Over the last few years more and more people are looking to change careers. For one reason or another opportunities in their current career may have dried up. Maybe you are looking for advice on how to change careers. While it is not always easy to make the switch, I want to share with you some ways I have seen candidates of mine make successful career changes.
How to Change Careers
Here are some principles that you can follow in order to make a career switch. While you may need to follow a few of these in order to be successful, you do not have to do all of them all of the time.
Understand your core competencies. The professionals who make career change look easy is a result of one main truth. They know what they are good at. They understand that they have certain core skills that can be easily applied to a variety of work applications. This confidence in their core abilities allows them to sell themselves in job interviews. Do you know where you strengths lie?
Present your resume in a new way. If you are looking to move in a new direction then you will need to get creative with your resume. This could include choosing a new resume format all together. There are many things you can do to your resume but I will mention just a few. First, consider using a functional resume format. This type of resume focuses on your core skills and competencies and minimizes your job titles and company names. If you can demonstrate that your skills alone make you a good match, then you will be well on your way.
Network with anyone and everyone. Another important element on how to change careers is to look for opportunities everywhere. You honestly never know where your next opportunity lies. I remember reading a statistic the other day that the majority of the workforce in America works for companies with less than 50 employees. What this means ins that your next career move may very well be with either a small growing company or a new start up. You honestly never know how might be the direct link to your new career. This is one reason why I strongly encourage people to use Linkedin to the fullest. You can begin networking and getting linked up with others.
These are just a few of the steps that you can take on how to change careers. Statistics tell us that the average workplace professional with have 3-5 different careers in his lifetime. With the younger generation this number may even prove to be much higher.
