Living a fabulous life is all about being happy and healthy. If you’re dissatisfied with your career, you’re obviously not living your best life. Lots of people remain at jobs they don’t like simply for survival or because of the strong belief that making a career change is possible. Though getting a paycheck is essential to survival, it is not worth your health and happiness. The fact is, no matter where you are in life, you can make a successful career change.
Before jumping out the window and quitting your job, do your due diligence and develop a plan to make a career change. Here are some steps to get you started:
Make a Personal Assessment
The first step would be to give yourself an assessment. If you’re not interested in the career field you’re in, what are your interests? What have you always wanted to do? What things are you passionate about? What skills and experience do you have that can be turned into a career? From these answers, start developing a list of career choices to explore.
Research Potential Career Choices
Now that you have a list of potential career options, start doing the research to see which ones really stick out to you. With each occupation you have on your list, you want to dig deep and learn more about it. For example, let’s say you were interested in becoming a home improvement contractor, you’d want to find out what the job requirements are, what it’s like to work in this particular profession, and the educational experience required to be eligible for such a position.
Talk to People
You have some background knowledge on your potential career list. To start narrowing down your list, it is ideal to get a first-hand account of what the profession is like. Look to people you know who are already in these positions for advice. If you were interested in getting into fashion, you’d want to talk to someone who is successful in this field. Ask about their experience, the path they took to get there, and tips for being successful in the industry.
Make a Decision
At this point, you have a wealth of information you can review to determine which career you’d like to switch to. As you review your list, think about your lifestyle, personal interests, and applicable skills and experience to determine which career path is best suited for you. Then, make a decision on which one you’d like to pursue.
Educational and Professional Experience
How will you get the necessary experience and training to begin looking for jobs in that field? If you’ve settled on a contractor, for example, you’d need to go to a school of construction management to get the necessary degrees and certifications. If you’ve decided to become a nurse, you’d need to go to medical school and receive your license to practice. Even if you’ve already got the educational experience, you may need certain professional skills to be eligible for a position. So, look into training opportunities as well.
Create a Plan
You now know what you want to do for a living and you’re aware of the steps you’ll need to take to get there. It’s time to create an effective plan. Write down a list of goals required to get you to the career you want to be in. For instance, one goal might be to finish school in two years. Another might be to complete training courses within the next 6 months. After jotting down all your goals, come up with a list of actions you’ll need to take to accomplish this. If you have to go to school while working, an action might be to look for a school that offers online, evening, or weekend courses so you can accomplish your goal within two years.
As you create your plan to switch careers think about your lifestyle and factors that could hold you back. If you’re a parent, tending to the needs of your children adds extra pressure. If you work during the night and sleep during the day, finding the time to study might be an issue. As you write down the issues that come up, think of solutions. A parent might ask their family to help with the kids by picking them up from school and making sure homework is done. If you need a more flexible schedule, going to an online school might be a better option because you can log on when it is most convenient for you.
It may seem scary or even impossible to make a career change at this point in your life, but that’s far from the truth. Though there will be stress and bad days no matter where you work, continuing to show up to a job that tears you down emotionally and physically isn’t worth the paycheck. If you’re really dissatisfied with your career and want to live your best life, it’s time for a change. Use the above-mentioned steps to help you pursue a career that fuels your passion and pays the bills.
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