How To Smooth Sail Through A Career Shift

If you are unhappy with your current job, it is possible that you may be considering a career shift. Many people are facing the same situation and looking for new opportunities. Organizations today are open to the concept of career shift, something that can work in your favor. However, there are certain things you need to consider before you embark on a new journey. Here are some tips that can help you make a smooth career shift.

Introspect: First you need to identify the factors that are making you miserable in your current job. Is it really your career or something else? Is your boss or colleagues making you unhappy? Or are you unhappy because of your low salary? Answers to these questions will let you know whether or not you really need a career shift. May be all you need is a job change and not a career shift.

Consider related careers:Starting an entirely new career can be hugely challenging. For example, shifting from HR to marketing can be an uphill task. A better way out is to consider related careers. For example, if you are a lawyer and don’t like the usual job of arguing cases, you can consider related jobs such as legal research or legal journalism. The aim is to find the path of least resistance, so that the transition can be smooth.

Acquire new skills: If you are thinking about a career shift, you need to add some new skills to your resume. You could go back to college to get a new degree or enroll for online certification courses. For example, if you want to make your entry into the world of computer programming, you will have to learn the required programinglanguages.

Identify your strengths: Each one of us is endowed with some unique talents, which we need to uncover. You need to find the thing that you like doing most and can do it for free every day. Is it teaching, writing, helping others, travelling, music, sports, or something else? Based on your strengths, you can accordingly choose an appropriate career.

A new career is like starting from scratch, so be ready to make additional efforts. However, provided that you like your new job, things should not be as dull and drab as earlier. In initial stages, you may have to volunteer for work to gain some experience in your new career.Your finances may also be adversely affected initially, so make sure you have adequate funds to support your transition to a new career.