Nowadays, switching careers is more common than ever, more common even than staying in a job for more than ten years, let alone forty. The world is changing quickly, and so are opportunities and lifestyle choices. If you’ve been in a job for a while, you might think that leaving it is risky, even if you’re not entirely happy doing it anymore. Realistically, though, there’s a wealth of possibilities for you in the world – it’s unlikely you won’t find something that’s made for you.
Don’t abandon your job
If you’ve become jaded by your line of work, you might be thinking about how you can change careers to something you feel passionate about at the moment. You might have heard of some new opportunity and thought it sounds perfect for you. If that’s the case, you have half the answer, but don’t jump ship right away. You need to take a step back and put your sensible hat on – throwing everything into a career at once could be a mistake, so take your time and make sure it’s what you want to do long term.
Identify your ideal job
Take some time out of your busy schedule and brainstorm your ideal job and lifestyle. It’s a good idea to make this activity relaxed and enjoyable. Make yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle – why not brainstorm while watching a passive Netflix show. It is out of this state of mind that you will find the best ideas for your future employment.
Work in your downtime
When you’ve decided that you will leave your job for something more inspiring and have identified a possible avenue to future success, it’s time to get down to work. It’s a good idea to train yourself in some of the skills you might require for your future employment. Even if you have the personality for a job, and even some transferable skills, it’s worthwhile to put in some extra hours to train yourself in that direction. At interviews, it will make all the difference.
Learn new things
Maybe you’re at the stage where you know you want to change your career, but you’re unsure what your passion or interest is. It’s not a problem if you feel this way, you don’t need to do something you’re passionate about all the time. You could adopt a ‘for now,’ attitude, and train in something generic that will offer many transferable skills. You could choose to become a teacher, for instance, and learn many skills that future employers will value in any industry.
Take a personality test
If you want to change your career but aren’t sure what you want to do instead, then a personality test can help. A personality test, such as the Myres-Briggs test, is easy to find online. Bear in mind that they are not 100% scientifically accurate, but they can give you an overview of your broad traits and what work you might be suitable for; it will tell you if you’re more introverted extroverted and how you might respond to specific life situations. Equipped with this information, you can narrow your options.