More people than ever change careers at some point in their working life. In fact, it’s thought that most of us will have up to ten jobs throughout our lives and that even those with a real passion for their work will one day want to try something else.

There are many reasons for the rise in career changes. We work for a lot longer than previous generations, as we live longer and retire later. We are more likely to seek a new challenge and less likely to stick with a job that doesn’t make us happy when we know how long it might last. It’s also easier than ever before. The internet and particularly online study give us options.

Many of us will be thinking about a career change in 2019. Wondering what we can do and how we can go about it. Hoping that it will be the year we find a job that will inspire us and make us happy for a long time to come. If a career change is on your 2019 to-do list, here is how to do it confidently and successfully.

 

Think About What You Want

Don’t make the mistake of leaving a job, only to take on another that isn’t right. Don’t find yourself jumping from job to job, never settling on something that you love. Think about what you want. Think about what you’ve enjoyed in your current and previous employment. Think about what you don’t like. Ask yourself what you want to be doing in ten years and take the time to explore your options.

You’ll never feel confident heading into a career change that you’re not sure about. You won’t feel great about it if you are just moving from one job to escape from another. This is often just a case of waiting for the right time and fully exploring your options before committing.

Spend Time Studying

The hardest part of changing career is a lack of training and experience. If you’ve always worked in one industry, moving to another can be tough. But, there’s nothing to stop you learning. You could get your real estate licence or study a course online. You could even do some volunteer work to help you to gain experience and make sure that it’s what you really want.

Think About Your Key Skills

Whatever you’ve done up until this point, you’ll have key skills. Skills that are transferable. That you can use in a range of different careers. Often skills that are more important than direct experience and even qualifications. Think about the skills that you need in your current position, that could be useful elsewhere. These could include things like organization, time management, empathy, accounting, scheduling, writing, and creative skills.

See a Career Advisor

Sometimes, we know that we want a new career, but we don’t know when. We can’t see our key skills even when they are staring us in the face, and we just don’t know what we should be doing. Speaking to a career advisor, or even just a friend or colleague, about your situation, your passions, and your experience can help you to see more clearly and feel more confident.

So, are you considering a career change in the new year? How are you gearing up for the change? I love to hear from you. Share your thoughts with me below!