Do you find yourself saying “I Want to Switch Careers: What to do Next”? We can help you. Here you can find great tips and advice on how you should take the next step in your career. It might be a rocky road but it’s one that leads to success.
How to Approach a Career Change
Wanting to switch careers and actually doing it are two different things. You might want to make the switch just to break your routine but that shouldn’t be the only reason. So ask yourself some relevant and realistic questions before making your decision. Remember once you start there’s no going back.
Why the Change?
Before switching careers, you should know why you would like to make the change. Is it family related? Do you need a better income? Are you looking for a new adventure? All these questions are relevant to taking the next step to starting a new career.
Can you Afford to Shift Careers?
Looking into new careers is fun and exciting but it does come at a cost. There is a possibility that you won’t have an income for a period of time. You have to know that you are financially able to leave your current career and still be covered till your next career opportunity.
What are Your Interests and Passions?
When considering a career change it’s important to take your interests and passions into consideration. Your chances of success are likely to increase and you are more likely to enjoy your career. So take the time to note down what your interests are, what you are passionate about and what careers are needed in the world.
Are you Willing to Start at the Bottom and Work Your way up?
Changing careers might not lead you to the career/job you’d like directly. It can be a process. So you have to know if you are willing to start at the bottom. This means taking on a position lower than your current one and maybe even starting off as an intern. Taking on a lower position can help you secure your career and give you a platform to work off.
Pros and Cons of Switching Careers
As you know by now, switching careers isn’t an easy or simple process but it’s not impossible. Weighing out the pros and cons is a vital step to switching careers. If the cons outweigh the pros, don’t get discouraged, find solutions.
Making a Career Switch Successful
A career switch seems easy on paper but can be difficult in reality. That’s why you should take a few guidelines to making a career switch successful. Knowing how to change careers can be a great help. We are here to give you those tips.
Start at the Beginning
Starting at the beginning means assessing why you want to leave your job. What about it don’t you like anymore? Why are you unhappy? Once you have your answers you can then move onto the next tip.
Get an Education
Get an education, better yet get it while you’re still working. This can be done via distance learning. As one of our students, you won’t attend any classes and you get to study at your own pace. So you can work full-time and study full-time.
Volunteer
Volunteering is a great stepping stone. You won’t have to give up your full time job. In fact you can do volunteer work on weekends and in your free time. You’ll get the skills you need and do your part for the community.
Spruce up your CV and Cover Letter
A new adventure means a new CV and cover letter are needed. You can update your CV by adding any new skills and qualifications that you might have earned. A cover letter should reflect your skills, strengths and state how you can add value.
Getting Your Foot in the Door With no Experience
When switching careers you might want a job in a specific field but you might not have the experience needed. Luckily, we have a few tips that you can use to get your foot in the door.
Identify Your top Skills
Take a moment out of your day to jot down all your skills. The purpose of this brainstorming session is to identify your top skills. Your top skills can help get your foot in the door.
Use Life Experience
Most of the experience you gain in your everyday life can be implemented in your work life. Life experience may not be formal experience but it can help you. Use this tip as an advantage and tool when applying for jobs.
Create Your own Experience
Just because you don’t have work experience, doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Take matters into your own hands and find ways to get the experience needed for your career. You can use any of these three way:
- Try: gain experience by practicing on your own. This will give you a basic understanding of the tasks needed for the job and some informal training.
- Take courses: You can’t go wrong when doing a course. We have a special set of short courses such as our beauty and management courses that aim to get you workplace ready.
- Internships: A good way to gain experience is by doing an internship. You might not earn a lot but you do learn a lot.
Ensure Your CV and Cover Letter Makes the Connection.
Your CV is the first thing employers look at. Even though you don’t have the experience, your CV can still persuade them to invite you for an interview. Alter your CV and cover letter to meet the other necessary requirements for the position.
Speak Confidently in Your Interview
Confidence is a key element to acing an interview. You might not have the necessary experience but have confidence in what you have. This can convince employers to take a chance on you.
Get an Advocate
Having someone to vouch on your behalf is an added advantage. Find someone who knows you and your work ethic as a reference. Ensure that the person you use is credible.
Make the Switch via Distance Learning
Are you ready to do a course that can help you make your career switch? Contact one of our expert course advisors and get started today.
- Call us for free on 0800 39 00 27
- Or fill out a contact form for a call back
