| Often people assume that making a career | | | | make your career change in steps. First changing |
| change must mean throwing away everything | | | | jobs but not industries, then shifting to a new |
| they've built up in order to find carer happiness. | | | | industry (of course, the other way around, new |
| They feel that they must start over in a | | | | industry then new job can also work). |
| completely new field in order to change careers. | | | | Imagine, for example, that you are a customer |
| This is the difficult way to change careers, and, | | | | service representative . You take inbound |
| happily, it is not the only way to change careers. | | | | customer services calls for a large company, but |
| Your job actually consists of the type of work | | | | your dream is to be an adult education instructor. |
| you do and the industry you work in. If you look | | | | Your first career move may be a new job with |
| at your job on those two separate levels, you | | | | your current organization. Since your interest is in |
| may find many career opportunities that you had | | | | teaching, you may target a training position, |
| never considered before. | | | | teaching new staff in the customer service |
| Easy Ways to Change Your Career | | | | department by ensuring the appropriate people |
| 1. Work in the same job but in a different | | | | are aware that you have the interest and ability |
| industry | | | | to handle this role. |
| Imagine you are an administrative assistant for a | | | | Once you secure a teaching position in your |
| small legal firm. Administrative jobs at legal firms | | | | current industry, you'll determine the skills, |
| are notoriously challenging; the expectations can | | | | education and experience required to be an adult |
| be quite high. You may enjoy and be well suited | | | | education in instructor outside of your current |
| to office admin work, but you are feeling burnt | | | | organization. Look for ways to build those skills |
| out by the constant late nights and demands of | | | | and experiences into your current job, and if you |
| your employer. Throughout you career, you have | | | | are provided training opportunities through your |
| worked at three different law firms, and the | | | | job, take those opportunities to get related |
| corporate culture has been the same in all three | | | | education that will help you to be marketable as |
| workplaces. | | | | an adult education teacher. Once you have built |
| In this case, you don't necessarily need to make | | | | the skills and experience needed to be marketable |
| a full career change to find a job that is a good | | | | in your new field, begin to job search to make |
| match for your needs. You may be very happy | | | | your final step in this career change. |
| to continue working in an administrative role, and | | | | This strategy for career change can take some |
| a simple change to admin work in a new industry | | | | time, but it is also less drastic than leaping into a |
| may be all that you need. It may sound simple, | | | | completely new job and industry all at once. It can |
| but when you're in the midst of intense career | | | | smooth the transition for you and often minimizes |
| stress, this option is not always obvious. | | | | financial stresses that can be involved in making a |
| Determine whether it's your industry that is the | | | | substantial career change. |
| source of your career unhappiness. If so, pursuing | | | | 4. The toughest career change is switching to a |
| the same job in a different industry can be a | | | | new job in a new industry all at once |
| simple way to change careers. You already have | | | | When you make this type of career change, you |
| the skills and experience required to do the itself; | | | | will need to find ways to build the skills experience |
| your biggest challenge will involve finding ways to | | | | and perhaps education required for the new job, |
| network with employers in new industries. | | | | and at the same time, you will need to build a |
| 2. Work at a different job in the same industry | | | | whole new network of contacts in a new industry. |
| Perhaps you find your industry interesting and | | | | It is entirely possible to make this type of career |
| valuable, but your job is no longer a good fit for | | | | change, but it will require a serious commitment. It |
| your needs. In that case, working towards a new | | | | may be necessary to return to school to build on |
| job within the same industry may be an ideal wy | | | | your existing skills or become involved in the new |
| to make a career shift that will work for you. In | | | | field first in a volunteer capacity to gain |
| this case, you will have the benefit of all of your | | | | experience. You may be required to accept a |
| industry contacts, and any opportunities for | | | | lower paying, entry level job in your new job and |
| growth within your own organization. You main | | | | new industry, and you'll need to be prepared to |
| job in this case would be to target a position that | | | | do some highly effective job searching. |
| is of interest to you and ensure you have all of | | | | Building a new career can be quite rewarding and |
| the skill necessary to move into that role. | | | | well worth the effort it takes to make a career |
| 3. You may make gradual shift to a completely | | | | change. There are several smart strategies for |
| new career | | | | making a career change. Consider the best |
| Instead of leaping to a completely new job in a | | | | options for your own current situation before you |
| completely new industry, you may be able to | | | | launch into your career change. |