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How to Prepare for A Career Change? Step-by-Step Guide

By | Jessica Robinson

People change their careers for a variety of reasons. Some look for more flexibility, while others are looking for new challenges. No matter the reason for a career change, it’s essential to prepare for your career change precisely.

As it helps you gain a wide range of job opportunities and expertise in a new field. But the question arises, how can someone prepare for a career change? In this blog, we will be having a look at a step-by-step guide to preparing for a career change.

Steps To Prepare For A Successful Career Change

Most people think that successfully changing their career completely depends upon the resume and cover letter. If you want to get into a career that is more aligned with your interests and preferences. However, it’s important for you to understand your career aspirations and values. Here are the steps that you can implement for a successful career change:

1- Evaluate your current career:

The first step to preparing for a successful career change is to evaluate your current career situation. With the help of such self-reflection, you would be able to figure out the changes that you need in your career. However, to make this process easier you can ask yourself a few questions such as:

  • Are you satisfied with your current job role? For example, most employees think that a better salary package offers higher satisfaction. But in reality, if you are earning well, but the work culture is not positive in your current job, then it will make you feel less satisfied.
  • What are the values you want to focus on, and how does your current job align with those? For example, you may want to value creativity in your career. But you need to understand if your current job is able to offer that freedom & values.
  • What are those factors that made you think about a career change? For example, you might want to get a better opportunity, salary package, flexibility, and other such factors.
  • What are your major concerns? For example, if you want a career change, would you need to go for a special training program or learn a new skill to qualify for the job?

2-  Bring clarity to your career goals:

You would need to bring clarity to your career goals, based on which you can create a step-by-step procedure to fulfill those goals. However, if it’s a bit challenging for you to bring clarity to your career goals, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

  • What type of flexibility and lifestyle do you want as per your career goals?
  • What are the skills that you would like to move forward with? If you have those skills or need to learn them?
  • What are the types of tasks you would like to be involved in?
  • What are your compensation goals?

All these questions will make it easier for you to develop clarity in your career goals. Which makes you able to select the right options for you.

3- Consider different career options:

You can create a list of different career options outside your industry that you would like to pursue. Carry out online research to figure out the fastest-growing career fields and browse top-paying jobs. Get in touch with your friends and family members to get a proper understanding of the career options you have selected. This step is helpful, as the people who know you would be able to visualize you in a different role.

4- Rebrand yourself:

Just imagine you have made up your mind to enter a new industry for career opportunities. The most important thing that people forget is to rebrand themselves or make changes in their resume, CV, and profiles that fits the current career industry. Let’s check out some tips to rebrand yourself for a career change:

  • Update your LinkedIn along with all your social media profiles:

Recruiters always have a look at the LinkedIn profile of the candidates while checking out their resumes. You can update your profiles in a way that your profile becomes relevant to the industry you are planning to work in.

  • Update your resume:

Let’s assume till now you were working as a social media manager and now you are looking for a job as a content writer. You should update your resume with relevant experiences that links with content writing. Mention all those work experiences where you have directly worked as a content writer. The most appropriate way to make your resume highly relevant is by using persuasive content in it. You can use resume writing tips to make your resume relevant and persuasive.

In this way, you can easily let your interviewer know about your experience as a content writer. Hence, it makes it a bit easier for the candidate to opt for a career change.

  • Enhance your soft & hard skills:

Whenever someone has to prepare for a job interview, it’s mandatory for them to work on their soft and hard skills. However, once someone gets the job, they are unable to develop these skills. And if you are planning a career change without working on your soft & hard skills, it will become difficult for you to grab that opportunity.

Let’s check outcome tips to enhance your soft and hard skills:

  • You should communicate often in English as in most job interviews the preferred communication language is English.
  • Make sure that you are able to manage your emotions appropriately for enhancing your soft skills.
  • Work on your interpersonal skills that will help you build relationships, and relate with others. These skills will help you convince your interviewer effortlessly.

If you still want to improve your soft and hard skills, you can opt for online courses. That helps you get a better understanding of the skills and makes a career change easier.

Wrap Up

Remember shifting to a new career option is going to be challenging. However, to prepare for a career change you should invest in rebranding yourself, developing a list of career options to choose from, and many more. So what are you waiting for? Implement the above-discussed career change tips to prepare yourself and get your dream job.

 

 

 

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