There comes a time in life when reflecting on your past decisions becomes a pastime. Perhaps its because you suddenly become aware of your own mortality and so you begin to question about how you can make the second half of your life more fulfilling than the first half.
This period of unrest and reflection, however, is often the motivation to start a new career. You have the maturity to know what makes you happy, your likes, and dislikes without the need to satisfy anyone else’s expectations. So, how do you go about starting a new career?
Be honest
Be honest about why you want a change in career. You need to invest some time to understand why you want such a dramatic change. You might want more money, or it could be that you are not challenged enough in your new role. Understand why you want to make the changes and have a conversation with your employers to ask for a pay rise or ask if there are any opportunities for promotion. It may be that the company is no longer a good fit for you.
Starting a new career is a big commitment and comes with risk, so understanding what you don’t want to do is as important as knowing what you do want to do. Think about your current role. What aspects do you like? Leading a team? Working alone? Problem-solving? Your answers will help to shape the direction that your new career should take.
Research the new industry and role
When you are not in an industry, you don’t have a true picture of what it’s like to work in it. It’s vital that you don’t jump ship into a career that has the same pitfalls as your current one. LinkedIn is a great resource for seeing the positives and negatives of a role, and posters give valuable and often candid insights into their working lives.
Research will open your eyes to new opportunities that may not have been on your radar. For example, accounting practices for sale in Canada will give you a new country of residence as well as a new career. Open your mind to the possibilities that you have not yet thought about!
Understand that your skills are transferable
If you have identified a career that you would like to pursue but are hesitating because you don’t have the experience or qualifications that many employers list, relax. The skills that you have picked up throughout your current career are likely to be transferable and positively looked upon by potential employers. You will be able to bring a fresh perspective to the role, and qualifications can be gained at a later stage. Online degrees with Emerson in marketing analytics will give you a step up if you’re interested in this industry. There is growing demand for data scientists and business analysts, so this may be a new career path worth exploring. It is so important to remember that a degree in an up and coming field of work will open up numerous opportunities for you.
