Let’s take a moment to look back on the past.
Taking the time to go back to those school days.
Life may not have felt so pressured back then.
You will have only had your schooling and homework to think about, and the odd chore list around the home, and that was it. Life was for living. But, at that stage, during your later school years life, you are expected to have some sort of idea about what you want to do for the rest of it. Deciding on a career and job direction right then, so that you can make the right decisions about further education and job experience.
In all honesty, some people were fortunate enough to know exactly what they wanted to do with their life, other people simply wouldn’t have had a clue and probably took a stab in the dark. If you were one of the people that wasn’t sure, you wont have been alone. Many people have no idea on what they want to do when it comes to their career and often don’t even realise where their strengths are or what infuses their passions until later on life. If you are that person then rest assured, there is always a chance to make a change.
In fact, I made a career change, moving from a career in market research into financial planning, after being inspired by you, the readers of this personal finance blog!
I wanted to share with you some of the things you can consider when it comes to trying something new with your job and career. I hope it gi
ves you the motivation and inspiration you need to make the change yourself.
Decide what you really want to do
First of all, it is time to start thinking about what you actually want to do. Your job may have highlighted some of the skills you have, it may have helped you see where you can work better on what your passion is. Or it could be that life experience has brought you to decide a career change in a different direction is on the cards. Think long and hard about it, you don’t want to be in a position in a few years time again wanting to make some changes.
What’s important?
If you are unsure about what direction you want to take then ask yourself a simple questions, what is important? Is it the fact that you want to come home everyday feeling satisfied with the work you have done or feeling you have made a difference. Or is it to do with your income. Wanting to make more money so that in turn you can have a better quality of life during the down time that you have. Perhaps goon more holidays or treat yourself. Knowing what is important to you can help you make good decisions about the direction to take.
Work on your CV / resume
It is important for you to understand that you need to think about your resume when it comes to trying to obtain a new job. You need to think about how your CV / resume is going to stand out from other potential applicants applying for the same job. When was the last time you updated yours? Could you add anything to it to make it appear more desirable? There are plenty of articles online that can help you create the ideal resume.
Is it time to study for extra qualifications?
If your new job or career direction is in a different direction, or perhaps requires you to take on more responsibility, then maybe you need to think about what qualification you have and whether studying for additional ones or to gain new skills could be worthwhile. Many people study in their own time and take on varying degrees from home. You could look into the online business school from Aston University if it is those kind of skills you require, or look at more focused areas like marketing or digital methods to help you secure the new job. The options are endless and studying extra could help you achieve your dreams.
Maybe you need a full on change
Sometimes we just need a completely new direction when it comes to working and there are many things that you could consider that could be the right choice for you. Perhaps now is the time to relocate, work in a different city or even move abroad and try gaining some experience in a different country. Maybe now is the time to take some time out, so you can really focus on what you want to do. There are options out there.
Could volunteering give you valuable work experience?
Maybe volunteering is the way forward when it comes to trying something new with your career. There are so many good causes out there that will perhaps need your services that this could give you some valuable work experience and change your perspective in one go. You might also want to think about volunteering abroad, perhaps working with a charity or taking on a challenge. It could be the best step you take.
Time to make a decent first impression at the interview stage
It is all well good and having the tenacity to look for new opportunities and to think about what you want to do, but you also need to be able to impress when it comes to the interviews. Otherwise you won’t even get out of the starting block. This is when taking careful consideration with what you wear and also how you present yourself in the interviews can make a massive difference to how well you will do. It’s time to take charge.
Seeking out work opportunities and being proactive
Finally, it is worth taking the time to think about where you can seek out the opportunities. It might be worth looking at potential employers and making contact directly. This could help you seek out new opportunities before other people, or even be put on lists so that you can be made aware of work opportunities before people.
So there you have it, some of the ways you can try something new and take a different direction with your job and your career.
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