How to Make a Career Change- Right Way to Make a Career Transition

When you decide to make a career change, people might ask- After settling down in a job with experience and exposure to the field, why would one want to make a career change? Yes, you might have to plan from scratch when you make a career change.

Are you aware that career changes are becoming more common each passing day? One of the many statistics around career change demonstrates that approximately 50% of workers want to make a career change. Millions of people are expected to switch their careers post-pandemic, one of the main reasons being flexibility.

Apart from preference, situations and places can make one switch careers. Even after meticulous planning and years of thinking, you might choose the wrong career path.

Salary is another reason why people make a career change. For instance, if your present job cannot fulfill your expenses for a long time; you might consider changing your career path to make both ends meet.

Opportunities and the probability of growth also make people shift careers. Nevertheless, you are not the only one taking this decision, and it is perfectly normal to make a career transition.

You may be changing your career for the first time, second, or third. It doesn’t matter how
many times you already have made a career change; it is always intimidating to leave what you currently have and risk your professional life to pursue something else. So, a planned strategy can prove to be advantageous for you.

Whether you are in your 20s, 30s, or 50s, here are the steps you should take to make a smooth career transition-  

Initially, it would help find out what you are looking for to attain job satisfaction. For this, you need to write down all the things you like and don’t like in your current job. Also, add items you are expecting from your future career that are particularly important.
From these answers, you will be able to figure out what job satisfaction appears for you.
You might also want to write about hobbies you retained and activities you loved doing. Add all the skills and aptitudes you honed in the past that might be useful for you now, and if you can apply them to the roles, you are
interested in pursuing.

None of us wanted to pursue a half-hearted job that drained our energy, leaving us discontent with the careers we chose. However, all people who could pursue what they truly wanted and establish a lucrative career out of it followed tactics and strategic plans to emerge as a master in their domain. While you are discovering once again all that you love to do, you also need to find out in what ways you want to change your career path.

For instance, some might want to start a new job altogether in a new industry, while others may switch to other jobs in the same industry. You also need to see if the skills you have garnered are best for the occupations and industries you are going for. This will help you get a clearer understanding of what waits ahead for you.

Another way to choose a career path when making a career change is to note all the suitable jobs and careers for the skills and potential you possess. But it may not be simple for everyone to pick one of the careers from the list.

Career counseling will also help you understand your personality and how it fits different professions. So, you may reach out to people working in the same field from your professional network. Additionally, you might go for career counseling if it is stressful to decide.

At this point, you will narrow down your list to a few possible jobs that are best for you. It would help if you now started detailed research about the appointments. You can take informational interviews with people currently working in the same job. This will provide you with the closest experience a person can gain without performing the job yourself. Once you have decided the career path you will be aiming for, it will become much easier to plan other aspects.

Now that you have decided on the job you will be getting, it is time to draft an action plan. This will include all the milestones you were able to discover through your research. You also need to include the skills, certifications, education, and other requirements you will have to fulfill to get the job. Write the steps you are required to take and add an approximate time you will need to complete them.

Changing your career is not an easy task. You are bound to feel discouraged and demotivated at times.For this, set measurable goals so you can track your progress as well. You can also plan a weekly or monthly record where you check your progress.

By doing this, you will feel motivated by the little victories along the way. This sense of
accomplishment will help overcome the fear and anxiety career transition might bring.
Moreover, do not miss out on internships and other volunteer work opportunities.

They can assist you in familiarizing yourself with the domain and gain understanding if you are genuinely enthusiastic about it. On top of that, you will be able to incorporate your experience into your resume, which will give you an
edge over other candidates.

If the new career path you are pursuing mandates an educational degree or other
certifications, it is necessary to seek education, going out of your current work environment. College courses, degrees, and other online and offline activities can help you achieve an in-depth understanding of the potential job you are seeking.

Online courses are readily available that can benefit you to learn and master the skills you will need. If you
are still employed, try finding opportunities to learn about these skills. Do not forget to include the relevant skills and experience in your resume and cover letter.

A large amount of every individual’s life is spent in their professional life. Hence, it is vital that you love doing what you are currently doing. To avoid changing careers because it looks frightening to once again re-think your decisions is not a reason good enough to stop yourself from making a career transition.

Doing things in a properly planned manner makes it easy to figure out what you want to pursue, how you want to follow, and what items you will need to follow.