Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut? You loved your career when you first got started, but you’re craving something new and exciting. That’s not unheard of. Humans evolve, and they change with time. Something that they enjoyed when they were 18 years old and starting college might not be as interesting to them when they are 30.
According to statistics, the average person will change their careers 12 times during their lifetime. And since you will spend about a third of your life working, it makes sense to ensure that you are as happy as possible in whatever job you choose. If you are thinking about transitioning into a new career, there are some tips to make that a smoother process.
Decide What You Want to Do
You want to explore your career options first. Ask yourself if there is something that you really want to do or you think would leave you feeling fulfilled. It’s very important that you make sure you are moving into a career that you feel like you could stick to for the long haul. The last thing you want to do is go through the trouble of changing your life only to find out you hate the path you’ve taken, and it makes you more miserable than you were before.
Think about what you are interested in. Did you find yourself sitting in a courtroom for jury duty and decide you would love to be an attorney or paralegal? That brings us to our next time: make sure you have the qualifications necessary for the job.
Complete Any Necessary Courses or Training
Don’t let this scare you away from changing your life. The reality is, if you are changing careers, you might have to do a little extra work to get qualified. For example, an internal medicine doctor who wants to move over to a family practice should get their ducks in a row and take the ABFM board exam to become a certified American Board of Family Medicine physician.
Some of the training or certifications necessary to change careers could be really simple. For others, you might have to take some courses in school. Either way, don’t let that stand in your way if you truly feel strongly about shifting your focus.
Identify Any Obstacles
When you are thinking about making any life change, no matter how big or small, it’s always best to identify the obstacles that could stand in your way. Identifying a problem early on can help you figure out a solution and brainstorm solutions. For example, do you need to bolster your savings before making the change because you will have a short-term pay cut?
Update Your Resume
After you have completed any certifications or courses you need, it’s time to update your resume. If you had to go to school to get a new degree, it might be worth looking into whether that institution has a resume workshop to help you make it as appealing as possible to employers in the competitive market.
If that is not a resource that’s available to you, there are plenty of resume tips and tricks online, from what your cover page should look like to which jobs you should list in your previous employment history.
Also, you can learn how to turn just about anything into a school. For instance, were you a stay-at-home parent who juggled multiple schedules and managed to get everyone where they needed to be on time? Well, that sounds like you are a punctual person who is used to juggling a large workload while solving problems quickly and efficiently communicating.
After your resume is in order, the only step left is to take the leap into a new career.
