Thinking of changing careers? At 30+, it will feel like you’ve been working for a long time now. More than likely, you will be working for the next 35 years of your life too. If you’ve still got some time left in your working life, you may be questioning whether your current role is the one for you – or if there’s something else out there waiting for you.
You probably chose to pursue the job you’re in now years ago. The passion could well have faded, and you don’t enjoy it as much as you once did. If you are having doubts, maybe it’s time for a career change?
Not sure where to begin? Here are some tips on how to get your career transition journey started:
Consider every factor
If you don’t like the everyday tasks you perform in your job, look specifically at what parts of demotivate you. You could well find that your gripe is with other factors e.g. salary, location etc. Bearing in mind, money is not the most important factor, but it should definitely be considered before you look at moving away from your job. Other factors include location, and what benefits you’re currently getting too. You have to consider every factor involved before you make a decision you could well regret.
Identify transferable skills
Write a list of all of the skills you could easily transfer to another career. By the time you are 30, you have gained way more skills than you would have gained if you were in your early 20’s. These skills could be easily adapted to another job, and could make your career change faster too if you can demonstrate them to a potential employer. List your strongest skills and assess them to see if they will be beneficial for your next career move.
Making a literal move
If you’re not happy with your current job, you may not have to look to a different industry altogether, but maybe moving to a different company would be more beneficial. For many people, sometimes a dislike to your role has come from an experience within the company, as opposed to disliking the physical role itself. For others, you may feel like you gleamed everything you can from your role, and are looking for a new challenge. Look at your current company and see if there is another department you could be interested in. Or, you can see a career advisor if you are really stuck on how you want to change your career path – you’re never too old to ask for help.
Go back to school
If you’re thinking of changing your career altogether, but you don’t feel that you have the necessary skills for your preference, maybe going back to school is an option? We know, it’s a scary option to take when you have adapted to steady income each month – but you can gain a lot from going back to school, for example, you can gain more social skills and it allows you to widen your knowledge of a particular subject. More education can help you to better prepare for your chosen career path – but you have to be sure you’re making the right choice.
Never settle
If you are desperate to come away from your current job role, don’t settle for the first job that you’re offered. Remember that this is your new career – is it the right step to take? Have you explored every option to make sure it’s the right route to take? You have to be 100% sure that this is the best step for you. Consider the factors and make sure this is actually what you want to pursue.
Success doesn’t happen overnight
Remember that a career move can be tough for a number of reasons – one of them being that you might feel you are starting from the bottom all over again. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you’re not over-performing in your new role – if you’re enjoying it, make time to improve on some of your skills so you can achieve better results. Stay positive, and with a lot of hard work, you could be looking back in 5 years time reminiscing about the greatest career move you ever made.
