5 Things To Know When You Switch Careers

Whether boredom has increased or your sense of meaning in your current career has decreased, switching careers could be the best decision you make. The reasons for a career switch are as wide and varied as dissatisfaction at work, stagnation in your current profile or pure disillusionment with what your stream of choice has come to. Switching careers isn’t the devil incarnate and sometimes that jump is just the shot in the arm your professional life needs. MensXP gives you five things to consider before you take that big leap.

Your Options

Begin by weighing your options and then narrow them down. Explore what you can do and what you simply won’t be able to do. While everything seems rosy on paper, be realistic about your aspirations and your abilities. Once you choose your new stream, speak to professionals from that industry and ask them about details about that career option. Familiarize yourself with what you will be doing and think about how you can add to it and make it your own.

Your Skills

Are your current skills transferable? Will you be able to use these skills in your new career? Are there short, specialized courses you can take to add new skills? These are questions you need to ask yourself. Additionally, look to adapting your current skills to your new career. And even though experiential skills are more practical, and nothing beats learning on the job, additional qualifications always help.

The Career Fit in the Larger Scheme of Things

Now that you’ve decided to switch careers, do you know how it will fit in the larger scheme of things? The answer to this depends completely on how you’ve envisioned your career path. Do you plan to pursue this new career until you retire? Are you planning to start your own company in the future and use your experiences then? Are you considering the switch as a filler, a temporary essential? Make a bucket list of questions and once you answer them, you’ll know exactly which direction to take.

The Companies You Plan To Apply To

Now that you’ve decided to make your switch, list the companies you plan to apply to. Besides checking for vacancies, find out if they’re flexible enough to hire someone who is making a switch. Additionally, once you meet with them, take a closer look at what’s not being said as opposed to what’s being said. If they offer you a growth path, a solid plan of action that allows you freedom to make your own decisions in the future, and a certain plan of action, it’s time to give them a second look. And yes, always have more than one option – the more, the merrier.

Your Professional Network

Nothing absolutely beats word-of-mouth and professional recommendations. Besides applying independently, rely on your professional network for leads, vacancies, introductions and recommendations. References through a common professional, gives you a better shot at the interview. Additionally, a recommendation is an endorsement of your professional skills and scope to learn, absorb and apply. It’s time to connect and reconnect.

Source: www.mensxp.com

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