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Changing careers is difficult. Sometimes, you can be at the top of a profession but must begin at the bottom of a new path. Are you prepared to wind back the clock and start over?
And, by the way, that’s if you have a clear vision of what you want to do. Many people, however, are only certain about the internal events that are driving their desire for a change – they are unhappy with their current course but aren’t sure about the next step.
If you are thinking about switching careers, here are some steps to help you along on the journey.
Work with a Career Counselor. Changing vocations is an important decision, and it may be a good investment to invest in a qualified career counselor. A career counselor holds advanced degrees in social work, counseling, or other related disciplines, and helps navigate potential options and identify a career path. They have the expertise to conduct career assessments, and spend the necessary time to learn and to understand your passions and competencies.
Tap your college career counseling center. Being a student is a career. When you graduate you are making your first, and perhaps only, career switch. If you are a recent graduate, your school is bound to have a career counseling center that may be able to help you choose the appropriate direction for your next career. Many colleges allow alumni to access their student career services as well. They see what employers are looking for in the job market, and can potentially navigate you in the right director
Follow the news. Your new career may be something you don’t even know about. If you make time to learn about emerging businesses and trends, you may have a “Eureka” moment. For example, scope out the “surge industries,” new careers emerging that will become part of our economy for the foreseeable future.
Research your opportunities. If you have an interest in a new field, you have unprecedented methods to seek out an expert in that field. Through LinkedIn, it is easy to search for people in any profession. Be proactive and reach out to leaders in their fields and ask them if they might willing to hold an informational interview with you; many professionals are happy to provide guidance and insight on their vocation, if approached in an appropriate and respectful manner.
Research can also be learning. Check out the many sites that provide courses in every imaginable subject to learn more about a potential new career. The more well-rounded your understanding of a new pursuit, the easier it will be to transition and meet your expectations. If you independently study a subject and follow it up with a “informational interview” with an expert in that subject, you will gain more from that interview and ultimately have a deeper understanding of what it’s like to work in travel, or digital marketing, or making widgets, or whatever it is you decide to be.
Get the data. Once again, online you have unprecedented access to information about any potential new career. Sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn have salary information, company profiles, and reviews. Career resources, like this blog, always have helpful information, and many people work very hard with only one goal – to help you get to where you want to go. There is an almost endless well of actionable information about potential vocations.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.
