steps to secure it. Take practical steps like updating your CV to reflect the desirable skills in the industry you’re applying to. Mirror the language seen in the job advertisement to ensure that your CV will be sorted properly. It’s worth noting that while you might be taking a lower salary and/or responsibility, try to think of these jobs as stepping stones.
Stay flexible and open-minded
As we mentioned, the first job you land will likely be a stepping stone into something more permanent, so stay open-minded about the opportunities that you apply for. Progress when applying for jobs might be slow, but be patient, and the right job will come up eventually if you use the tips we’ve mentioned.
Remember, a career pivot is a new start, not the end! By taking the skills you’ve already picked up, developing skills that you lack, and properly communicating them in your CV, you’ll land a job that will allow you to transition into a completely new field.
Click here for the latest news and features from SEFE or visit our homepage to find out about our latest career opportunities.
The views, opinions and positions expressed within this article are those of our third-party content providers alone and do not represent those of SEFE. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. SEFE accepts no liability for any errors, omissions or representations.
