Are you itching for a promotion, a better job title or just a change of pace? Do you need something different? Slower paced, more exciting or more creative? Gone are the days when people stick to one job throughout their working life. In fact, research by economists proves that the average worker will change careers not just jobs several times over the course of a lifetime. According to a survey by MONEY Magazine, switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 per cent saying they will spend as long as it takes to get the necessary qualifications and education. Knowing how and when to make to change careers is will avoid you getting stuck in a rut but will also prevent you from doing anything rash. Don’t move too soon Before you move on, think about whether you are making the most of your present job. It may be the wrong job for you - but equally you may have become set in your ways or stopped being proactive, which has resulted in the work becoming dull and unrewarding. Once you are certain that a change is what’s needed, think about what’s missing from your present job. Is it too stressful, too challenging or too monotonous? Why do want a change? Is it your boss or a member of your team that you can no longer work with? What would you like in your next employer or colleagues? If you made mistakes in your working relationships, learn from them and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Perhaps you are looking for better pay, a greater challenge, or room to grow. Whatever it is be sure to have this clear in your head from the start. Making the change: some tips Quantify your skills: Focus on your transferable skills. Quantify your undertakings by showing that you for instance increased sales by a certain percent or have managed a certain number of people. Talk the talk: Try hard to adapt to the new environment. Learning the environment vernacular is critical. For instance, according to Ricki Frankel, a career coach who specializes in transitions and also a special editor on ‘How to Survive Your First Job,’ if you want to be a brand manager, you need to talk like one. You should read the company’s trade publications and start networking how to adjust. Take a two-step approach: Every job is a two-way thing. It involves a job title and a particular industry with the job. But according the author of ‘What Colour Is Your Parachute?,’ Dick Bolles, the easier way to transition is to change just one of those factors at a time. Meaning that if you are a lawyer longing to become a writer, work as a writer for a legal publication first and then eventually move into the writing as the new industry. Or do legal work for a publication and contribute pieces as freelancer until you are able to pick up a full writing position. Give yourself enough time: Your change should not be a crash. Remember quitting on a quirk often results in an anxious scramble for a paycheck. Therefore, you need to think through logistics. If you have to take a salary cut for devoting some time on another job career, how will you cover it? Are you willing to relocate if a chance of approval comes? Once you are done with these, never look back. Last but not least: Try to get another job before you leave your present one. It may sound obvious but many people decide that they can’t bear their present job and bail out overnight, leaving themselves cash poor and insecure. The old saying that it’s easier to get a job when you have a job is completely true, so don’t do it! Contact: eddiemukaaya@yahoo.com
