Are you about to embark on a new career? Whether you want to change your roles or move to a new industry, there are many issues to consider. Therefore, it may be helpful to explore all the steps you need to take before transitioning while you are in your current position.
Volunteering And Temporary Work
One way to gain experience in the sector you want to be in is to volunteer in your free time. You can also consider the option of temporary work. The advantage of gaining experience before applying for a position is that you will have first-hand knowledge and will be a more desirable candidate for potential employers.
Additional Preparation
Not all trajectory changes are effortless. Even if you have excellent knowledge of your current role, you may need to be qualified enough for another, especially if you are changing sectors. In order to achieve the right professional level, you should consider studying in your free time to acquire that knowledge.
Transferable Skills
The experience and knowledge you have accumulated during your current position will be recovered if you decide to change. A lot of skills are transferable, such as the ability to delegate tasks or give presentations; therefore, they can be used in many functions and many companies. Of course, if you’ve spent a lot of time developing a particular skill set, changing careers means you no longer need those specific skills, but you’ll create new ones.
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Network Of Contacts
If you have acquired contacts throughout your career and are thinking about making a change, you could ask your contacts for advice. If you have built a network of contacts with people in the sector you want to enter, use them to get information.
However, there are some risks to consider if you want to turn your career around, and they are the following:
- It could mean a lower salary or the need for training, depending on the company or position you want to apply for.
- If you need extra training, unless the company is willing to pay for it, you may have to invest money in a course while you are not working.
- You may lose contact with your current colleagues. It can be hard to make new friends at a new job, and it takes time to maintain relationships with both current and former companies.
- As a newbie, you will have to prove yourself to your new bosses; although they can see your experience on your CV, they have yet to witness your work firsthand.
- A new company may offer different growth opportunities than the previous one; be sure to find out about this beforehand if you aspire to progress professionally.
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