Top tips for making a career change
There is nothing like a global pandemic to get us reflecting on all aspects of our lives, including career. The last eighteen months have challenged us in many ways and thrown up lots of questions about what is really important to us personally and professionally. The vast majority of people have had to adapt to working from home and/or often working in a different way which brought both challenges and opportunities. A significant number of people are now opting for a more blended or hybrid model of working where this is facilitated by employers, as a means to achieving a better work-life balance. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of people who have changed careers either because of necessity or because on reflection they feel that the job they have been doing is not giving the satisfaction, personal fulfilment or financial reward that they would like at this point in their career. Making a career transition or ‘pivot’ can be challenging and overwhelming so before making any career move it is helpful to look at it as a three-step process. Bear in mind also that a change of position within your own organisation can be as good an option as a totally new start. The choice is yours.
Three-step approach
Start by looking at yourself, reflecting on your skills, competencies, strengths, interests, motivations, values and personality traits. Taking time to do this by yourself or with someone else will enable you to get a clearer picture of what you want from your career at this particular stage. It may be helpful to do some online tests to get you thinking. There are free tests available on https://careersportal.ie/ https://www.123test.com/ and https://www.viacharacter.org/ . Look at these tests are a means to reflect on all the key aspects of you that will contribute to you making the right career decision for yourself. As this is a process that happens over time it can be helpful to keep a career-reflection journal or create a career vision board. If you go straight to a search of the jobs market you run the risk of settling for a job that doesn’t meet the career needs that you have right now or in the foreseeable future. Taking time to complete this stage lays the foundation for making an informed decision.
Next consider the practicalities which includes the kind of salary you want or need, the working hours and conditions, location (including working from home) and whether you need to do something to upskill or retrain in order to broaden your opportunities. With lots of courses being offered via a blended model of learning on a part time basis there is plenty choice to build on learning and skills that you have already or develop a new set that will enable you to covert to a different career. It is helpful to look at job descriptions on https://careersportal.ie/ on the job search websites such as https://ie.indeed.com/ , https://www.monster.ie/ , https://www.irishjobs.ie/ , https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/ to research areas that might be of interest.
The third step is to start looking specifically at the jobs that are of interest to you, ensuring that you keep in mind the career criteria you have established for yourself in the earlier part of the process. This step also involves examining your professional branding including updating your CV, looking at ways to improve your LinkedIn profile and presence on other social media networks. As part of this process think about all the people who are in your network and may be helpful to you as you make this career change. Start having career conversations with people you know and researching roles and organisations that sound interesting to you. As you start applying for roles you may need to work on your interview techniques to build your confidence to ensure that you present the best version of yourself in interview when you get called.
Making a career change takes time. Allocate specific time to this journey of career transition and set goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based). By doing so, you will hold yourself accountable throughout the process and you will be able to monitor your progress. There may be times where you find it difficult and get stuck but committing to the process will be worth it. And don’t be afraid to reach out to those who can help you to find clarity and gain confidence in making this important decision.