How to Change Careers

 

1. Follow Your Gut

You’re unhappy in your current field or you wouldn’t want to make this change. But instead of wallowing in your misery, recommends Aurora Meneghello, founder of Repurpose Your Purpose, you should take the risk and apply for something new. “It may be disappointing to hear, but you probably won’t know what to do and how to be successful at it until you do it,” she says. “You will have to follow that hunch that you should be doing something else and then try to do something different, fail, pivot and try again until you find your calling.” 

2. Focus Your Job Search

Now that you know you’re ready to change careers—and you’re ready to follow your gut—it’s time to start a job search. But you don’t want to apply to any ol’ job in your new chosen field, or you could end up back where you started—unhappy and looking for yet another change. So, when you launch your job search, “be clear on what you want, why you want it and what qualifies you,” even if this is a brand-new field for you, advises career coach and author of  The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide Roy Cohen. Because, “without clarity from the very start, virtually every stage that follows will be based on little more than a hunch—and that is an extremely fragile foundation for navigating a dynamic job search.”

3. Whip Your Resume Into Shape

While you may not have experience in the field you’d like to enter everyone has what are called transferable skills—skills any manager would want their employees to have. These skills are very important to highlight when you’re making a career change, according to career coach and resume writer Anish Majumdar.

4. Network, Network, Network

Much like dating, scoring a job — in your current industry or in another one — is about getting out there. Putting yourself in networking situations will help you, one, speak to people in the industry about trends, companies hiring and current happenings. It will also allow you the opportunity to vocalize your intent to change careers.

5. Consider Informational Interview

As you’re choosing your new career—and applying for new jobs in your chosen field—consider setting up a few informational interviews with people who are doing what you’d one day like to do. They can give you solid advice on how to enter the field and impress in an interview, which is invaluable information to someone completely new to the industry.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Apply

You’ve found your dream job. You’ve whipped your resume into shape. You’ve talked with people in your new career field. And yet, you’re still afraid to apply because you could get rejected. Apply anyway, encourages Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW. “If you feel stuck in toxicity at work, then do something that feels tangible,” she says. “For example, if you want a job at a specific company, send a resume there. Even getting a rejection letter—or in some cases, no response—is better than doing nothing. In other words, the energy vibe you will feel—the palpable traction—will be invigorating.. The act of composing a cover letter and focusing yourself on an action that may resolve your work discord is empowering.”

7. Learn More!

Ready for a career change, but have no idea what else you could do – or where to start? Need more nitty-gritty advice on pivoting into tech, changing careers after a sabbatical or wondering how to navigate the interview questions recruiters are sure to ask? Here are a few related articles that will answer all of your questions:

SOURCE:glassdoor.com