How To Change Careers

Changing careers can be a frightening prospect! It can also be a welcome and exciting change. There are several things that you need to remember in order to make changing careers more painless.

1. Decide if you need a career change. Is it time to look for a new career or just a job change? Do you want to embark on a new career path or just go on vacation? It's a good idea to think carefully before making a big step like a career change.
2. Assess yourself. Figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. Look for help from a career counselor or a self-assessment test, which can be found online and at many colleges. These tools will help you determine which professions might be a good fit for you.
3. Eliminate choices. If your list of possible career fields is longer than five careers, narrow it down. It's overwhelming to have to do research on any more than that.
4. Research. You can research online, from reading professional publications, or by talking to people in a specific field. It's a good idea to learn about the educational requirements for the career, as well as job descriptions, job market forecasts, and salaries.
5. Decide! You'll have to decide on one career path of interest in order to proceed in changing careers.
6. Set goals for yourself. Making a timeline for your new career path can be helpful. List necessary steps: educational requirements, internships, externships, etc. Try to set many small goals rather than one really big goal.
7. Revisit your resume. You can go to a professional resume writing service if you need some help. Otherwise, have trusted friends, or better yet, people in your desired field, look over your resume and suggest any possible changes. As you revise, you can view free sample resumes and also download resume templates. Make sure your resume is clear and concise, stating your new objective and any applicable skills or experience you might have.
8. Begin the process. It's time to start! You may need to go back to school or get some experience in your new chosen field. Check to see if you can accomplish this at the same time you're still working at your old job.
9. Look for work! Start looking for jobs in your new field - bulletin boards, professional publications, and personal contacts are all very good places to start.

It has become much more common to change careers at least once in your lifetime, and it is getting less intimidating to do. More and more older adults are found in advanced educational programs and internships. Don't let fear get in the way of finding your dream career!