Why is Career Change so Difficult?
Making the decision to change your career can lead to one of the most stressful processes of your adult life if you are unsure of the steps to take. Many people will remain miserable in a job that does not fulfill them monetarily or fulfill their purpose, all due to not knowing where to start.
Fortunately, the guidance in this article is accessible to most people and will give you the knowledge necessary to advance your career!
Do You Know What You Want?
You can not successfully determine a route if you do not know where you are going. This same concept applies to developing a plan for changing your career. You need to have an idea of either a specific job you are interested in pursuing or narrow down the choices to a type of job you want.
Job placement specialists at career centers or community colleges have career assessments available, followed by job placement advising. However, if you prefer to do this step on your own there are many online career assessments, such as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, that can outline your strengths and provide a list of positions that are best suited for you.
Locating Job Opportunities
Once you narrow down what job you are looking to pursue, you can begin the job search! If you see the potential for growth or transfer to another department within your current company, then it would be advantageous to have this conversation with your supervisor.
Making it known that you are interested in supervisory or director positions could lead to valuable professional development and opportunities with a company with which you have already established rapport.
Sometimes a lateral move within the same company will provide additional skills and work experience to add to your resume that could lead to future advancements, or just a new environment to change the pace.
If looking elsewhere is the best option for you, then online job search engines such as Employment.org will most effectively provide options that meet your criteria. Job search websites search for available positions based on what type of employment you are looking to obtain, your skill sets, and your salary.
You are then able to thoroughly review the details of each position before deciding to apply. These websites also typically serve as the portal to submit your contact information, job application, resume, and any additional documents required by the employer.
What Secures Your Interview? The Resume!
Your resume is your opportunity to shine and is typically what secures your chances for an interview. With the rise in remote application processes, comes the demand of companies utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to help narrow down the applicant pool.
Hiring managers want to only see resumes that meet their specifications for the position, which is why ATS looks for specific keywords on each applicant’s resume. This is why you want to ensure you are submitting an ATS friendly resume, in addition to ensuring your document is concise and up to date.
Another crucial tip for submitting the best resume is ensuring you are preparing your resume for the position you are applying for specifically. This should only entail slight changes in the order that your qualifications are listed or highlighted, or potentially changing the verbiage to show the employer you are not just submitting the same resume to every job opening.
While it is perfectly acceptable to apply to multiple positions at one time, you do not want to present a resume that strongly highlights accounting experience when you are intending on applying for a position in marketing. You want to make the necessary adjustments to ensure the hiring manager sees that you are the proper fit for their specific position.
You Can Do This!
Along the way throughout this process, it should become evident if you need to pursue additional certifications or furthering your education before applying to certain positions, which you would want to secure before formally applying for the position. Once you apply for a job and schedule an interview, you will want to ensure you properly prepare for the interview because that is the key to boosting your confidence for this meeting.
In addition to having a general idea of how to answer typical interview questions, familiarizing yourself with the specific company’s products or services, will go a long way in making a good impression with the hiring manager.
The time you spend at a position is worth more than you realize, and you are worth the effort in investing in a better outcome. If you find yourself dreading every day of your work week or feeling like you are not fulfilling your potential, then you have the path to better your position! By reading this article you have already conquered the biggest hurdle, which is not knowing how to move forward. You can do this!
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