Planning for a Successful Career Change

Posted January 9th, 2019
By Kris Powers

Image of job seekers with the words "career change" at their feet

It’s estimated that the average person will change jobs 10 to 15 times (with an average of 12 job changes) during his or her career. Some of these job changes may be out of necessity (company downsizing, etc.), others by choice.

Armed with this knowledge, you can take steps to plan for career changes in your working life. How? By doing your research, continuously networking and volunteering, preparing financially, and seeking out educational opportunities and career training to keep your skills current!

Research

Take the time to investigate careers of interest. What training requirements do they have? What is the anticipated average salary for someone with your experience? What does the job market look like for that career in your area?

If the position that interests you is in your current field, what skills do top performers possess? How can you brush up your abilities and what can you add to your resume to better reflect the type of employee companies will be looking for to fill that role?

Never Stop Networking

Spend time every week nurturing the relationships you have with others. Friends and family can often be instrumental in helping one find a new position. Seek out networking opportunities in order to get in front of people who work in a career field that interests you. Professional conferences, meet-up events, or online forums like LinkedIn are great places to start. If you attended a university; check out their alumni and career services departments. Don’t hesitate to ask your current network to help you make connections with others.

Volunteer

Volunteer your time with and/or ask to shadow others working in your chosen field. This will give you great insight into what a typical day might look like in this role. Absorb as much information as you can and make great personal and professional connections while you are there.

Learn as Much as You Can

Reading books, attending webinars, and staying active on social media sites dedicated to your profession are all great ways to educate yourself. Registering for a course, whether in person or online, can be a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the learning experience. It also gives you something to put on your resume and to talk about during networking events. Prospective employers will appreciate the fact that you took the time to obtain additional training or certification.

Start Saving Yesterday

Changing jobs can be frightening financially. Set a goal of having at least 6 months living expenses in reserve (one year’s worth is better). If possible, take courses while still gainfully employed in another job. Depending on what your chosen career change is; you may need to start slowly and build up to success. For example, if you have decided to try your hand at freelance work; you may need to work another job to make ends meet until you’ve built up the necessary clientele. Make sure you have the financial resources set aside to support you and your family while pursuing your dreams.

It’s important to never stay stagnant in your capabilities or training. Always strive to learn more, to amass new skills, to put yourself in the best position possible should you need to, or choose to, change professions. What can you do to make yourself stand out from the other applicants? How can you improve your skill set to ensure that you will bring added value to your new organization? There is always room for improvement, for all of us.

Ed4Career offers high quality online courses designed to assist you with your career training needs. We offer courses in the following fields and more:

In addition to career training, we offer hundreds of courses in personal enrichment and professional development. Ed4Career has what you need to stand out from the crowd. Visit us to learn more today!

 

 

By Kris Powers | January 9th 2019

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