The decision to change your career could be a masterstroke or a debilitating failure depending on how you manage the transition. Changing your career to match your priorities and goals in life and better utilize your skills is a big decision which you shouldn’t rush through if you want it to be a success. This is not a decision to make on a whim. You must have a clear reason why you want the change and know the direction you want to steer your career.
Here are common career change mistakes to avoid for a smooth transition.
Job change v career change
A good number of professionals who want to change their careers don’t know the difference between a job and career and this leads them into making costly career change mistakes. You need to be sure if it’s your job you are unsatisfied with, in which case you should change employers, or if you dislike the industry you are working in. A career change would mean, say, moving from HR into sales.
As Smashingtops.Com puts it, sometimes it could also be that you want to change industries but still hold the same role. For instance, you can be an ant at tech firm and move to the manufacturing sector on the same role. So you need to be certain on what you want.
Lacking a transition plan
You career change will definitely flop if you lack a plan for the transition. You need to know where you want to go and how long it will take you to get there. Since career change usually come with salary cuts, you should have a plan on how you will adjust your lifestyle and still meet your financial obligations.
You need to have saved enough money to last through the transition especially if you are quitting your current role to you look for opportunities elsewhere. Know the change fits into your overall career plans and life goals.
Falling for the glamour
Don’t leave your career for another simply because of the glamour or potential earnings associated with it without first doing your own research about it. Before moving into a new career, you need to know what the career involves.
A lot of people move into a career without knowing exactly what it takes and are soon overwhelmed or dissatisfied necessitating a reason for yet another career change. You need to the work involved in the career and the skills required before making a change in order to have a successful career change. You do your research and talk to people already in the career so that you get a clear idea of everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
Failing to revamp your resume
You must revamp your resume if you are looking for opportunities in a new field. You should highlight transferable skills and relevant experience instead of making all about your career history. Your resume should show how easy it will be for you to transition rather than chronicling your past experiences, many of which are irrelevant in the career you want to .