Considering a Career Change – What to contemplate before taking the leap
Whether it’s to earn more money, do what you love, work closer to home, or simply to give yourself a challenge, a career change can be an exciting and daunting prospect. Many don’t make the leap, understandably, because there’s a lot to consider, and it can be a scary business; a ‘better the devil you know’ attitude can hold you back. However, a career change could be the making of you; so here’s what to consider…
Why you want to leave your current job?
If it’s a gripe with a colleague or purely a salary issue, you might want to think about what can be done to improve things before you make a big decision. It could be something that could be ironed out; however, if it’s something deeper, like boredom, or a lack of career progression, now might be the time to make your move.
What would you be happier doing?
If you’re lucky enough to have a passion in life that could make you money, it’s likely you already know what would make you happy. But if you don’t, it might be a good idea to do some research on areas that interest you, to find out what’s possible. If you’re able to do a bit of work experience or volunteer work in the industry you’d like to move to, it may give you a better idea of what you could expect.
Are you committed enough?
Changing careers could mean you have to take a pay cut, put time and effort into learning new skills, or travelling further every day. If any of these are the case, you may want to spend a bit of time considering if you’d be happy to make these sacrifices in order to improve your working life.
What skills have you already got that would lend themselves your chosen new career?
Identifying how you could make a smooth transition to a new role will help you when it comes to convincing an employer that you’re worth taking on, especially if your current job is worlds away from the new one.
What is it possible to achieve by changing career?
Researching your the industry you want to move to will get you familiar with what’s possible; the ways in which you could be promoted, for example.
How could you improve your credentials?
If there are any courses, classes or workshops that could help kickstart your career, it might be worth investing in them. Not only will new skills make it easier to find a new career, but it’ll show potential employers that you’re keen and committed, too.
Interested in changing careers but don’t know where to start? GoGecko could help; contact us to find out more.
