3 Tips for Making a Career Change

So, you’re looking to make a career change. This decision has become pretty common for many throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as people look to move to new locations or aspire for more in their professional lives. Whether you want to climb the ranks with your current employer or switch careers entirely, here are some tips that can help you navigate this journey. 

1. Talk to a Corporate Recruiter 

When you’re looking for a career change, a great way to start is to consult a corporate recruiter. These are professionals whose goal is to place people seeking new opportunities into new jobs, benefitting both the company and the individual. Corporate recruiters are often made aware of openings before information makes it to job posting websites, and they can help you land employment quickly. If this process is too formal for you, consider talking to a career counselor or a mentor, someone who can guide you on your next steps professionally, and who has been through a similar journey before. Mentors are powerful connections who can give you advice and leverage their experience in the workforce to help you make your next move. 

2. Do Your Research 

The next part of this journey of career change will be doing research to explore what types of jobs are available to you. This is especially important if you’re attempting to change industries or the level of employment you’re currently at. Taking an aptitude test to measure your skills might open your eyes to the types of jobs available to you. If you aren’t satisfied with your results, consider expanding your learning opportunities. There are plenty of online options available to help you gain skills in real-time for little-to-no cost, such as Masterclass, Linkedin Learning, and select Google courses. If you’re ready to apply to jobs, you can continue prospecting. If not, use this time to continue your educational opportunities. 

When applying for jobs, there will be additional research you need to do to make an informed decision. A huge part of your choice when changing careers is going to be the company’s location. Can the job be done remotely or do you need to be in an office five days a week? Is there a hybrid alternative? If the job is remote, make sure you have a dedicated space for your work-from-home setup. This will be a crucial step in coming across professionally at your new job. If you can’t envision an existing space in your house to do this, consider using a home equity loan to transform one of your rooms or spaces to make sure you have a work-designated environment. Having a physically separated area for your career is a major part of maintaining an ideal work-life balance while working from home, and will encourage a healthy relationship between the two. 

If the job requires you to relocate, it could result in a huge investment of time and money for you and your family. Make sure your company is offering a relocation package or see what type of relocation assistance they offer. See if you can get in touch with any coworkers who also recently moved to the area to learn what services they used to make their move easier.

3. Allowing Room for Growth 

Millennials are spending roughly 2–3 years at a company before finding a new one. They are seeking a career change for growth potential, lack of job satisfaction, wanting better benefits, and better wages. When searching for your new job, look for something that’ll increase the benefits you receive or will give you new skills to make you more marketable in your career growth. Make sure the company has a system in place for promoting people, and that they promote internally when they can. Discuss your career ambitions in your interviews so you know you’re on the same page with your potential employer about your desired goals and outcomes. This can help to guarantee that you’ll be supported throughout your tenure at the company. 

Making a career change can be daunting, but if you feel unsatisfied in your current job, it’s something you should consider. Talk to your family about what this change could mean and make sure you have a support system to help guide you through the process. Remember that the job market is constantly changing. Don’t be discouraged if you get a few no’s before receiving a yes. This is a journey, and you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be at the end of it.

Best of luck!

Julie