Our tips on how to prepare for a career change!
Thursday, 25 August 2022
Starting a new career can be daunting no matter what age you are. On average a person will change careers 5 to 7 times so why not make sure you properly prepare for the change you want to make.
This kind of transition won’t happen overnight, so we’ve listed our top tips to help you discover your next dream career!
Think it through.
This is a massive change and you don’t want to go into it unprepared. Firstly, ask why you’re changing careers and get a good idea of what you’re not enjoying about your current situation. Talk it through with someone else, whether that is a friend or a professional, it might help you realise what you want to look for in your next profession.
Find out what kind of work works for you.
In your current situation, evaluate what parts of the job you’re enjoying and what you want to avoid in the next workplace. Look into what your interest are, what your skillset is and aim for something to include them. You can even look up job ads online and see what aspects of the description attracts and deters you.
Transfer your skills.
If you don’t have any direct experience in your next industry, don’t stress, there are people out there to help you find your skill set and work out how you can apply and transfer it to your next occupation. Visit a careers counsellor and listen to their ideas on how to make the move.
Training and experience.
It may be worth looking into increasing your skills and knowledge by looking at courses within the field you are transferring to. There are numerous affordable online or short courses that can give you an insight to your chosen profession and help you with a starting place.
A great way to gain an understanding of the industry and confirm if it’s the rights place for you is by volunteering. Not only does this look great on your resume, it also gives you a chance to meet people within the industry, start building up relationships and give you a better insight of certain industries.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, speak to a careers coach.
A careers coach can help you identify your own skills, help you with finding out how to transfer them to another profession, assist with re-writing resumes and offer any other support you may need while getting through this tricky stage!
These are our top tips for anyone who is deciding if they need a career change. If you’re still unsure about where to start, head into the Wodonga TAFE Skills and Jobs Centre to speak to an expert. They can help you get through this process, find what works for you and it’s all FREE!