Making a career change is like taking a leap into thin air and not knowing where you’ll land. Still, if you’re thinking of changing your career path, you’re far from alone. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people take steps to work in a new industry. Some people change industries more than one time. Whether you’ve found a new passion or you’re seeking better financial stability, it will take time to find the right niche in your new industry. Here are five tips to help you pursue a career change.
1. Take Core Classes in Your Desired Industry
Regardless of your current level of education, it’s a good idea to start taking some core classes related to the new field of work you want to enter. In some industries, you’ll be set once you achieve an associate’s degree, including options such as dental hygienist, paralegal, and ultrasound technician. In other instances, you might need to go back to school longer.
If you aren’t sure that you’ll qualify for financial aid when it comes to college courses, you can explore private student loans. When you have a clear career path in mind, the investment in your education is often more than worth it.
2. Attend Business Conferences and Expos
When you’re in the early phases of a career change, you can attend business conferences and expos to discover a range of positions that might interest you. If you’re connected to a university or other educational institution, you can even attend a job fair and speak with recruiters one-on-one.
Conferences are also great places to meet and network with other people in your industry. You can get an inside look at the trends that dominate the industry and discover startups and smaller organizations that may interest you.
3. Join a Short-Term Certification Course
If you already possess an advanced degree but you want to add skills that can help you change careers, you can explore the possibilities of various short-term certificate courses. From project management to coding and human resources, there are a large number of certificate programs that can help you stand out from the crowd when it comes to job applications. Certificate courses generally incur a small investment, but there is a good chance that it will pay off with a higher salary offer when you match with a company.
4. Hire a Professional Resume Expert
Once you’ve hit the midpoint of your career, you may have a hard time summarizing all of your experience into a two-page resume, and that’s when you can take the services of an expert. Professional resume advisors can offer different levels of help and guidance, including everything from editing your current resume to talking you through all of your career options.
The benefit of turning to an expert is that you have a skilled set of eyes to help tailor your resume to the jobs you want. An expert can also offer tips on how to format and style your resume so that you’ll end up at the top of the pile on the recruiter’s desk.
5. Prepare To Explain Your Career Change During Interviews
As you begin to submit your resume for consideration, you should prepare for the inevitable interview question that will address your career change. It’s a good idea to sit down and brainstorm the main points you want to get across and then edit those down until you have a succinct and strong answer.
If you come across as defensive or combative, the HR representative may assume you’re not ready to enter a new industry. On the other hand, you also don’t want to appear unsure or as if you’re lacking confidence about your choices. Rehearse your explanation and reasoning and practice it with mentors, loved ones, and even your current coworkers if possible. Your dream job is out there, but it takes more than hope and positivity to get there. You have to put yourself out there and take the proper steps to set yourself up for success.
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