A career change is always an exciting prospect, but it can also be intimidating. People choose to change careers for a wide variety of reasons, perhaps you are bored with your current career and you want something more exciting like a career in SR & ED. Or maybe you've been laid off and there simply aren't enough job opportunities in your current field. Whatever your reason, changing careers can be a rewarding and exciting opportunity as long as you plan carefully and are well prepared.
The first thing you need to decide is whether you plan on changing to a career that is similar to your current career or something that is entirely different. For example, a butterfly valve manufacturer who is interested in becoming a massage therapist is looking at a fairly significant career change, this means that there is going to be significant retraining necessary.
If you are changing to a career that is vastly different from your current one you need to make sure that you have all of the credentials that are required and, if applicable, that you meet all the licensing requirements for your new career. If you are interested in a professional career, such as becoming a San Fernando Valley bankruptcy lawyer you will need to research local regulations regarding that career choice and ensure that you are able to practice legally.
Even if you new career if very different from your old one you can probably make use of contacts and information from your old career. For example, if you have decided to become a painter, you will need an inexpensive supply of paint. You may have industry contacts from your old job that can connect you with a supplier of leaded acrylic paints.
If you have had the same career for a long time, you might consider soliciting the help of a professional service that can help you polish your resume and your interview skills. Having one job for a long time will show that you are dependable and dedicated, but it can mean that your job finding skills are rusty, so professional help can be a huge asset.
One of the things that you need to be aware of when changing careers are the transferable skills that you gained in your old career. You may think that your work as a temperature calibrator has nothing to do with your new career as a dog groomer, but if you think about it carefully you may find that there are many transferable skills. Both jobs require patience and careful attention to detail. If you take the time to think carefully about all the skills that you attained in your old job, and the ones you will need, you may find there are many in common.
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