Have you been thinking about changing your career path and redirecting your whole professional life? This decision is equally exciting and daunting since it involves taking some risks. Here are some of the most important steps you should think about when planning to start a change in career.
Gain the Necessary Qualifications
First of all, you will need to make sure that you are qualified for whichever new career you want to pursue. This means searching for the job roles that interest you and reading the descriptions to find out what recruiters in that industry are looking for. Take note of the common requirements for the jobs you would like to apply for and find out how to gain the necessary qualifications. This might involve returning to education or looking for volunteering opportunities to add to your experience and make you more attractive to potential employers. You could enroll in part-time classes or take a few years out to study.
Research Potential Roles
When you have the qualifications needed for the career path you want, it’s time to seriously start looking at potential roles. Depending on how different your new industry is to the one you are planning to leave, you might need to accept that you’ll be starting at the bottom of a new career ladder. This might mean working in a position that offers a lower salary than what you are accustomed to, so it’s essential that you factor in your personal finances before looking for a completely different job.
Prepare for Interviews
Apply for jobs and respond appropriately to each advertisement as recruiters can tell when job hunters simply copy and paste their details across multiple job postings. When you are invited to attend interviews, make sure you are prepared. Here is a quick checklist of what you need to remember:
- Learn as much as you can about the company
- Find out what you’ll be expected to wear – if in doubt, formal clothing is safer than casual clothing
- Be respectful and relaxed
- Answer questions honestly and without resorting to cliched responses
- Prepare to ask questions of the interviewers at the end
Hand In Your Notice
This stage might come sooner in the process depending on the turnaround of employees within your industry. Whenever it arises, at some point you will need to let your current employer know that you intend to move on. Normally this goes without any stress, but sometimes quitting isn’t easy. If your employer fails to pay your wages, you can find support to make sure you receive what you are owed. You can find more information about an unpaid wages claim in Colorado here.
Start Your New Career
Now that you have gained your qualifications, applied for jobs, attended interviews and received an offer, it’s time for you to focus on giving your all to your new career. Hopefully these steps have clarified for you what you can do next on your path to a career that brings you greater fulfilment.
