Things You Should Know Before Changing Career

Job satisfaction is essential because we spend most of our days at work.

Do the math: You wake up at 5-6 AM, get ready, and be in the office by 8 AM. You then spend the entire day there and leave at 5 PM or later. That is approximately 8-9 hours on weekdays! This emphasizes the importance of job satisfaction.

But hold on a minute, what makes a job satisfying?

Is it good pay or benefits? Or are they good management practices and a positive workforce?

Well, it is all of the above plus more.

Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys the good side of working. In 2023, 61% of Americans wanted to leave their jobs. Job dissatisfaction is rising, and one remedy is usually a career change.

Changing jobs means pursuing a new career path you foresee as better. This piece highlights what you need to know before making that giant leap.

Let’s get started.

What Are Your Reasons for a Career Change?

Career planning starts with answering the why question: why are you leaving?

The core reason we’ve already covered is job dissatisfaction, which could arise for multiple reasons. That could be a low compensation based on the work you do. It could also be a change in passions, which happens quite often. Poor management or toxic work environments could also take a toll on you, making you reconsider.

Besides dissatisfaction, you might want to advance professionally. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be a certified IT professional, but you’ve been stuck in a dead-end junior position for years. So you go with a career change to become what you’ve always wanted.

Another unfortunate reason that would warrant a career transition is unprecedented life events. Maybe you got into an accident that forced you to change from a field career to a desk one. Or you became a parent and wanted to switch to a job that ensures you stay close to your kids.

So, what is your why? Is it reasonable? And is it achievable?

Knowing the why will help you plan your exit and entrance to a new career path.

Things To Know Before Making The Switch

A career switch job search requires strategy and ample planning. This phase, therefore, calls for seeking the most reliable information right from the beginning. That said, after you’ve defined your why, here are a few pieces of information to note before making a career transition.

It Might Take Time

The first thing to note is that a switch might take some time. It might, especially if it is a complete switch from what you’ve been doing. For this reason, plan accordingly in the following ways:

• Set some funds aside to survive the career transition period.
• Set the appropriate measures to cause the least disruption in your life, especially if you have a family. This might entail hiring extra help as you take classes.
• Communicate with all the people involved in the switch. For instance, send the resignation letter in advance, giving the company ample time to replace you.

It Might Require Upskilling or Reskilling

Another factor to note before making the switch is that there has to be some skill advancement. This could be upskilling, where you acquire the latest advancements in your present career. For example, taking a human resource emotional intelligence course that wasn’t available before.

You could also have to reskill. Reskilling is making a complete 360 into a new job, role, and industry. It entails pursuing classes, courses, or apprenticeship programs to change your job title.

Things To Know During Your Career Change

This is when you’re taking classes and getting ready to acquire the training to seek a new career and switch jobs. The following pointers will help you during this period.

Time Management

A significant issue regarding career change has to be time management. And here is how that goes:

Back when you had no responsibilities like family, you had all the time to attend classes. Other responsibilities may be the obligation to pay bills. Now that you have such things, time seems to elude you. Here is where time management comes to help, and below are some ways to help:

• Set routines for everyone involved: kids, spouses, and even pets.
• Seek help from friends, family, and hired professionals.
• Take classes during the day when the kids are away or at night when they are asleep.
• Use technology to streamline your studying to ensure you remain productive throughout the career change period.

Work (Study)- Life Balance

Returning to school in adulthood will affect your work (study)-life balance. You might only be able to attend some of the gatherings you had before. However, there are ways to ensure that the career transition disruption is insignificant. You can:

• Set boundaries around your study, family, and ‘you’ time. Use a designated work or study area and set clear rules for everyone involved.
• Prioritize self-care by taking breaks, spending time with loved ones, and hobbies.
• Delegate mundane tasks so that you can spare time for all other events.

Things to Know After A Career Change

Imagine starting a job, and you still do not know all the vital details. Do you think you’ll survive long enough in that industry? We bet not; hence, we’ve created this career planning section that covers the duration right after skill acquisition and after.

Get Work Experience

What is the one word you will always notice in any job description?

Experience!

So, after graduating from your class, find ways to acquire this experience. You can volunteer at agencies and companies to learn. Also, consider freelancing in your new career path.

Note: Sometimes acquiring experience through freelancing or volunteering might seem daunting, but don’t give up. You might not even need it if you have upskilled or reskilled in a high-demand job. In that case, jump into the new career switch job application process and apply for junior roles.

Apply to Jobs

Now that you have the experience or high-demand skills, it’s time to hit the ground running and apply!

Use job boards, websites, and social networks to find and apply for jobs. An advantage you ought to be grateful for is that you already have a network from your previous job, so use it. A past colleague might know someone in need of your services, and they will refer you there.

When you finally secure that job, give it your all!

Ready for a Career Change?

If you are ready, you have the roadmap to do it right. It might be tedious and take time, but it will all be worth it after all has been done.