Career Transition

5 Tips for Getting it Right

Assess your interests and skills

Career transition is a period of self-examination, in which you decide that it’s time to move on to a new career to earn more, pursue a passion or dream, or have more time for personal and family life. From the word ‘transition’, it’s obviously not an overnight thing, it’s a process. In some cases, this shift can take over a year to execute. The reason is that there’s a lot of planning involved. First on the list is by identifying what would be your next potential career. To do that, you need to assess your interests and skills.

 Look back at your past work experiences, then ask yourself: “What other skills and expertise do I know?” Take a trip down memory lane and review the roles you enjoyed doing in the past, including volunteer work and other activities. By meditating on your past experiences, you can identify the skills you acquired, your core values, and what areas you’re truly inclined at.

Seek support

No matter how self-sufficient you think you are, you’ll eventually need help at some point. This is especially true when it comes to transitioning careers. After all, every new chapter in life will involve some challenges. Why not try hearing the thoughts of others? Reach out to family, friends, and colleagues for some tips and advice. Some of them were maybe in the same shoes as you are. Gain insight from people working in the field you’re exploring. Learning from these people is highly advantageous, as it will help you to make the right decisions moving forward.

Another way of seeking support is by checking if your current company offers outplacement assistance. Outplacement services are designed to help employees to have a successful career transition. Such services include counseling, resume assistance, and job placement.

Get a career coach

Although advice from family and friends is useful, you may still need professional guidance. Career coaching empowers people to make the right decisions in their professional life. A career coach can guide you to a successful career transition. What are the benefits of having a career coach? Here are 3 main reasons:

#1 They can hold you accountable

No matter how many times you say to yourself that “it’s time for a change” but no action has been taken, then expect that time will pass but nothing will materialize. To avoid wasting your time, energy, and resources, you need someone to hold you accountable. By meeting up with a career coach on a regular basis, they will remind you if you are on the right path to your goals by monitoring if you are doing the right steps in reaching your goal.

#2 They can motivate you

Picture this: Hundreds of applications, but zero callbacks. Frustrating, isn’t it? Obviously, not hearing back from employers can really be a downer for everyone. This is where you need emotional help from a professional. A career coach is your #1 source of motivation to keep reaching your goal. Their positive remarks and practical advice will invigorate you to keep moving forward.

#3 They can help personalize your career plan

If you’ve written down your goals, it goes to show that you clearly know what you want to do in life. But the question is: How do you get there? You probably have no idea how and where to start. But this is where a career coach provides the best assistance. They help you identify what exact career are you looking for and will provide a step-by-step plan on how you would achieve it. Oftentimes, they will push you out of your comfort zone and even schedule informational interviews for you. The point? These professionals can help identify patterns to create a personalized career action plan.

Research several career options

Do not fixate yourself on just one specific job. Broaden your horizons. Look at all the career opportunities available to you and create a list. One common way is by asking former colleagues who recently transitioned to new careers. What industries did they move on to? Then, combine these with jobs that match your interests. Once you find the industry that interests you the most, start immersing yourself in their work culture. Read industry-specific blogs/newsletters, join professional groups and communities, and attend networking events.

Get involved

Another way to assess what career appeals to you the most is by having time to expose yourself to different work fields in order to get a feel for each area. Try volunteering in different areas of the business to see if you can become a good fit. VolunteerMatch, All For Good, and JustServe are one of the top sites to find such volunteering opportunities.

To view our Full Course on this Topic, Please Click Here!

Leave a Comment: