On making a career change for 2024, Chris Raven, CEO at business growth agency Heur reveals:
“Many people will stay in jobs that no longer serve them in the interest of keeping a sense of security and avoid the risks that come with embarking on something new and potentially facing a period of unemployment.”
“However, making a career change doesn’t need to be scary, and you’re definitely not alone – in fact, it’s estimated that the average person will change careers between five and seven times over the course of their working life.”
“Attitudes towards work have changed drastically, especially post-pandemic – see, the Great Resignation in 2021. The general public are seeking a better work/life balance and want to find jobs that are fulfilling and won’t encroach on their personal lives and goals.”
“As January is the most popular time to apply for jobs, it is important that you can stand out from the crowd and don’t end up wasting your and your potential employers time.”
“There are a couple actionable steps we can take to make sure we are navigating a career change in a purposeful way – 5 of which I have detailed below…”
- Carry out a full self-assessment
“Before making a career change, it is important to understand your skills, strengths, weaknesses, interests, and values. Once you have these down, you can then see how these qualities fit into your new career choice, or if you haven’t settled on a profession, where they can be applied. This kind of in-depth self-reflection will help you determine if your new professional path aligns with your goals and capabilities and the potential gaps in your knowledge.”
- Enhance your skills
“Once you have identified the skills you already have under your belt, you should then find out where you might be lacking in your chosen field. It is possible that the roles you’re applying for may require additional training or certifications. Consider enrolling in courses, workshops, or certification programs that will help bolster your resume and round you out as the perfect candidate..”
- Start networking
“Do some research and try to connect with professionals in your desired field, whether this be at events or on social media platforms like LinkedIn. Networking and talking to like-minded professionals can provide valuable insights, advice, and potential job opportunities. You can even set-up informal interviews with people already working in the industry. This can offer a real-world perspective and valuable information about the industry, its challenges, and the best ways to enter it.”
- Update your resume
“This may seem like an obvious one, but recruiters can tell when you haven’t spent enough time tailoring your resume for the role you’re applying to. Making sure your resume is unique to the job – especially if you’re mass-applying – is painstaking, but can ultimately yield better results. Recruiters will appreciate personalised details and that they won’t have to read paragraphs that don’t apply to the role at hand.”
“I would also recommend emphasising how your past experiences can be beneficial in the new role. You can do this by using real-life examples and avoid using blanket statements e.g. ‘I worked in a busy environment’ can be changed into ‘In October 2023 I managed X amount of clients over X amount of time, which led to me learning X’.”
- Try out a transitional role
“If you feel like you’re not quite ready to make a total career jump, you can look for opportunities that serve as a bridge between your current and desired role. This might look like an internship, volunteer work or freelancing. Not only can you add this experience to your resume, you can see first-hand if this new career is really for you, without making that leap.”
Overall:
“Remember that changing careers can take time and perseverance. Be patient and open to learning as you navigate through this process. It’s also important to stay positive and open-minded, as the journey might not always go exactly as planned.”