How to change career

Are you one of the many people wondering whether a career change is right for you and have perhaps been searching endlessly on the internet for the answer? If so, this article is for you to discover how you can work towards an informed career choice that's right for you.

A quick search for ‘career change’ brings up a huge amount of advice, ideas and potential career paths. But will putting ‘career change’ into a search engine give you the answer when considering a career change?

There are times when we all turn to the internet for answers. You may have needed gift ideas or perhaps even holiday suggestions. However, would you rather decide for yourself how you spend your annual leave or risk leaving the decision to someone else?

It is the same with your career. The internet is a fantastic resource to assist in your career search. However, ultimately, the decision about whether a career change is right for you belongs to you.

Here are five steps you can take to assist in making your decision

1. Who am I?

Think about what you would like your career to include, such as what matters to you in your work, the skills you enjoy using and the working environments that suit you.

2. Ideas

Write a long list of career and job ideas. Remember to include your current role or profession.

3. Realistic options

Start identifying careers and jobs from your list in step two which would best match what you identified as important to you in step one.

4. Investigation

Identify relevant professionals and organisations associated with the careers and jobs identified in step three. Investigate sources of vacancies and start networking to find out more about these roles. Where possible, speak to people already doing the work so you can understand what the role is actually like rather than relying only on job descriptions.

5. Decision time

Evaluate your best options to enable you to make an informed decision about whether a new career is right for you or whether your existing role suits you adequately. You may decide that a new career is right for you, that you want a different role within your existing field, or that your current career still suits you.

I can completely understand if you are now thinking that this is easier said than done. Yes, I agree, it is going to take a bit of extra time and thought, but working through the decision can help you understand what you actually want rather than rushing towards a change. Make the most of this important decision to enjoy your career!

Remember, the aim isn't to think about the decision forever. It's to give yourself enough time and information to make an informed choice you feel comfortable moving forward with.