Feeling stuck? Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution to find a new career. But now that it\’s a couple of weeks into 2014, you’re feeling more scared than excited. Changing careers is a process. Think of it like crossing a creek. It’s too wide to leap, but by stepping from stone to stone, you can move forward and accomplish the goal.
The first step is to gain clarity about who you are and what you want. If you want to work in a different field, dig deeper and learn what opportunities are available, what education and training are required, how your personality and talents align, and whether you can live with the working conditions and salary. Changing careers is very common these days. Be sure you understand your own skills, interests and motivation. Online assessment tools can help. Hiring a career coach to interpret the results can also help. Do your research and tap into your professional network. Use LinkedIn to contact people who work in your particular field. Conduct informational interviews to ask about job satisfaction, duties, and what training and education are needed.
Another good strategy is seeking one-on-one career advice from the continuing education departments at local colleges and universities. Having the right credentials is often critical to making a career change. Earning a certification tells an employer you’ve met industry standards. It gives you credibility.
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