Last week your career experts at Bayt.com looked at the topic of When Is It Time to Quit? This week we offer some tips on how to approach this important transition period in your life.
1. Identify what you really want to do Ask yourself if you had all the money in the world what would you really want to do? In an ideal world what occupation would you chose? Is there an occupation or industry that has always fascinated or interested you? Have you always felt that you had a “true calling”? What are your skills, passions, interests and how could these best be applied in a new role? What role best utilizes your skills and talents every day? What are you looking for in a job on a day-to-day basis? What are you trying to steer away from in a new role? Be open-minded as you examine possible new roles, allow yourself to dream and don’t overlook any avenue of exploration as you hone in on your ideal career.
2. Examine your skills Examine your past experiences and make an inventory of all your strengths and skills. Identify all those common denominator skills that would apply and be beneficial in your desired new role. You will be surprised at how many skills are interchangeable and consistent across careers and disciplines.
3. Set Realistic Expectations Research job descriptions in your new role and familiarize yourself with the new territory. What does the job really entail? What does a typical day look like? What are the salary expectations and are they realistically consistent with your requirements, preferences and lifestyle? Look at sites like www.salary.com. www.vault.com and www.bayt.com for job descriptions and salary indications and collect the maximum amount of information on your new role. Be practical and realistic as you plan your career transition and bear in mind that you need to remain financially stable as you tread new ground and need to set aside financial resources to see you through the teething stages of your new career.
4. Retrain This may be the time to go back to college or vocational school to get that advanced degree/ training/certification you've always wanted. Take this opportunity to study whatever it is you are currently interested in and to sharpen your skills and update your knowledge in that particular field. Whatever it is you want to do, some form of coursework will polish up your skills, make you more competitive in the job market and ideally allow you to meet others in the particular field and challenge yourself.
5. Leverage clients and connections Network, network, network. Talk to everyone you know about the jobs they do as you look for a suitable direction to take. Contact the alumni association at your college to get in touch with alumni in the fields that interest you and attend career fairs to get in touch with what's out there. Get a feel for different areas and industries. Ask about pros, cons, pay, hours and career satisfaction. Get as much advice as you can from people already doing the work. Your connections will come in very useful in helping you secure the future job of your dreams. If you can find a mentor in the field you want to pursue, that would be ideal.
6.Perfect your marketing kit Your CV and cover letter should be geared to your new role. Emphasize past experience and skills that are adaptable to your desired position and future career. Elaborate on the relevant items and focus less on technical jargon and skills that are completely irrelevant in your new role. Run the CV and cover letter by friends/ acquaintances or veteran HR professionals in the new field to make sure they are in the best possible shape.
7. Build a roadmap for success Plan for success in your future role right down to the nitty gritty details. Set goals for yourself and milestones to achieve these goals. Make sure these goals are realistic and you have thought about how you will achieve them. Visualize yourself already successful in this new endeavour then work backwards to see how you got there.
8.Don't look back A radical career change often means completely different working hours, responsibilities, work environment and peer culture. Acquire the tools of the new trade, the lingo, the education, the relationships and networks and don't look back. More career transition resources are available on the Career Centre of www.bayt.com
