Career Change
Making a career change is a big step – in fact, it’s such a big step that many people
don’t ever pluck up the courage to take it. This sometimes means they end up stuck in
a career rut and in a job they don’t really like.
But what if you lose your job or you have decided that you really do want a change,
even if it is scary and difficult? Where do you start?
The first step is to acknowledge your fears – everyone is afraid of change and major life
changes are frightening for most people, even if few would ever admit it.
Once you face what you are afraid of, you can take action and often the fear isn’t as big
as you thought it was.
So sit down and ask yourself what scares you about changing career. Here are a
few typical examples;
Not knowing what you want to do
Fear of change
Not being able to find a job
The expense of retraining
Having to study again
Disapproval of family and friends
Managing finances while retraining
Having to start at the bottom of the ladder
Dealing with Your Fears
So, let’s take those one by one and have a closer look.
Fear of Not Knowing What You Want to Do.
If you don’t know what you want to do, you should carry out a detailed assessment of
your present situation, looking at your likes and dislikes, the skills you enjoy using,
subjects you know a lot about. Also note any careers which interested you in the past or
new careers which didn’t exist when you were at school but which interest you now.
Some questions to ask yourself;
What did I like most about the job? (ask this about every job you’ve had)
What did I hate about the job? “
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Which skills do I really want to use at work?
Which new skills would I love to learn from scratch?
What would my ideal job be? Go through a day or week and list everything you’d like to
be doing – even if you don’t think it would fit into a job description.
What other jobs are related to my ideal job?
Could I do two different part-time jobs?
Would I like to be self-employed?
Am I willing to retrain?
If yes, how could I fund it?
Am I able to fit retraining around my present commitments?
Fear of Change
If the main barrier holding you back from a career change is fear of change itself, - and
this is more common than you might think - what can you do to overcome it?
First of all, you have to look at why you want to change. Do you feel you aren't
being stretched and want to do something more challenging? Perhaps you are really
keen to use a talent or skill you have developed to a high level but can't use in your
present job?
Make a list of the long-term benefits you will gain from changing career. These
could include more confidence, more happiness and a feeling of achievement. And of
course, more money.
Now take a look at the consequences of not making a career change. If you are
unhappy in your job now, how much worse will it be in 5 or 10 years if you don't make a
change now? And how will you feel about yourself for not having made the change? In
5 or 10 years it will be much more difficult to make the move.
Career change is frightening because it seems so big. As with any major life change,
you want to be as sure as you can be before you take the plunge. But the good news is
that there is plenty you can do before you actually change anything. In fact, the more
research you do beforehand, the more likely you are to make a really good
choice.
And although the ultimate goal - a completely new career - does represent a huge
change, you don't have to do it all at once. If you plan your route, you can start today by
taking one small step which in no way threatens your current situation.
As you take the small initial steps, you'll gain confidence and the bigger steps will be
easier and will turn out to be fun and challenging rather than frightening.
The important point is that you have to decide, you have to realize that if you don't
make the change, no-one else can do it for you.
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Another major fear when it comes to career change is that you won't be any good in
the new job - fear of failure. This is a completely understandable fear, after all you are
considering doing something you've never done before and so how could you know if
you'll be any good at it? You might get to the interview stage, but never be hired, or you
might get a job and fail miserably from day one.
It's impossible to know 100% that you'll be good at something you've never done
before, but there is a lot you can do in advance to prepare yourself for a new
career. But by doing research and being honest with yourself, you will be able to make
a good choice and greatly increase your chances of success.
First of all, you should focus on things that you enjoy, not things that you think you
should do. Most people are good at many of the things they enjoy and it is very likely
that some of the things you know you are good at will be transferable skills that you can
use in the workplace.
If you followed the suggestions relating to the first fear, you will have already made a list
of things you enjoy doing and included aspects of previous jobs you have enjoyed.
Now think about your overall purpose in life, which is whatever you choose it to be.
Do you want to help end gun and knife crime amongst teenagers? Do you want to
protect animals and allow them to live in natural surroundings?
Do you want to help solve the obesity problem? Or perhaps you want to improve
transportation or invent gadgets and household appliances.
It doesn’t have to be a huge idea which is going to change the world, it just needs
to change your world into one that you enjoy living in. It could be running an efficient
office for a professional, training as an aroma therapist, working in the local corner
shop.
It doesn’t matter what your goal is, the only thing that matters is that it is what you
really want to do.
Decide on your purpose and then list the skills which you have and which could
help achieve that purpose. Then look at how that could create a career for you. Using
the first example above, if you can relate to young people, you could think about
becoming a youth worker or teacher, or if you are good at sport, you could become a
coach.
The clearer you are about your talents, your purpose and the ways in which you
could combine them in a career, the more likely you are to succeed
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Fear of Not Being Able to Find a Job
This is a tough one, especially if you are entering a completely new field in which you
have no experience.
What to do:
Before choosing a specific job or career you need to do some very specific background
research. Is there a demand for people who are trained or qualified in the area? If so,
what do you need to do to get the right qualifications?
Is there a demand for untrained personnel, who can bring experience from other
industries, have strong transferable skills and can learn on the job?
Is it easy to enter this career when you are older?
You can also have a look at trends, to see where industries are hiring. Remember that
large companies don’t only hire specialist staff – they also need a wide range of other
professionals, for example in IT, catering and so on. So there could be opportunities
you hadn’t considered.
If you don’t have many qualifications, finding a job can be particularly tough. Check out
some of the areas of growth for people with few qualifications at
How to find this information;
Do some detailed online search for career trends in the field which interests you. Asking
people already doing the job or within the industry is one of the most helpful things you
can do. If possible, ask more than one person so that you get a more balanced
viewpoint.
If you are interested in teaching and ask two teachers, one who loves the job and one
who can’t wait to leave, you’ll get two very different pictures of the same job.
Go to a careers library where you can get industry-related journals and check out the
classified ads, which will not only help you to see if they are hiring but also show which
qualifications and skills they are looking for.
You could also try contacting local companies in the area who specialize in the career
you wish to enter – or schools, hospitals or voluntary organizations if that’s where you
want to work.
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If you can, do some work experience or work shadowing. Volunteering is also a great
way to learn about a job or an organization.
What if the career isn’t open to someone with your background or in your current
circumstances?
By this I mean if you don’t have the necessary qualifications, skills or experience and it
isn’t going to be possible to get them in the near future.
Ideally you should be open to new career change ideas and avoid focusing on a very
small area.
If you make a list of what you want from your new career, you can then search for other
careers which provide similar benefits. You list might include: a specific salary, prestige,
opportunity to: work with people, run projects, lead a team, teach skills, use computers,
be creative, use languages – make your own long list of everything you want. Then
decide which are the most important and be willing to consider new ideas. You can visit
a career library or make an appointment with an advisor if you run out of inspiration, but
often some creative searching online will be enough to uncover alternative careers
which would be just as interesting to you.
Fastest Growing Jobs – without qualifications
You’ll find that these are often related to specific long term trends. One of these is the
ageing population.
Because so many people are living much longer, more services for older people are
needed. This can be in the health care professions or it can be in leisure industry.
Although many older people suffer from health problems and so need some form of
medical or residential care, others want to keep themselves healthy and fit in their
advancing years. Also, growing older can cause financial problems, especially now that
so many people have lost out on their pensions or the pension schemes they paid into
haven’t been set up to take extra life span into account.
Some of the fast growing jobs related to these trends are:
Home health aides
Personal care assistants
Assistants in different medical professions, such as physical therapy assistant, dental
assistant, occupational therapy assistant
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Another area where employees are always in demand is funeral services, death being
something which happens all the time, whatever the economy.
Another fast growing area of work which demands skills, but in the US does not require
formal qualifications is the career of interpreter or translator. The type of work available
will vary according to your experience, level of competence and the languages you
speak.
Many translators and interpreters work sporadically or part-time and those without
qualifications are most likely to work in the community translating and interpreting for
people from other countries who are resident in the US or wherever the translator is
based and also for agencies which deal with people unable to speak English. So this
could include welfare organizations, social housing agencies, hospitals and courts.
Opportunities also exist for private detectives and investigators but generally speaking
applicants will need relevant work experience, such as having worked in the police
force.
Construction is another growth area. This type of work requires good health and
stamina and there will be better opportunities for those who have developed specific
skills
Most of these jobs will provide on the job training and it is important to check out what
training is available before taking a job in these fields. Although you may initially be able
to work without qualifications, gaining both experience and a recognized certificate or
diploma will both give you greater job satisfaction and more job security.
Source of fastest growing jobs
http://www.careeronestop.org/
Fear of the Cost of Retraining
This can be a stumbling block for many people, but nowadays courses are much more
flexible and can often be completed while you are still in full time employment. It isn’t
easy to work all day and come home and study all evening, but if you really want to
change, you’ll have the motivation and commitment. You will be able to get help with
time management from the college – they will have plenty of experience of working with
students in your situation.
Once you know which course you want to do, check out any available grants or
bursaries available to students. You can do this by searching online, contacting your
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local college, going to see a career advisor or asking for help finding information at your
local library.
Here is some information to help you get started:
Finance Your Studies
Students loans are also a possibility and have more favourable interest rates and terms
of repayment. Make sure you do your research properly to find out the best option for
you. You can make a start here :
Private Student loans in the US
Loans for Parents of Students in the US
Federal Student Loans in the US
Student Loan and Consolidation Information
If You Are in the UK
Students Loans in the UK
Student Grants in the UK
Fear of Having to Study Again
Many, many people are scared of going back to school or college and this is usually
because they had a bad experience the first time round.
Fortunately, colleges are now much more aware of students’ needs and provide a
whole range of services to help them overcome problems, such as learning how to write
assignments and dealing with learning difficulties like dyslexia.
If you are concerned about this, contact the college before you sign up for your course
and check out their student services. This applies to both traditional colleges and online
schools.
There may also be grants available to help students with disabilities.
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Colleges are used to mature students, who perhaps haven’t studied anything for twenty
years or more and who have to fit their homework around family commitments. So you
should be able to get plenty of help. You will also find that most colleges run free
classes in study skills and in computer skills. So if you aren’t up to date with technology
you should be able to get the help you need.
Get some general study tips here:
Study Tips
Writing your first essay can feel like an enormous hurdle. For some tips and pointers
with essay writing go to:
Basic essay writing guide
Disapproval of family and friends
This can be really difficult to deal with, after all, who doesn’t want the approval of the
people who are closest to them?
But you need to ask yourself, am I willing to live my life based on what someone else
thinks is right for me?
If you have never been happy in your career, there is a good chance you did this the
first time round. It’s quite common to leave school not knowing what you really want to
do. And, in the absence of proper careers advice, following in the footsteps of a parent
or sibling or going into what your parents think is a good career.
You spend a lot of time at work and the way things are going, you’ll be working for
longer than you anticipated when you left school. The governments of most developed
countries are finding they simply can’t cope with the growing number of retirees and are
therefore raising the retirement age. Many people who have already retired are unable
to make ends meet and having to start up home-based businesses or take part-time
jobs to supplement their pensions.
For home business ideas go to: www.coolinfoshop.com
So you are likely to be working for a long time and you want to be sure that you enjoy
what you do, even if that means going against the advice of your nearest and dearest.
It’s your life and your right and responsibility to choose what is best for you.
Ultimately, that will also be best for your family and if your friends don’t like it, it’s not
hard to make new friends.
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Most people will come around to your way of thinking and often they are against your
wanting to change because they are afraid of change themselves. So you could be
doing them a big favour by showing that change is possible and motivating them to do
what they really want.
Managing finances while retraining
If you have commitments such as a mortgage or a family to support, it can be tough to
juggle your finances. Even if you are training part-time and still able to keep your
full-time job, there will inevitably be additional expenses.
It’s a good idea to work out a budget well before you start a course and try it out for a
while to see how you manage. You can then adjust it until you find a plan which works
for you. If you do this before starting college, it’s one less thing to worry about – college
is stressful enough without learning how to budget at the same time.
You should first write down all of your monthly outgoings, starting with the ones which
are fixed. So you need to make a list of mortgage or rent payments, internet and tv and
also electricity, gas and phone which may vary but still have to be paid on a monthly
basis.
If you can, you should arrange to pay the variable bills as a monthly average – many
electricity and gas companies will do this. This will make budgeting a lot easier for you.
If not, you will have to make sure that money set aside for summer and winter
payments are adjusted to cover your costs.
Next, look at essentials which vary in cost. This would be things like food and clothes.
These are costs which can’t be erased, but which can be reduced.
Spend a little time looking at where you can make cuts. Cooking instead of buying
ready meals or takeaways would be one example. If you don’t have time, get other
family members to help or get together with a group of other students and take it in
turns. You can also cook larger quantities and freeze enough for several days. If you do
that several times you can fill the freezer and avoid having to eat the same thing every
day. Make it fun - have a cook in – invite friends or family and cook large quantities of
several different meals together – enough for you all to eat that evening and to fill the
freezer for a week or two.
Buying fruit and vegetables from the market just before closing time when traders are
selling things off cheap is another way of saving. In supermarkets you can often find
items which are reduced because it’s the sell by date. Another tip is to buy
supermarkets own brands which are often exactly the same product as those with
brand leader labels.
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Non essentials
Entertainment and holidays as well as luxury items fall into this category. Watch DVDs
or films on TV instead of going to the cinema. You can buy some cheap refreshments
and still have fun with the family or friends.
Some non-essential items can be cut out altogether or greatly reduced. Don’t forget that
this is only for the duration of your course and allow yourself to have the occasional
treat from time to time, for example a night out when you finish exams or complete a
tough assignment.
All of this needs some careful management. You can get a few additional tips here:
Managing your budget (for students and anyone wanting to save some money)
Having to Start Again at the Bottom of the Ladder
Having to take an entry level job can be difficult if you have been in a more senior
position in the past, but you need to focus on why you are doing this. And you will find
you have a lot less stress, which might turn out to be an advantage.
Remember this is a temporary step and see it as an opportunity to learn and gradually
become an expert in your new career. Having climbed the career ladder before, you’ll
probably find that you progress much more smoothly and quickly than before because
you’ll be aware of a lot of the potential pitfalls and adept at avoiding them.
************
Taking a look at your fears can help you to deal with them. They probably won’t
disappear completely but if you face them, you can often find a way of overcoming
problems which previously seemed insurmountable.
Career Change Ideas
The type of work open to you will depend very much on your own experience and of
course, your interests. Although it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of age, it can still
be difficult to get started in some careers if you are over 40 or even over 30. Here are
some ideas for careers and self-employment ideas which are more likely to be suitable
for mature entrants. However, this list is only a small selection of possibilities.
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Many areas now have forward thinking employers who value experience and who are
aware of the fact that people are having to work longer and that eventually there will be
more older people than young workers. So be sure to search for jobs over 40 or 50 in
your area and contact any agencies which specialize in your age group.
Working with computers
Computer Operator
Computer Help Desk Assistant
Web Designer
Internet marketer
Graphic designer
IT Trainer
Writing for the Internet
Admin, secretarial work
Virtual Assistant
Working with people
Nurse
Nurses’ Aide
Health Care Assistant
Social Worker
Teacher
Teaching Assistant
Private Tutor
FE lecturer
Teaching a hobby eg Yoga or Coaching a Sport’s Team
TEFL (teaching English as a Foreign Language)
Personal Trainer
Counsellor
Complementary Medical Practitioner eg Acupuncturist, Osteopath, Aromotherapist,
Masseur/euse
Residential Warden
Care Home Worker/Manager
Jobs with community based or non profit organizations
Tourist Guide
Bed and Breakfast/Guesthouse owner
Working with Things
Caretaker
Handyman
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Gardener
Housekeeper
Housesitter
Making jewellery, crafts and artwork
Furniture Maker
Working with Animals
Pet grooming
Dog walking
Pet sitting
Small scale farmer
Further Information
For more information on Self Employment go to:
Self Employment
Free guide to setting up your own website: http://www.businessblueprint101.com
What is a Portfolio Career?
A portfolio career is a great choice if you have a lot of different skills and interests and
don’t want to be tied down to a 9-5 job. It simply means having several different sources
of income, which can be a combination of part-time employment and part-time self
employment. With the internet, this is a choice which is now available to many more
people.
Download another free report here:
Portfolio Careers
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