7 Steps to a Successful Career Change

When you begin to hate Mondays, it may be time to reinvent your career?

We’ve all had a bad week and that feeling when the dread kicks in on a Sunday evening. But what if it’s every week and it’s not only Mondays you're dreading, but Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every day?

Life’s too short. If this is how you or someone you know feels, it’s time to get honest with oneself and truly evaluate your career. Remember career satisfaction not only affects your work life, but your whole life, your health and relationships outside of work too.

How easy or difficult it’s going to be to make a change depends largely on what you’re currently doing, how much you earn, who’s dependent on you, your age, your education, how much savings you currently have, your current debt and of course your own self-doubt?

Even if you feel you are stuck in a rut because of your current responsibilities and burdens, you should still toy with the idea of making a change. It won’t cost you anything to consider the idea. It may just mean that your plans will take longer to put in place and at least you may improve how you feel in general by looking to the future and giving yourself something to look forward to.

Let this be the year that you make some positive changes, but where do you start? Here are some tips to help you along the way.

1. Identify the problem

Ask yourself - Is it the company you want to move away from or the entire industry, or is it just about the money? It might be worthwhile sitting down with your Manager prior to making the move. Have a good think in advance about what you really want; is it money, better benefits, more responsibility, further training, more flexible working arrangements, opportunities for growth or a clear career path etc. Further outline how you think your Manager can provide whatever you want, ensure that you have information of how you have contributed to the company and why you are worth it! If you're successful make sure to get what's agreed in writing and have a clear plan and deadlines in place to help all parties achieve the goals.

If this approach fails, then it's time to move forward with your job search.

2. Find your competitive advantage

Make a list of the things that you love to do and a list of things that you’re great at, not just good at. Things that give you a competitive edge. Reviewing both lists may provide you with a good starting point when considering a career or life change. Make sure to review what you absolutely dislike about your current and previous jobs and ensure that you steer clear of making the same mistakes again - define your non-negotiables.

3. How to find out what you love

‘Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life again’, well it's easier said than done and it’s going to be hard to find a job that ticks all boxes, but at least try and find something that you will enjoy doing and if possible then build your career around it. You will only be successful in finding the right job if you are very aware of what exactly you want and you research correctly to ensure you apply for the right position. You may need to consider doing some courses to upskill yourself.

How do I find out what I really love? Start digging……

Questions to ask yourself;

• What do you do when you have spare time?

• What do you want to be better at?

• Who inspires you? Why do they inspire you?

• What would you spend your time doing if you didn’t have to work?

• What did you enjoy at school and college, or in previous jobs?

Audit your life

By breaking down your current behaviour, actions and patterns, it will uncover where your curiosity and passions lie. You are leaving clues behind every day about what you love – so go find them!

• Review your YouTube history and search history on Google

• Review your internet browser bookmarks

• Review your bank statements and see where your money is going every month

• Speak to your friends, parents, family members or partner and ask them what you are always talking about?

Go back to your childhood

It’s time to take a stroll down memory lane. What did you love doing as a child before life got in the way? Make a list of all the activities and hobbies you can remember doing when you were younger. Think of happy times in your childhood too.

• When you were full of joy as a child, what was the activity that you were talented at?

4. Research your options

Be mindful of the fact that we can become blinkered by our current surroundings and remember that there are lots of different types of organisations and careers out there. You may only have a view of the industry that you are currently in. The culture in other industries could be completely different from your current employers, so be sure to do plenty of research to identify what’s attractive to you.

Check out other businesses within your current industry and also not for profit organisations. Research has found that people who work for charities, social enterprises or other not-for-profit organisations increased their personal happiness levels sharply. People feel happier when they believe that their work is serving a greater purpose.

Look around at the people who you think have perfect jobs. If you could swap places with someone, who would that be and why? What do they do? How happy are they really? Could you do what they’re doing? What do you have to do to get there? Maybe invite them out for a coffee, it’s best to be honest from the get go – tell them why you’d like to meet in advance. Most people will be happy to oblige.

5. Beating self-doubt

There’s no doubt that making big changes can be daunting and challenging and contemplating such changes will immediately kick off self-doubt in the best of us. It’s a natural reaction, but self-doubt can be paralysing, if you let it take over. We have covered a whole section on this area in the next article CLICK HERE

6. Rebuild your professional Network

When considering a career change, have a look at your current network. Do you know anyone who is currently working in the field, could you link back up with them? A good place to reconnect with people is on LinkedIn. Getting to speak to people who work in your chosen area is an excellent way to gain valuable knowledge about the inner workings of the industry or specific companies. Surrounding yourself with the right people can have a profound impact on your career prospects.

7. Focus on your transferable skills

Showcasing your transferable skills to potential hiring managers is one of the most effective methods for successfully making a career change.

Transferable skills, as the name suggests, are skills that can be transferred from one field to another. They’re often referred to as portable skills, because you take them along with you from job to job and from life in general. Read more about transferable skills in our Jobseeker Resources HERE

8. A bit about Job Hopping!

In the past Job Hopping was frowned upon and could even pose a problem for future employers, but that has changed, employers do not focus so much on this anymore. They are more concerned with finding the right person for the role and working on retaining this talent. It only really becomes a big issue if you are constantly 'hopping' after short stints, unless there is a valid reason such as you were contracted on specific projects or the company had cut backs! Moving after 2 years is acceptable, but do not stay in a job if you are unhappy or not being treated fairly, for your sanity it's best to take the chance and move.

On average you will receive a 15 - 20% pay increase by moving to a new company, compared with a 3 - 5% annual pay increase in your current job. Moving companies also expands your Network and Skillset, as you are exposed to many different environments and projects.

You do not always have to list all positions individually on your CV either. You can consolidate multiple 'projects'/Jobs into one section. For example, put the date range in and say something like;

Various Short Term Contracts as Marketing Manager where I achieved ....... (List achievements)

If you've had to leave a job early in the past or messed up in a role and got fired, it's not the end of the World. The past is the past. Remember most companies only confirm start date, end date and position when asked for a reference for legal reasons, so you will be fine. If a security check is required by your new employer you will need to provide all past employment details - including dates, so provide everything when required.

TO GO TO THE NEXT ARTICLE ON "Self Doubt - The Major Obstacle" CLICK HERE

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