Thinking About Changing Your Career Path? Here Are Some Useful Ideas
If you’re happy with your career, that’s awesome.
However, if you’re feeling a little bit restless and ready for something new, it may be time to consider changing your career path.
But where do you start? How do you know what will make you happy again?
Lucky for all of us, there are plenty of resources out there to help point the way.
In this article, we’ll explore how to research different careers and find the best one for your unique needs and skillset.
What Are You Passionate About?
The first and most important step in changing your career is to ask yourself what you are passionate about. What have you always enjoyed doing? What did you love learning about when you were younger? Is there something that makes you lose track of time? Something that you just can’t say no to?
While it might seem obvious or simple, this step is actually incredibly important. Start by considering what types of things make you happy. Maybe you love to work with people, learn about a certain topic, and you love the feeling of creating something new and fresh.
There are plenty of options out there, but only when you know what makes you happy can you start to figure out how to make your passion work in your favor. Maybe you always loved the idea of being an accountant because it seems interesting and intellectual. Whatever it is, write down everything that comes to mind.
Start Researching Different Industries
Once you have a good list of what you really enjoy, it’s time to start thinking about different career paths. If there are certain types of people that you love working with, look for careers in those fields.
Prepared to get licensed by getting life insurance exam questions and answers if that’s the field you’re interested in. Maybe you loved talking with people all day at work and made friends easily during internships. If so, think about becoming a dental assistant or becoming a guest services representative for hotels. Perhaps you never understood how to balance a checkbook but could always grasp math problems, consider becoming an accountant instead.
If you’re not sure what type of industry would be best suited for your personality and desires, try doing some research on different industries first!
You can start by checking out the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to get a basic idea of what career paths exist in different industries. Here you can learn about salary info, job growth, and job duties-useful information for deciding on a career path.
If you’re still unsure after checking out the Occupational Outlook handbook, research local opportunities for hands-on experience in different fields. Volunteering, part-time work, and shadowing are all great ways to gain first-hand experience before committing to a career path.
Make A List Of Pros And Cons
Now that you’ve done the research you need on different industries, it’s time to create some pros and cons lists. This can be a really useful tool in figuring out which career is best suited for you and will help you when making your final decision. The first step is to make a list of the top things that are important to you when deciding on a career path.
Do you want to work with people? Do you need a specific amount of money? Do you need a flexible schedule? Make sure to consider all your needs and wants from a career path before deciding.
Next, make a list of the cons of each type of career that you’ve been researching. If you’re considering going back to school to become a dentist, make a list of the hours, the amount of money you’ll need to spend on school, and what type of schooling you would need.
Apply To Jobs When Necessary
Now that you’ve researched and made your list, it’s time to narrow down your choices. Once you’ve decided which career path sounds the most appealing to you, it’s time to get out there and get a job! This is especially important if you’re considering going back to school for something new. Make sure to keep your list of pros and cons in mind when browsing jobs-the more a job fits what you’re looking for, the better.
If you’re not sure where to start, try checking out local industry websites to look for positions within different companies. You can also check out company career pages on job hunting sites like Monster or CareerBuilder.
Before applying, make sure that you’re ready for a job search and all the work involved! You can try to apply to jobs online or get in touch with local recruiters if you prefer face-to-face contact. If there aren’t any available positions at the moment, consider volunteering your time to gain experience more directly related to the career you’re interested in!
Network With People in The Industry
One fun way to determine if a career path is what you think it will be is to see if people who work in that industry are happy! If you’re really interested in working with animals, seek out veterinarians and chat with them about their job. Pick up the phone and give a call to chat with your favorite financial advisor-you might get a great referral from them!
In addition to talking with the people that have the career you’re interested in, try searching for events or organizations that put on conferences and other networking activities. This is a good resource for meeting new contacts and getting valuable advice about how to work your way up in a certain industry.
You can also talk to people that might know something about the industry you’re interested in. If your aunt works at the bank, ask if she knows anyone who does financial advising-she may be able to connect you with some contacts.
The key to changing your career path is taking the time for research and soul-searching to figure out what makes you happy. There are many ways of achieving this. The possibilities really are endless once we start looking at them from different angles.