Career Change Guide

Career Change: If You Want to Quit, It’s Time to Commit

Embarking on a new career is a scary prospect as it involves leaving your comfort zone and risking a comfortable existence for one fraught with obstacles. However, for an increasing number of people, a career change is preferable to merely ‘existing’ in an industry they no longer have any love for.

Let’s dive in:

• What Can I Do As A Career Change?
• Consider Your Skills
• Planning Your Career Change
• How To Change Career At 40

What Can I Do As A Career Change?

If you are contemplating a change in career direction, there needs to be an exceptional reason for the upheaval. First and foremost, you have to determine whether your current malaise is a temporary or seasonal one. For example, it is normal to return to work in January with a feeling of melancholy. Think back to similar periods in previous years; did you feel the same way or is it a new phenomenon?

Before making the change, try to fix the current situation first. Tips include increasing your skills, working on professional development or repairing relationships. There’s a chance that it is your company that you need a change from, NOT your career.

Signs that it’s time for a career change

• You are not using your natural abilities in your role and don’t see how you can do so within your industry.
• You have an utter dislike/disinterest in your industry.
• You dislike your organisation’s structure which is indicative of what to expect from other companies in the sphere.
• You work in a diminishing industry.
• You’ve had a realignment of personal/spiritual values during the course of your career which now makes your line of work unpalatable.
• It is normal for you to completely ‘tune out’ during a workday.
• You would rather do anything else but be at your workplace.
• You start having job envy. For example, you see a stock market trader and begin dreaming of buying and selling commodities on Wall Street.

Consider The Transferable Skills You Can Offer

Just to be clear, the transferable skills you offer don’t dictate whether you can enter another career; but the more you have, the less work you have to do to bridge the gap. Let’s say you were training to be a chef but don’t enjoy working in the kitchen and want to enter the real estate industry in Northern Ireland.

As a sous-chef, you had to prepare the kitchen, supervise staff and manage inventory. In this instance, your transferable skills include:

• Problem-solving.
• Motivational skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Leadership.
• Organisation and time management.
• Delegation.

The above are all excellent skills and will serve you well in the real estate niche. Once you have identified your transferable skills, you need to include them in your CV, cover letter and during an interview. Make sure you show proof of your skills in the form of examples.

An increasing number of companies in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK use online job boards to post openings. Make sure you register your CV and set up alerts to receive a notification when a relevant vacancy is posted. When creating your CV, make sure it is tailored to every application. While it is a lot of effort, the rewards are worth it and you can make things slightly easier by using one of these CV templates to get the format right.

Planning Your Career Change

Once you have created your CV and identified the career you want and the transferable skills you can use, the next step is to create a plan of action. First of all, you need a financial plan to support the transition. Let’s face it, if you have 15 years’ experience in your current career and earn £60,000 a year, it is unrealistic to expect close to that amount when you switch. If you have a mortgage and family, you need to ensure you are still capable of paying your bills.

Next, you have to answer the following questions:

• What kind of challenges do I wish to face in this line of work?
• What salary and benefits package do I need?
• What needs, values and integrity standards must be supported in my new career?
• What type of company culture am I likely to thrive in?

Finally, you have to commit to retraining because no matter how many transferable skills you possess, there will be gaps. It is probably best to look for online courses you can complete while working in your existing role. It isn’t a good idea to make the switch and then start looking for the qualifications you need to succeed.

How to write a cover letter explaining a career change?

In a career change cover letter you should highlight the skills and experience from your previous career that are relevant to new career path. It’s all about showcasing those transferable skills that are relevant to the job.  Download our career change cover letter template.

How to write cv when changing careers?

This CV will be skill based, you need to demonstrate to an employer how the experience you have gained in during your career can be of value to them. Looking for inspiration on how to write this cv download our changing career cv template.

How Can I Change My Career At 40?

Is it too late to change career at 40? NO! While we won’t say it is ‘never too late’ to change career (it is when you reach retirement age realistically), a midlife change of career path is more common than you realise. Although it is significantly easier to embark on a new career at 30, you can still retrain and enter a new industry in your forties.

By the time you’ve hit 40 years of age, you know the kind of skills you have and those you lack. You are also aware of the aspects of your current job that make you happy. For instance, you may be excellent at leading a team, coming up with creative ideas or solving problems. Next, think about the career you crave and work towards achieving your goal. Look at the skills you need and consider retraining to close the gap.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a twenty something who instinctively knows you’re going in the wrong direction, or a worn down 40+ seasoned professional, a change in career direction is daunting but doable. Analyse the reasons why you want to switch, identify your transferable skills and retrain to get ready for the next step. It is hard work, but a career change is usually a better option than being miserable in your existing job.