In the past – in living memory, even – it was usual for someone to have one career (even one job) for life. Once they had qualified, or had enough experience, that was it. For many, that was absolutely fine; it suited them. Times have changed, however, and in the 21st century is it much more likely that people will try out at least two careers, if not more. If you feel as though it’s time you looked at trying something different in your work life, here are some tips to get you started.
Instinct
If you’re not sure whether trying something new is what you really want, listen to your instincts. If you dread going into work each day – or even if you know you just don’t enjoy it very much, or if you’re always looking for excuses to get out of the office as soon and as often as you can, then it’s likely you’re in the wrong job. It’s time to move on. You may not have to re-train, but start looking at the job ads and see what’s out there. It could be you have more skills than you realise, and that you can already apply for something new. You’re at work for a good chunk of your day, and that adds up to a good chunk of your life. It’s important that you enjoy it.
Strengths
If you’re sure that you want an entirely new career change and not just a new job in the same sector, start by looking at your strengths. What is it you can do exceptionally well? What skills do you have? This can help you pick a path to go down. If you already know what career you want to move into, then you’re halfway there – at this point you need to work out whether you have the necessary qualifications (assuming you need any). If you already have a degree you might want to further your career by taking a Masters in Digital Marketing, or History of Art, or English, or film making; there is a lot of choice out there. If you don’t have a degree then this could be the ideal time to get one – you can enjoy remote, part time, or evening classes so you don’t even have to give up work until you’re completely ready to move on.
Network
No matter what industry you want to go into, if you’ve never worked in it before it will be useful to have contacts inside it. This is where networking can help. You might find that jobs come to you, rather than you needing to off and search for them – if you know the right people, and if you can show them you have the right skills for the job in question. Don’t expect a career to drop into your lap if you haven’t put the groundwork in, but if you know your stuff, then why not? It happens on a regular basis. You can attend networking breakfasts or coffee meetings in your local area, join online groups and forums, or connect with people on LinkedIn and other sites that are created specifically for networking.