How to Take the Next Steps to a Career Change

Are you interested in a new career? Millions of people each year look to change their jobs or careers for several different reasons. After all, as time has gone by, your career goals and values may have completely changed. You might have discovered a new hobby or interest, or you simply may want a breath of fresh air and to try something completely different with new hours and at a different salary.  So what are the steps to a career change?

Before you decide to go ahead with a career change, however, it is important that you take enough time to evaluate your current situation, explore the career options which are open to you, and settle on something which will be both satisfying and rewarding in the long-term.

Choosing a new career isn’t simply a matter for pursuing something you might be interested in. You need to consider your long-term ambitions and evaluate all the potential career paths which are open to you. Making a move to a new career isn’t simple, but by approaching it pragmatically, you stand a better chance of success.

#1: Think About Your Current Job

Which aspects of your job do you like? And which do you dislike? Which do you hate? Is it more to do with your work or who you work with? Is it the company and its culture? All these things need to be carefully thought about, so you don’t end up starting a new job and finding out it’s not suitable for you. A great way to do this is by keeping a journal and updating it daily so that you can reflect on your feelings.

#2: What Makes You Tick?

Think about what you enjoy and apply that to your job search. Consider your hobbies and interests, any volunteer work you do and what jobs you have done previously so you can figure out exactly what it is that you enjoy doing and find interesting. You can also determine your core values and skills by doing this, and whether your current job addresses these enough to satisfy you.

The saying goes that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Despite this, many people find themselves trapped in jobs which they resent and will never find happiness in. Don’t become one of these people—do what you love.

#3: Consider Alternative Careers and Look at Job Options

Write down ideas for possible career alternatives by researching your options and thinking about them in the context of your core skills and personal values. You could also consider discussing these with your friends, family and close colleagues who may be able to provide some guidance or provide their valuable input.

When you have done this, begin looking at your job options. Evaluate and compare the many different fields which you are interested in or which are suitable for you and perform in-depth research of the many different jobs which you think are right for you. There’s so much information available online which can be found through a simple Google search, and you can start by Googling the jobs which appeal to you.

#4: Approach a Recruitment Agency

If you are currently working a full-time job and are interested in a career change, but are being held back due to time constraints, contacting a recruitment agency is the very best thing you can do. You could always use a CV distribution service that contacts agencies for recruitment on your behalf making it easy for both them and you. Agencies are common as they are used by thousands for their next career move nowadays and they are used by thousands of people each year to make their next career move.

Many recruitment agencies and the individual recruitment agents who work for them are industry specialists who have real hands-on experience of working jobs within industries you are interested in. When it comes to finding a new job, nothing is better than having specialist industry knowledge and connections, which will get your application in front of the right people. That’s exactly what the job of a recruitment agency is, and the bigger agencies have intimate connections with company directors, partners and key players who will ultimately decide whether you are hired or not.

Not only this but if you are unsuccessful with your first go then your recruitment agency will continue to work with you until you are hired somewhere—that’s the whole point of them. Although many people find their own jobs without resorting to the use of a recruitment agency, finding a new job takes time and effort, and if you don’t have time to dedicate to it then you aren’t going to fare very well.

Conclusion

If you are currently working a full-time job and are considering a career change, there are several things which you need to do. By approaching the whole process pragmatically, you begin the first step towards securing a new career which will fit you perfectly.