Switching Careers

The idea of switching careers arises when you are in dire need of complete change. It is important to do a great amount of introspection. Even after that, if you find that you are working only for money and losing on your hopes and aspirations, you can decide to switch to a new career.

It is always advisable to have a broad outlook when you think of switching careers. It would be short-sighted to shift to similar careers. Both your skills and interests should be taken into consideration. Here again, you need to have clarity in your motives. You have to decide whether you are looking for a change in careers, environment, or industry. Each change has its own implications.

You can begin by identifying the crests and troughs of your work history. The gap between your expectations and your current job can help understand the reason for despair. A complete analysis of your own skills in line with your aspirations is useful to prepare a background for your next job. You can begin the switching process though research. You should delve into the various fields that interest you. It is necessary to consider the vulnerability of the fields themselves. You can't plan to get into a typewriter's chair after the computers have come just because you like it. A complete SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, & threats) helps you identify the right career ahead for you.

You need a strategy, not just a plan when you want to shift to a new career. People are in a hurry once they have decided that they are bored in their jobs. You can begin by assessing your likes and dislikes. Most people, who feel that the creative part of their brain is not utilized, decide to change to a more creative work. Others, who have goals to serve humanity, plan to go in their preferred path. If you can identify any singular goal within, there is no looking back. Such work kindles the real potential within you. After recognizing your passion, a research should be done into the various careers that relate to it. If you are confident of your writing skills, you can find that there are various avenues like copywriting, technical writing, content editing, journalism, and much more. Software programmers who are interested in writing can begin their transition by first getting in as technical writers.

Your current skills and experiences might be helpful for building your new career. Leadership skills, interpersonal skills, & communication skills are always transferable. They are applicable to whatever field you plan to enter into. Whether you want to change your career or start a new journey, networking is always helpful. Friends or acquaintances can provide job leads, offer useful insights and information about an industry. They can also increase your network by introducing you to others.

Since you are planning to start it all from scratch, it would be enormously useful to do a part-time job or volunteering in the new career of your choice. You can have a taste of the work and add the experience feather. Any person, who is interested in writing, can begin it with part time freelancing. It might even be necessary to burn the midnight oil to gain the experience. Finding a mentor may help you avoid the troubles. You can even take advantage of his network and power. Even though it happens rarely, you can consider the idea of changing your career within the organization. It is always suggested to pitch in for any vacancies with the current employer in the field of your choice. Flexibility with regard to employment status, relocation, & pay structure is also necessary.