Are you stuck in a career for which you have no passion? If so, you are not alone. The majority of us choose a career based on our interests as teens or early twenties. Additionally, it is not uncommon to find yourself in a profession that is no longer a good fit for you because our interests and priorities shift over time. Fortunately changing profession paths is not at all impossible.
How will you choose a career that is right for you when there are thousands of options? It might appear impossible for you to complete the task if you have no idea what you want to do. Thankfully, it is not. If you follow a well-organized procedure, you will have a better chance of making the right choice. You can take the following steps to choose a career.
It’s often simple to stay motivated and feel rewarded for your work when you have a career you enjoy. However, if you don’t fit this description, you may need to find a job that makes you happier at work and ensures your genuine interest in your work.
In this article, we discuss some of the most common reasons why people seek a new career, the steps you can take to smoothly transition to a new career, and suggestions for determining your career goals.
Start with the following ten suggestions:
10 tips to how to find a new career?
Changing careers is a big decision, so it’s important to pick one that uses your skills, helps you grow professionally, and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Assessing yourself and compiling a list of jobs that you think might match your interests and skills is the first step in finding the ideal career path. Select a “short list” of career fields to further investigate through informational interviews after researching those fields. You can choose a career field, set objectives, and develop a strategy for achieving those objectives when you are ready.
To help you find a new job, follow these steps:
- Use a career test to perform a self-assessment
- Research the occupations that appeal to you most
- Determine if you need to retrain
- Research industries and companies that you are interested in
- Network
- Perform informational interviews
- Work with a recruiter
- Make your career choice
- Identify your goals
- Write a career action plan
1. Use a career test to perform a self-assessment
Career tests can help clarify your interests, skills, values, and personality type, as Dawn Rosenberg McKay suggests in her article for The Balance titled “How to make a career choice when you are undecided.” After completing most career tests, you are given a list of jobs that might be a good fit for you.
You need to understand who you are before you can choose the right career. Some jobs are right for you because of your values, interests, soft skills, and personality type, but others are completely wrong for you because of them.
Make a list of jobs that are a good fit for you by using self-assessment tools and career tests to learn more about your characteristics. Work with a career counselor or other career development professionals to navigate this process is an option for some.
Clarify your professional preferences and strengths. Your communication style, work style, preferences for learning, special talents, priorities in life, interests, and so on. Each of them makes up a unique professional profile. It’s easier to narrow down your options and choose roles that are right for you the more you know about who you are. Additionally, it will make it much simpler for you to demonstrate to employers why you are an excellent candidate for the position.
Create a list of your skills, including a mix of those you can use both professionally and personally. You could, for instance, include drawing, which may be relevant to one of your hobbies, and marketing, which is a skill in your professional life. To assist you in determining which potential new career might be a good fit for you, think about ranking the skills that are your strongest points.
Make sure to list both your hard and soft skills, especially those that you think will be useful in a new job. Hard skills are skills like computer programming languages or bookkeeping that are specific to a job or industry. However, soft skills are your inherent abilities and skills that are more related to who you are than a specific job. Emotional intelligence, creativity, problem-solving, and communication are a few examples.
2. Research the occupations that appeal to you most
Make use of educational and online resources to learn more about each occupation. You can probably find some basic information by doing a quick Google search, but it can be helpful to look at the websites of professional organizations for more information. Additionally, you could look for articles, interviews, and videos that feature the thought leaders in each field. Last but not least, choose one career path from your list.
At this point, you probably have multiple lists of jobs in front of you, one for each of the self-assessment tools you used. You should combine them into a single master list to stay organized. Copy the careers that appear on multiple lists onto a blank page first. It should be called “Occupations to Explore.”
It’s worth looking into a career if your self-evaluations showed that it would be a good fit for you based on some of your characteristics. Next, look for any jobs on your lists that you like. They might be careers you already know a little about but want to learn more about. Also, include jobs that you don’t know much about. You might find out something new.
We no longer work for anyone. Nowadays, all jobs are temporary. This indicates that we are all one-person businesses that must repeatedly sell their services to employers (also known as customers). Knowing how you save or make an organization cash to legitimize recruiting you is vital. However, if you know how you like to provide that kind of value, it will make you feel good every day at work.
Take into account your professional and personal interests and see if there are any careers that would fit them. You could, for instance, work as a mechanic or engineer if you enjoy figuring out how machines and parts work. This might help you find a job that makes you feel more fulfilled.
3. Determine if you need to retrain
Find out what kind of personality you have to see what kinds of jobs you might do well and enjoy. You might be able to gain a better understanding of your personality by taking a test.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, for instance, is a well-liked test that assigns you to one of 16 personality types. If you’re mostly an extrovert, for example, pursuing a career in sales and marketing may be a good idea. Knowing your personality type may also help you determine which jobs might be right for you.
You may need more education depending on your transferable skills and experience. If this is the case, devise a strategy that will permit you to do so while maintaining your current employment.
You’ll be thrilled that you only have 10 to 20 options left on your list at this point. You can now gather some fundamental information about each of the jobs on your list.
Published sources contain job descriptions as well as requirements for education, training, and licensing. Find out about opportunities for advancement. Data on earnings and job prospects can be obtained by utilizing labor market data produced by the government.
For instance, numerous profession-specific “Career Outlook” analysis articles are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” which also includes in-depth statistics on career pay and growth trends, is complemented by these articles.
4. Research industries and companies that you are interested in
It doesn’t matter how much you like a job description; the industry you work in and the company you work for make a big difference in how happy you are. Spend some time learning about various relevant industries and the businesses that have the projects and ethos you want.
Start to further refine your list now that you have more information. Start eliminating the careers that you don’t want to pursue any further based on what you’ve learned from your research thus far. Your “short list” ought to consist of two to five jobs.
Take it off your list if your reasons for not liking your job are non-negotiable. Remove any responsibilities that you don’t like. Get rid of careers with low job prospects. If you are unable or unwilling to meet the educational or other requirements, or if you lack some of the soft skills required to succeed in it, you should avoid any occupation.
Find out which jobs, industries, and businesses actually pique your interest and why. Up until now, looking for a job was like picking out a used car from a junkyard. From a sea of less-than-exciting choices, you attempted to select the best one. However, professionals who are completely content reverse the process. They make a list of employers they want to interview with and use their personal connection to the products or services of the company to get hired.
Check out the requirements for the new job and compare them to your previous skills and experience. For instance, in order to switch careers into nursing without prior education or experience, one must first complete a nursing degree program. Understanding the requirements for the potential new career path can help you figure out whether or not the additional training is worth it and what the typical timeline is.
5. Network
J.T. O’Donnell, a career coach, writes in her article for Inc.com titled “Wrong Career Path (and 4 Steps to Get You Back on Track)” that almost all open positions are filled by referrals these days. Because of this, you need to make the most of your network by trying to connect with the company where you want to work, cultivating existing connections, and constantly making new contacts.
Master the skills of informational interviewing and networking. Your network today is your network. Most jobs come from recommendations. Someone you admire works for the company and knows someone else.
Creating a network that connects you to them is So once you have created your interview bucket list, Much, Easier. Then, all that remains is connecting with people and having meaningful conversations about their work. They suddenly introduce you to their boss or the division head of the company you want to work for. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “I wasn’t looking for a job, this just fell in my lap,” you can put their success down to their ability to network.
Inform members of your network about your plans to switch careers. Ask them about their own experiences, particularly if they switched careers and worked in a different field. You may also be able to connect with people who work in your new desired industry through your network.
6. Perform informational interviews
Informational interviewing, or speaking with an experienced professional in a particular industry or company to learn more, is something that Jessica Abo provides some useful guidance on. In her Business visionary article “Effectively Switch Gears In the wake of Picking Some unacceptable Profession Way,” she suggests practicing your message so you understand what you need to say, sending a thank you email, and circling back to anything you consented to do — whether that is reaching somebody or planning an arrangement for a more top to bottom discussion.
Start conducting more in-depth research when there are only a few occupations left on your list. Make plans to meet people who work in the fields you are interested in. They might be able to give you firsthand information about the jobs on your short list. Find people with whom to conduct these informative interviews by utilizing your network, including LinkedIn.
7. Work with a recruiter
You can get assistance from a recruiter in finding jobs that are a good fit for your skills and preferences while still taking into account your experience. In addition, recruiters are aware of jobs before they appear on job boards and can assist in getting your resume to the appropriate desks.
It makes sense to be a little apprehensive about the prospect of switching careers. However, if you are passionate about the work you want to do for the rest of your life, the time and effort you put in now is nothing less than an investment in your happiness at work and in life.
8. Make your career choice
Finally, you are probably prepared to make your decision after conducting all of your research. Based on everything you’ve learned, choose a job that you think will give you the most satisfaction. Keep in mind that you are entitled to a second chance at any time you make a decision. A lot of people switch careers at least a few times.
9. Identify your goals
Identify your short- and long-term objectives once you have made your decision. This assists in plotting a course for eventually securing employment in your chosen field. Short-term objectives can typically be accomplished in six months to three years, whereas long-term objectives typically require three to five years.
Use the data you gathered from your research on mandatory education and training as your guide. Does more research if you don’t have all the details? Set your objectives once you have all the information you need. A long-term objective might be to complete your education and training. Among the short-term objectives are college applications, internships, other training programs, and apprenticeships.
Consider how much you need to earn each month to cover your living expenses and your salary goals. Based on their average salary ranges and caps, as well as their potential for bonus or commission earnings, these careers may be right for you. Consider the benefits you value most in your career, such as flexible work schedules or medical insurance, as you progress through your search.
10. Write a career action plan
Create a career action plan, a written document outlining each step you need to take to achieve your objectives. Write down all of your short- and long-term goals as well as the steps you will need to take to reach each one. Think of it as a road map that will take you from point A to point B, then to point C and point D. Include your options for overcoming any anticipated obstacles that may prevent you from achieving your objectives.
It’s true that this is a lot of work, as it sounds. But if you know what you want, choosing a career path is much simpler. In the long run, you will save a lot of trouble and uncertainty if you take these steps early.
Why do people opt for a new career?
People may change careers for a variety of reasons. The following is a list of five common reasons why someone might want to change careers:
- Lack of career satisfaction
- New interests
- Desire for more flexibility
- Perceived salary limitations
- Dissatisfaction with management
1. Lack of career satisfaction
The desire to find a new career may be fueled by a number of factors, including the fact that their responsibilities no longer present a challenge to them, that their opportunities for advancement have run out, or that they no longer enjoy their workplace.
2. New interests
Some people choose one career path at first only to discover later that they are more interested in another. For instance, a specialized help expert who becomes keen on coding.
3. Desire for more flexibility
Changing careers and working in a different field might give you the chance to work from home or have flexible working hours.
4. Perceived salary limitations
If you look into other career options, you might find one with more opportunities for promotions, bonuses, or higher starting salaries that better meet your needs and expectations.
5. Dissatisfaction with management
Being dissatisfied with a direct manager, upper management at the organization as a whole, or another superior might be a strong incentive to look for a company that better suits one’s professional and personal preferences.
Additional tips to find a new career
Here are some additional tips to find a new career. Following these steps will help you finding a new career with ease. Consider the following advice for finding a new job:
- Take career quizzes
- Attend networking events
- Be kind to yourself
- Request informational interviews
- Consider professional development courses
- Explore internal opportunities
- Talk to a recruiter
- Update your resume
1. Take career quizzes
Career tests can help you figure out your strengths, list your skills, and suggest jobs. You might also find it helpful to take tests to learn more about your personality, work habits, and leadership style.
2. Attend networking events
For establishing professional connections, networking is essential. If you want to learn more about what it’s like to work in the fields you’re interested in pursuing, you might want to consider attending events in those fields.
3. Be kind to yourself
Changing careers is a big decision, and looking into your options can be overwhelming. As you research new jobs and possibly apply for positions in new industries, it’s important to be patient with yourself.
4. Request informational interviews
Learning about professionals in particular fields can be facilitated by informational interviews. Prepare a list of questions, look for people in your network to ask, and be open to hearing about all aspects of the career path.
5. Consider professional development courses
You might be able to learn new skills or improve ones you already have by enrolling in training courses. On online platforms, look for opportunities that may offer adaptable options that fit your schedule.
6. Explore internal opportunities
If you’re content with your current employer but want to try something new, there may be internal opportunities for a different career. You might want to think about speaking with your manager or the human resources department about opportunities to work with other departments and possibly shadow a job.
7. Talk to a recruiter
Recruiters and career coaches might be able to help you learn more about your skills and find new opportunities. Additionally, these professionals frequently have extensive industry connections to assist you in finding a new job.
8. Update your resume
It’s critical to modify your resume for each occupation you apply for, so reexamining it for a completely new industry is essential. Look at examples of resumes in the field you want to work in and see how you can relate your current experiences to those in the field.
Hey, I am Sachin Ramdurg. I run and manage futuredecider.com website that helps students, graduates, and professionals, to find and decide on their future career with ultimate future career advices and future career guides. I have an overall 12+ years of career guidance experience in multiple domains which has helped multiple students, graduates, and professionals to find the best career path for their future.