The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Need A New Career But Not Sure Where to Start?
Four Ways of Finding Your New Path
Professionals change careers all the time for any number of reasons. In most cases, they know what new field they want to enter but sometimes they don’t. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some steps you can take to find your new path.
Consider What Isn’t Working
The first step to finding a satisfying new career is to figure out what, exactly, is unsatisfying about your current one. This can require some soul-searching and be difficult to pinpoint. Switching careers is not always the answer to dissatisfaction with your job. It might just be that you don’t like working with your current company, or need to pursue a different line of work in your field. If, however, your career has stagnated due to limitations or you’ve decided you hate the industry and want to do something else, a job switch might be in order.
Although making enough money to live on is important, most people prefer to get some kind of personal satisfaction out of the work they do. You should consider what subjects interest you and what tasks you actually enjoy doing. It’s important to remember that no job will be perfect—they all will have something unlikable about them. But if you currently work in accounting and have learned your passion lies in conservation work, you should make the effort to change career paths to one that will make you truly happy.
Seek Guidance
If you really aren’t sure where to start, there are professionals who can help you. Career counselors, for example, can walk you through your options and even help you discover career paths you might not have known existed. Even spiritual guidance, such as from clairvoyant psychic readers, can help you understand your own thoughts and desires. This isn’t a change you have to tackle alone.
Prepare to Switch Careers
The logistics of actually switching careers can be easier outlined than accomplished. Your existing work history might have very little to do with the job you hope to get, and your existing education might not qualify you to work at the new job you want. For some career changes, you may need to go back to school for a new degree. Whether or not that is the case, you will still need to heavily rely on transferable skills—experiences and skills from the jobs you have held that apply to your new line of work.
Changing careers can be one of the most exhilarating, satisfying decisions you can make. It can also be very challenging. All of these steps and methods should help make the transition easier.
About the Author
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.
