A career change is a big decision for anyone. Sometimes we entertain the idea but never actually move beyond that. It’s a cycle where you find yourself frustrated with your career; you feel that you need to make a change, but decide against it anyway. The months and years go by, and you’re still stuck with an unsatisfying career.
According to a recent survey by the American Staffing Association, 38% of working adults say they are likely to change careers within the next year. Yet far fewer will make the jump. Here are some action steps to help.
Anytime you repeatedly feel unhappy or frustrated with your current career, it’s a good time to weigh your options. If you’re ready to switch careers, then it’s better to prepare for your career change now than make a change without being ready. Here are six steps to prepare for your career change.
Set a date – The reason why most people put off making a career change is because they’re unprepared. For you to successfully make a career change, you need to have a plan. The first step of the plan is having a date set when you finally want to make the change.
You need to give yourself ample time before the date to make sure that everything is in place and to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Self-evaluation – Before you make the change, you first need to know yourself. You don’t want to make a career change and find yourself once again in a career that’s not right for you. Spend some time thinking about what it is that you really want, what makes you passionate about what you do, and what will make you feel fulfilled.
Identifying options – The next step after knowing what you truly want is identifying what options are available. What career path should you take? This will probably require some research on your part.
Learning – When you have your options in front you, you need to learn as much as you can. This may mean going back to school to gain more knowledge and skills about the profession you’re targeting. By preparing ahead of time, you can make sure that you’re qualified beforehand.
Building a network – While you prepare your skills for the career you want to pursue next, you also need to establish connections that can help you enter the field. Having a network to help you eventually land a position in the career you want will definitely ease the transition.
Prepare your finances – Your career change will be derailed if you don’t plan your finances. If you’re high up on the ladder in your current career, a change will mean going back down the ladder. Your finances will take a hit, and if your obligations and responsibilities won’t allow you to make the change, you need to give more time before doing so.
Jumping into another career will be hard. You’ve already established yourself in your current career, and going into another field will mean a lot of changes. Still, if you plan ahead of time, those changes will be manageable. So, start planning now if you want to succeed in your career change later.
