How to Change Careers Successfully

6 Clear Steps on  

A good place to start is with an honest self-assessment. Changing careers can present you with a number of significant challenges; you may find yourself being forced to confront difficult questions about your past work experience and performance.

Self-assessment  

Speak with people who’ve taken the plunge and changed careers before. They might be able to guide you on some of the pitfalls you should try and avoid.

Seek advice 

It’s important that you ensure you have a strong support network when you decide to change careers. Being open and communicating can make the transition much easier; explain the reasons for your decision and a little about the direction you hope to move in.

Speak with your boss 

“Set yourself a series of short, medium, and long-term goals,” says Wayne Baker, Chief Operations Officer at Symmetry HR. “They can be as simple as applying for five jobs or cold-calling companies you’d like to work for.

Set goals 

Seek out people you know working in the industry or role you want to move into. Be up-front with them about your desire to change career; be bold in asking for their help.

Network 

Volunteering can be a great way of gaining experience in a field you’ve not worked in before. If you’re unsure about the change, volunteering can be a way of getting an idea of whether you want to go down a particular path.

Volunteer  

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