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4 Tips to Help You Make a Successful Career Change

By | Keith Coppersmith  | Business Journalist \ Bizzmarkblog.com

At some point in their lives, a lot of people consider a career change. Some do so because they want better options or better pay while others are forced to do so out of necessity. The situation nowadays is a perfect example of the necessity for a career change. 

With the global outbreak of COVID-19 virus, a lot of industries are hit pretty hard. Businesses are shutting down to prevent the disease from spreading and people are encouraged to isolate until the crisis passes. 

So if you’re in this situation, you’ve probably encountered one of three possible scenarios. One, you’re forced out of work but the government and your employer has promised you certain guarantees but you feel uneasy about how it will all play out in the end. 

Two, your employer won’t give you sick leave and you want to switch careers so that you can, at least, avoid the risk of getting infected by a potentially lethal virus. Three, you got laid off. No matter the reason behind wanting a career change, it’s not so difficult to make the switch these days. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you make a successful career change.

Make the decision

If you want to successfully switch careers, you’ll need to decide for yourself that it’s the time to do so. However, before you get there, you have to determine if you actually need a career change and the reasons behind it. This might seem easy when you say it but in reality, it’s quite a challenge. 

The main reason is that a lot of people are uncomfortable with walking into the unknown. It takes courage to make the first step. You might find a couple of reasons why you’re unsatisfied with your current job but you’ll also tell yourself that it isn’t so bad.

 If something encouraged you to even consider a career change, it means that your current position isn’t as good as you might think. Therefore, think about it and talk to your close friends and family about your career change. Any feedback is good and it will help you decide whether or not you’ve made the right choice.

Assess your skills

Now it’s time to ask yourself what is it that you can actually do? This is the part that scares people the most. Undauntedly, you’ll start overthinking the matter by asking yourself things like these: “I’m I qualified for a different job?”, “Do I even have the basic skills required?”,”What about education?”, and so on. 

What you need to understand is that switching careers isn’t as strict as it was before. “You’ve made your choice now there’s no going back” and stuff like that are no longer viable. Instead of burdening yourself, start with what you’d like to do

Do you want to work in marketing or would you, perhaps, consider an HR position in some company? Anything goes. Once you’ve assessed your skills and your needs you can work on getting a job in any industry.

What will it take?

You’re probably wondering by now about what will it take to get a new job besides confidence? Today, you don’t need to have well-developed skills, a high school or a college diploma or work experience in the field to get a job in a different industry. 

A lot of companies prefer to hire inexperienced but ambitious people. That way they can mold you into their company culture more seamlessly. A little bit of know-how is always welcome. For example, let’s assume you want to switch careers to the IT sector. There are flexible IT jobs that you can do from home, which is especially beneficial during isolation. 

That said, you can attend an online course and obtain a diploma in information technology. Now you have what it takes to get an entry-level job in some companies and you can work your way up from there. The same goes for other industries as well. Online academies and courses are well-renowned today and employers consider them to be adequate for the necessary job requirements. 

Get down with the research

Finally, it’s time to do some research. You have to consider possible job opportunities and companies where a fresh start would seem like a good idea. Apply for jobs anywhere you can and attend interviews respectively. 

Sooner or later you’ll get lucky. It’s also a good idea to consider volunteer work for a while just to get some experience under your belt. This is not always mandatory from the employer point of view but it will help you adjust to the new environment. 

After all, you want to improve yourself so that you can advance in your new career more efficiently. Moreover, it doesn’t hurt to do a bit of networking while searching for a job. Creating a network of contacts and associates can help you out greatly in the future. 

Considering a career change is a big decision. Oftentimes, people are simply in search of a better career so that they can ensure a better life. That’s why it’s important to consider your options well and take the necessary steps that will allow you to switch careers successfully.

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