Are you happy with your current job?
Many people settle for a career that no longer brings them joy and satisfaction. We all need to pay our bills and maintain a lifestyle, but stagnation makes us miserable. After all, you deserve to live a happy life and have a healthy work-life balance. But don’t rush into making big decisions. Take your time and check out our tips for finding your best new career:
What is your current job satisfaction?
Keep a journal of your daily reactions and emotions about your job situation. Which aspects of your job do you like and dislike? What are you not satisfied with? Is it the content of your work, the company culture or the people you work with?
This will help undertstand how you feel about your job before making any big decisions.
What are your interests, values, and skills?
Is there something you did in the past that made you feel dood? Any past successful roles, volunteer work or projects that felt right?
Think about why they made you feel good? It is very likely they aligned with your core values. And your current job doesn’t.
What career options do you have?
It has long been proven that it’s best to focus on what you’re good at and build up from there. Brainstorm what career options you have based on your strong sides. A career counsellor might help if you’re having trouble with this step.
Gather information
If you have chosen your new field, find out as much as you can about it. If some of your friends work in this field, you can ask them for information. Ask around on social media. Find a mentor.
Here is a list of questions to ask:
- What do I need to be successful in the role?
- What certification or educational development do I need?
- Is there potential for career advancement?
Having a conversation on the topic can change your mind about your desire for a career change. But take any advice with a grain of salt. After all, you are the person that knows what’s best for you.
Try it out (if possible)
Find volunteer and freelance activities in your desired field to test your interests. For example, if you’re interested in working with animals, volunteer at a local shelter.
Liking your hobbies doesn’t always mean that they have to become your permanent job. The world is full of examples. People start a job based on their hobby and before they know it – they hate both. Volunteer in a role until you are sure that it is the right career for you.
Improve your skills
It’s crucial to get the needed skills for the job you want. That’s why it’s good to look for educational opportunities which will help you with your new field. You can take a course at a college, or an online course; look for weekend seminars, and so on.
By doing these things, you will improve your skills and learn more about your future job.
Prepare your career tools
It’s a good idea to ask a boss, colleague, or mentor for career tools. If you prefer professional help, you can seek out resume writing assistance.
Here is a list of things to consider when preparing career tools:
- Online search: search your name online to see what shows up. You can search for images that are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other sites on a personal account. The last thing you want to realise is the job search is unsuccessful because there is unprofessional content you posted online.
- Be LinkedIn ready: recruiters conduct a LinkedIn search to see if the work experience is the same on a resume. Remember to change the wording on LinkedIn from the resume, or it will appear as if there was no effort put into creating the profile.
- Portfolio: if you want to as an artist, writer, graphic designer, etc., you definitely should have a portfolio of your works.
- Cover letter: a good cover writer will always impress your potential employers.
