Whether you’re considering a career change in your 20s, 40s, or older, you’re far from alone. People have become far more open to change, especially if they feel unsatisfied with their current position. Employers have come to expect it, especially given that people will switch careers five to seven times during their working years.
Many people undergo a career test to find out if the job suits their personality traits or not. Are you ready to find the right career field for you? If so, here are the three best pieces of advice for you to consider.
1. Carefully Consider Fields That Interest You
This piece of advice might seem obvious, but you don’t want to set your mind and heart on a career field switch that can cost more time, money, and effort than you can afford. The Balance Careers recommends that you consider how challenging certain career field moves will be. If you are making a drastic change, such as leaving an artistic field and moving into the sciences, you might need to account for a great deal of additional coursework you’ll have to pursue that is new to you.
Additionally, you should consider the transition from one field to the next, including the projected job opportunities available, the business environment, customers, and co-workers. Before launching a full-scale career switch, talk to someone in the field and at different companies to better understand what that industry is like.
To be doubly sure of your switch, take a career test that gives an accurate perspective of your skillset.
2. Determine the Reasons You Want to Make a Career Field Switch
Most people who decide to switch careers have their own personal reasons for doing so. Do you know your reasoning for making this big change in your professional life? If you occasionally become bored with your work but overwhelmingly appreciate the freedom it gives you to earn your paycheck and do the minimum, you might give it some time before making any big decisions.
However, if you see that your current career has no room for you to grow and advance, it’s a good time for you to move on. You don’t want to stay in a job with no promise for promotions and leadership opportunities if you’re a go-getter.
3. Figure Out the Additional Education and Training You Need
The chances are good that you’ll need to pursue additional education to make a successful career field switch. At the very least, it will make the transition much easier and is likely to pay off in a boost to your confidence and, ultimately, your paycheck.
If, for instance, you plan to go into a business-related field, such as business administration, finance, human resources, marketing, supply-chain management, or operations management, you’ll benefit immensely from committing to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. As of 2018, a median MBA starting salary was $105,000, among all MBAs, compared to the $65,000 offered to candidates holding a bachelor’s degree only, which makes the investment sound more than worthwhile.
Prepare for Your Career Field Switch With Strong Advice and a Sound Strategy
With the right preparation, advice, consideration, and strategy, you’ll have no problem making a career field switch that works for you, offering you satisfaction and the salary you want. Using this advice, you can better understand why you want to make this big professional move, such as better compensation, promotions, or leadership opportunities, and what you need to do to make it happen with great success.
