Many of us contemplate changing career at some stage in our lives. We can find ourselves falling into one particular career path after college and we go along in auto-pilot, never spending much time honestly exploring and evaluating what we really want from our working life.
You may be in a situation where looking in from the outside, you have a good job in a well-known company, you get on great with colleagues and have long term prospects and security.
Truthfully, you are left feeling a little unfulfilled. You feel like you’re not using your full potential, and you want desperately to wake up feeling like your work is and making a difference – to someone or something. You just don’t know what your next move should be.
There is now more opportunity for career change than ever before. Far from being trapped (although it might feel that way!) hardworking, talented people have plenty of choices as the economy reaches out for the huge diversity of skills and experience it needs.
Here are my 5 Top Tips for Making a Successful Career Change
1. Do your Research
Create a job search plan and/or educational guidance strategy to assist you in moving towards your chosen career area.
Start the career planning process, evaluate what you like and don’t like. Make a list of occupations of interest to you and employment opportunities within a commutable distance of where you live.
Invest your time in you. It can be tempting to just jump at the next offer you get but it is far more beneficial to slow things down and do some self-assessment. You can access personality, behavioural and psychometric tests online which will help guide you in the right direction and may point out other hidden talents and passions you might not have been aware you had.
2. Ask yourself what transferrable skills do you have?
Can your experience / skills from your current job transfer easily to your new career?
You might be surprised when you evaluate your strengths that there are many skills for example communication, organisation, leadership that you can highlight no matter what job you are going for. Changing your career does not mean that you need to throw out everything you’ve learnt in the past. We all hold transferable skills which can be harnessed into a new profession. Evaluate what areas you are strongest in and focus on how best to get these qualities across to a new potential employer.
3. Upskill, Training and Education
There is a clear association between the qualifications you hold and your ability to secure a job. The good news is there are people and programmes out there that are just waiting to help you take a new direction. If you are thinking of moving from one particular industry to another then further education or training may be a necessity.
You can look into part time evening courses which you can do while working. Your current employer might offer training programmes which you could also take advantage of.Consider opportunities within your organisation to gain experience within another department/area. Join a project team or create your own for this exposure. Upskilling shows that you have a forward-thinking attitude and a desire to progress and learn.
4. Networking – both on and offline!
If you are serious about changing your career, then you must be prepared to put yourself out there! Attending local industry business events is a good place to start. Find your local enterprise office and get in touch about upcoming networking events.
You might just end up in the right place at the right time and meet some useful contacts who may have opportunities suited to your skillset. It is so important to get out and meet people and talk about your job search and career goals. You will meet people who may offer you advice and information about a company or industry and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network.
You should also make sure you have a presence on LinkedIn and that your profile is informative and up to date. Your profile should stand out and look professional and dynamic. LinkedIn and Social media is a platform where you have the opportunity to create your own personal brand – so use it!
5. Sell Yourself
There is no point in doing all of the above if you can’t sell yourself when you do finally get to that interview stage. You must believe in your own ability.
Confidence, good presentation and body language are all very important factors in doing a successful interview. Tell your story and put your strengths at the forefront of the conversation. Show that you have researched the business and make connections between your own experience and what they are looking for.
It is also important to use the time in the interview to turn the tables, and ask questions to make sure the job is the right one for you. Take the time to think about what you really want - so that you don't look back and think 'what if’?
If you are contemplating a career change or looking for a new job, don’t hesitate to get in touch for a confidential discussion about our many job opportunities in your area.
FRS Recruitment’s Tullamore Branch is based on Patrick Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly. We specialise in recruiting for both permanent and contract staff across The Midlands.
Begin your job search HERE
Contact: Louise Glennon (Recruitment Consultant)
Phone: 086 4670069 / 05793 26999
Email: [email protected]
Louise Glennon
Louise joined the FRS recruitment team in May 2017 as a Commercial Recruitment Consultant. Louise has over four years’ experience working in customer service and sales for some of Ireland’s best known companies. Holding an Honours Degree in Business and Psychology, Louise graduated from Dublin Business School in 2013. She also comes from a family business background which underpins her extensive business knowledge and deep understanding of client needs. Louise specialises in recruiting across the agricultural, technical and commercial sectors and takes pride in delivering first class candidates to her clients.
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Wonderful blog post. This is absolute magic from you! I have never seen a more wonderful post than this one. You've really made my day today with this. I hope you keep this up!
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Kavinson
changing job or career is not ease task and before make this kind of decision we should research and use your tips effectively.
Regards
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Tom Barrett
Hi Louise,
I am contacting you as I have working in Banking for over 20 yrs in a number of roles in Dublin until the end of 2017 and then due to a change in family circumstances I had to move back to Kildare so this meant a change of career which was difficult for me so all my experience was in Banking. I decided to get into Sales and I am currently working for Bord Gais Energy which is different and I am learning new skills the only drawback is the unsociable hours start time 11.0 until 9.0 at night. I would much prefer a 8.0 to 5.0 or 9.0 to 6.0 position and I would prefer to get back into a Customer Service Role where I have a customer base and my role is to service them but I would like a change from Banking. I am finding it difficult to get these roles given my age, experience and salary expectation. I spotted some advertisements FRS had on Indeed and I read some of the articles from the website and this prompted me to contact you to see if you could help me in this regard. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. If you want me to forward on a cv just let me know.
Regards
Tom
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