Changes in careers are more common than you would assume. Many people eventually change their career path from the one they initially chose when they were young. There are several reasons you might wish to change careers. Perhaps you anticipate significant job losses in the future because your industry is going out of style. Or perhaps you’re prepared to leave the military and make your first foray into the civilian workforce.
Whatever your individual case may be, changing jobs is a big move that should be taken seriously. Very rarely can a person jump seamlessly from one career to the next. Most of the time, there’s a transition period that may be challenging to get through. You may require additional education to prepare for your new occupation, or you may need to save up to ease the financial disruption. To help make the transition as painless as possible, here’s how to plan ahead for a career change.
What is a career switch?
Switching careers is the act of pursuing an occupation outside of your current position. For example, you may begin your career in the health care industry and then decide to move into government. It doesn’t always mean changing industries. You might also search for a job in the same field if you think a different company culture or management style will help you accomplish your career goals.
You might switch careers to:
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Have a more flexible work schedule
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Advance within an organization
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Earn a higher salary
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Travel more or less for work
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Work under a different leadership team
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Reduce stress
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Feel appreciated
Claim Benefits You’re Entitled To
If you’re a veteran who’s leaving the military for a new career, you could be wondering where to begin. Transitioning from one occupation to another might necessitate accepting lower pay for a period of time. You may need to take a lower-level position while you undergo the training or education required for promotion. To cover any significant pay decreases or gaps, it’s important to explore your financial options.
Fortunately, there are veteran financial resources that can help provide some degree of economic security. These resources can assist you in finding military and veteran discounts for which you qualify. You may also receive free meals, special housing loans, and job assistance through a military transition program. These programs can help make your career transition smoother and less financially taxing. You can find information on veteran-specific resources on trusted sites such as veteran.com.
Assess Your Career Goals
There’s probably a good reason you’re switching occupations. Before you take another job, it’s important to clarify exactly why you’re leaving your current one. That way you can avoid switching to a career with the same drawbacks as your present line of work. Whether you seek a higher salary, want more reasonable hours, or are simply ready for a change, your reasons for making the switch are important.
Once you identify why you’re leaving your current job, you can figure out what you want from your new career. What are the expectations and career goals that are driving this dramatic change in your life? Consider what kind of leadership opportunities you want to pursue and the type of organization you’d feel good about working for. Once you analyze your occupational goals, it will be easier to choose an occupation that is satisfying and rewarding.
Analyze Your Skills and Traits
Before you begin pursuing that new career, it’s important to do some self-reflection. Carefully analyze the skills and traits you have developed over your lifetime. This is one of those times when it’s perfectly OK to talk yourself up. Write down every skill and positive quality you can think of. Then ask a loved one to help you expand your list even more.
Once you have completed your inventory, identify jobs that would best fit your personality, experience, and interests. Which of your core skills can easily transfer to another line of work and boost your qualifications? If you’re not sure which occupations you’re most qualified for, consider talking to a career counselor. They can help you decide which alternative careers are a good fit based on your interests and qualifications.
Research Potential Careers
After you’ve engaged in sufficient soul-searching, it’s time for the fun part: researching potential careers. This is when you get to decide how you want to reinvent yourself and who you want to become. Using your qualifications and goals as a guide, come up with a list of professions that sound appealing. You aren’t committing to anything right now, so feel free to write down any job you’d like to explore further.
Once you have a decent list of occupations, research each one in greater detail. An easy way to do this is by searching online job listings for each of the occupations you’re interested in. Make note of any skills, educational qualifications, or experience required for each job. Note the professions you currently qualify for and which may require you to receive additional training or education.
Create an Action Plan
Now that you know of some occupations you can transition to, it’s time to create an action plan. The goal of this plan should be to help you embark on the career you want. You may find that you’re interested in multiple positions across different industries, and that’s perfectly fine. The more jobs you apply for, the better. As with most things, you should never put all your eggs into one basket.
Updating your résumé, networking, and acquiring job recommendations from reliable contacts should all be included in your career transition action plan. Additionally, you ought to post your CV on numerous job boards so that recruiters and hiring managers can see it. Your action plan can include call for earning a license or enrolling in a specialized course, depending on the line of work you’re pursuing. Figure out how you’ll move if you accept a new job, and include those prospective actions in your action plan.
Even though changing careers later in life can be frightening, being prepared can help you minimize interruptions. You’ll be able to enter a new career more easily if you adhere to the aforementioned procedures.
