Deciding to change your career and embarking on the search for your new job can be daunting – but with a few small tips, it could be the best decision you ever make.

Changing your career can permanently change your life, for the better: as with any journey, you just need to take the first step.

7 Techniques To Change Your Career:

1. Be Certain and Commit

  • Consider your current role and organisation – do you really want to leave?
  • Write down your reasons for changing your career and go through them one by one, to ensure that you are ready, able and actively willing to make the change.
  • Once you have your answer, commit time and effort to searching for a new job. It’s about more than just flicking through some job boards and talking to contacts; set a timely goal for yourself and stick to it.

2. Develop a Career Plan

Ask yourself:

  • Where are you now?
  • In which direction do you want to go? For example, do you want a career in engineering, or to work for a leading global airline?
  • How will you get there? 

Your plan for changing your career can be easily summed up in terms of career stepping stones: 

  • Where do you want to go eventually?
  • What skills, knowledge and behaviours will you need to have to get there?
  • If this is a big jump, what could you add to your skillset and CV in your next job that might help you get to the end game? Think about the routes and jobs you need to take to change your career, and the options to stay on track.

3. Seek Guidance from Those In The Industry

People who know you well can give you an objective viewpoint on your skillset, and may think you’re suitably matched to jobs that you might not even have heard of before. Talk with work colleagues, a previous boss or family and friends – seek out their opinions and advice about a job and career that will match not just your skills and experience, but also your personality and your personal and professional goals.

4. Identify Relevant Job Opportunities

Searching for your ideal role requires a dedicated yet simple approach:

      • Find the right recruitment advice and support – meet your recruitment consultants face-to-face where possible, but even if via a phone call, always make sure your recruiter understands your career background and what you want from your next job. The right recruiter can provide invaluable expert advice, guidance on how to improve your CV and help with interview practice. Read this Guide to Finding the Right Recruiter for You.
      • Register on relevant job boards and search LinkedIn for roles that interest and suit you. Specialist sites dedicated to your industry can also be useful.
      • Contact people you already have a relationship with and where confidentiality can be maintained

5. Make a Checklist of the ‘Must Haves’ and ‘Nice to Haves’ of Your New Career

The list for your new job and ideal career might include:

      • Type of business – World-Class Airline, Large Manufacturing Company
      • Scope of role – better opportunities for learning new skills and building experience
      • Size of team or company
      • Work environment/culture
      • Location
      • Amount of travel involved
      • Work/life balance (for example time spent commuting or required training/upskilling)
      • Career progression routes – what does your next job need to teach you to help change your career?

Be rigorous in matching and pre-qualifying your potential career paths against this list – don’t waste your time if they are not right. Most jobs will not offer everything on your Must Haves list, but your next job must offer the things that are most important for your professional development to turn into your ideal career.Don’t let a recruiter push you into a job that isn’t right for you. You’re the person who will be working in your next job (not your recruiter!) so you need to make sure your next position is one that you can remain in long-term if permanent, or that will really help your career if contract or temporary.

6. For a Successful Interview, Remember:

      • Do your preparation and research on the role, your CV (facts & data at your fingertips), the company/organisation.
      • Look up your interviewers on LinkedIn, their career history and background and ask your agency about them.
      • Future-pace and imagine yourself answering likely interview questions well – rehearse your answers and imagine yourself being successful.
      • Get yourself into a positive mindset. Focus on all the benefits and opportunities that changing your career will open up, and use these as motivation to do well.
      • Answer all questions succinctly and accurately. If you are not sure whether your interviewer is satisfied with your answers, ask them if you have answered the question.
      • It’s a two-way process: ask questions about career progression, training, the role and the company.

Check out the Top 8 Tips for a Successful Interview.

7. Review Your Career Progress

Once you’ve committed to changing your career and started working in the right job for you, your career development is just beginning. Review your progress in changing your career every few months or at critical stages in your plan. If you are not getting interviews and the right offers, take a step back from your career plan and reach out to a recruiter experienced in your industry to ask for impartial advice.With the right mindset and the right support, you can find your next job and change your career for the better.

For more tips on how to succeed at interviews, grow global networks and build your ideal career, get in touch with us.