We might work to earn money to live, but our careers are much more than that. When you spend such a large part of your life working, your career becomes part of you, it’s how others define you. It’s why one of the first questions people ask when they meet is ‘what do you do for a living?’ Are you satisfied with yours? Are you on a path to achieving your goals, or have you ended up in a bit of a rut? Perhaps you took a job as a stop gap but years later you’re still there. Maybe your passions have changed, or there’s no (or no more) career progression. If that’s the case, you might be looking to make a change, and get yourself into a different job. A career change can be scary because you’re putting yourself right at the bottom again, it’s uncertainty and could mean taking a huge drop in money in the beginning. But it could also be the best thing you’ve ever done. If this is something you’ve been considering, read on.

Do You Want To Completely Change Career?

Spend some time thinking about your decision and the reason you want to make the switch. For example, do you dislike your job role or industry, or do you just dislike the company, your colleagues or boss? If you can’t get a promotion or move up where you are, could you transfer to a different company and use your existing skills in a similar position? If you’ve spent a long time working up in your career, making the change is a huge decision so make sure it’s for the right reasons. If you’ve completely lost interest in the field you work in or have strong passions elsewhere, these would be good reasons to seek a change of career.  

Improve Your Skills and Education

If you’re taking an entirely different career path, before you quit your old job, work on improving your skills or education first. That way when you come to apply for your next role, you already have some knowledge there and it could mean you don’t have to start right at the bottom. It could also be your only chance of being accepted for a job at all in some industries. You could gain a higher education, or you could build on your existing qualifications. For example, if you have a degree in business you’ve never used, why not study for something like a master of business law to take it to the next level. These days you can study online part time from home so you can do it around your existing job. You could also do some voluntary work so you have the experience you need. So before taking the leap to the next career, set yourself up for success in the next.

Decide on a New Career Path

You might already have in mind the career you want to move to. If for example you want something more rewarding, you might have plans to move into the health or social care field which is directly linked with helping people. If you want to earn more money, it could be a high paying office based position, or if you want to get out of an office environment it could be a job working outdoors. Decide on the final job role you’d want to do, and then work out ways to get there. It might mean doing further education, an apprenticeship or getting an entry level position and working your way up. Either way, have your career goals in mind and know what you need to do to get there.