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It is almost always just a matter of time before a person
considers switching
careers. Perhaps this is
because it is human
nature to want change
in their lives. Also,
there are a number of
reasons why moving to a different career is a good
decision. This, however, doesn’t mean that such type of
transition is an easy one.
If you are planning on changing careers, you must be
very excited to discover the many opportunities that
will be opened up for you by your new career. But at
the same time, you may also be concerned that you
may not be able to overcome the hurdles awaiting you
as you transition to a different field. Well, the best thing
you can do about this is to be prepared. By knowing the
common mistakes committed by career changers, you
will have an idea of what you should and shouldn’t do
to have a successful change of careers.
What to Avoid When Switching Careers
Not mapping out a plan. Many people are making a big
mistake to their careers by making the change without
proper planning. Pursuing a different career is not as
simple as changing college courses. It takes a well
thought out plan to successfully move to a whole new
field. A detailed plan should include strategies, backup
plans, financial planning, and so on.
Pursuing a different career path because you hate your
current job. If you are not happy with your current job,
it doesn’t follow that you should look for a new career.
Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between
keeping a job and staying in the same career. To make
sure you are not just confused, imagine yourself
working in a different company but in the same field. If
you think you can be happy working in a different
organization, then you need a job change rather than a
career change.
Pursuing a different career without doing self-
assessment first. One important factor that can help
determine the success of any change of career is self
assessment. It is important that you know first what
your passions, values, skills, and interests are. If you
choose to not know yourself more before you jump into
a different field, you may just end up wanting to move
to a different career once again.
Not seeking help. When it comes to making decisions
about your career, you would think that nobody else
could do it but you. While you indeed have the final
decision on this matter, you still should consider getting
help from those who can help you. You can simply ask a
friend or a relative who may have changed careers in
the past for their opinion on your plan. By hearing what
they have to say, you can easily decide if you indeed
need a new career, or you just need a job change.
While it is true that unemployment is widespread these
days, there are still a lot
of job hunters who have
been successful in their
goals of finding a good
job. In fact, there are
some who even find jobs
that pay even higher than what their previous
employers would give them. If you are a job hunter
yourself and you still haven’t been in luck in getting
even an invitation for an interview, there must be
something wrong with how you are conducting your
search.

Are You Receiving Enough Invitations for Interview?
Job hunting can be compared to dating. You will not
find the right one unless you go out there are look for
the opportunities. In short, job seeking is a numbers
game. Don’t limit your efforts to checking the internet
from time to time for the latest job openings. To make
sure that you are being proactive in your job search,
you should first prepare your resume, and then look for
the companies you will then pursue. Don’t ignore what
your network can do for you also especially if you are in
the process of changing careers.
Do You Talk about Yourself the Right Way?
Many job seekers actually have the right skills,
expertise, and experience to qualify for a job. But they
end up not being called back by the human resource
department simply because they fail to introduce who
they really are during the interview. Employers don’t
want to waste time hearing about everything your
previous work entailed. What they want to know are
your achievements and what enabled you to accomplish
them. During the interview, make sure that you focus
on what matters and what information will be valued by
the potential employer.
Do You Make Sure to Follow Up?
According to career pathways experts, in looking for
great employment opportunities, it is vital that you
follow up on your leads. It is not all the time that hiring
managers have the time to check on your application.
There is always a possibility that they may forget about
you. In order for you to handle this effectively, you
should create a spreadsheet where you will take note of
all the companies you have submitted your application
to. For those who have not responded to your
application, take the time to regularly call them to
inquire about the possible job openings. By being
persistent, you are also showing commitment and
willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job.
If you have just changed careers and you are still in the
process of making a
good impression to
your boss, one of the
things you should
avoid at all cost is to
fail to meet deadlines.
It is never an easy thing to do it, but you have to find
ways to be more efficient at work. Below are some tips
that can help you be more organized at work to be able
to meet your deadlines.
#1 Make a List of Your Deadlines
Don’t just rely on your memory on this. Be sure that you
have written down all the promised results, services, or
communication. As a matter of fact, you should include
even those things that have no specific due date. This is
a very effective strategy because this list is your physical
reminder of everything that needs to be accomplished.
#2 Plan Ahead and Make a Schedule for Your Work
After changing careers, one of the biggest challenges
you will face is how you could get used to your new
workload and work flow. To avoid any problems related
to this, it is recommended that you make a plan
according to your to-do list. Arrange the tasks according
to priority and indicate the amount of time you think it
will take to complete each one. And as you start your
work, refer to your plan so that everything you do will
be right on schedule.
#3 Discuss the Due Dates
If you don’t think the due dates set for any task are
unreasonable, don’t hesitate to propose a new one.
What this will do is allow you more room to work
properly on the task. But of course, you should try to

accomplish these tasks as much as you can. Avoid
repeatedly asking for extension as this could indicate
unprofessionalism on your part.
#4 Refuse If You Must
If you are in the middle of completing a certain task and
you are suddenly given a new one that is due really
soon, you should consider how this will affect the
project you are currently working on. If there is no way
you could get both tasks done on time, then be honest
to your superior and explain when you think you can
take on the new task.
# Don’t Hesitate to Seek Help
While it may not be easy for your ego to ask for help,
you should learn to do this sometimes to make sure
that you could meet all your deadlines. Having to go
through the process of job change is difficult already, so
you should get some help if you badly need it.