Is a Career Change Right for You?
Taking the leap out to change jobs can be terrifying, there are so many things to consider when trying to work out if a career change is a right thing for you. Firstly the advantages and disadvantages of your current role, and any reasons why you feel unfulfilled, and why.
There are endless questions you keep asking yourself. Do you have the experience and skills suited to your new field of choice? Is it necessary to change fields entirely or are you just in a rut in your current company? What you want to try to figure out is, what exactly you expect from this career change and will it match up to your expectations in the future? There are several points you need to consider when embarking on this daunting, yet exciting journey.
Your Current Role
Time to make the classic good old pros and cons list. This is still very helpful even if you’ve already made the final decision to leave. First of all, you need to figure out what you do and don’t like about your current position or company. If it isn’t the job or the field, a sideways change would be more suitable for you, this being the case.
Your Skills and Qualifications
Are there transferable skills you can take from your previous experience into your new career choice? It might be another list you need to make before you consider quitting and applying for new roles.
If getting a new qualification is the way into your new job, consider carrying on working while studying online. Online courses are just as prestigious nowadays and a more convenient option for many people. You can add to your current position by doing a specified Masters for example. Consider involving your current employer as they will possibly offer you some funding, or if not give you more flexibility as having more qualified staff will greatly benefit them as well.
Ideal Working Environment
Think about your working environment. Do you enjoy working with people, or individually? What aspects of your current job do you prefer doing? Which ones do you consider to be your strengths? This type of analysis will help to decide what type of role is right for you, by breaking it down into everyday tasks and situations. Do you prefer working from home? Could you even turn your home into a business? Airbnb is very lucrative in the tourism industry. You don’t even need necessarily to worry about constant maintenance as you could hire an airbnb cleaning service.
Expert Advice
Another positive thing to think about is that a career change will never be frowned upon at any age and you can always give it a positive spin, as long as you make sure you do your research. There are many testimonies available online including nursing school tips for budding healthcare workers and expert advice. Consider testing the water before taking the full plunge. You could try a side gig or volunteer in the area you are considering, without giving up your day job.