Career Change with a Membership Business
Career changes are becoming more common in the last few years. Many people are attracted by the idea of actually following their dreams and finding a job they are passionate about, which is not a bad thing. You shouldn't stay in a job you hate just because of the money or because of fear of making the leap. These are some tips to make that transition go smoothly.
Know Yourself
Most people make the wrong career choice the first time because they don't know what they like and what they are best at. Most of us decide what to do with our lives based on social or family pressure.
We choose the career that our parents want us to or the one we think will make us more money. However, if you already made the wrong decision once, do it right this time around.
Take time for yourself and think about the things you really like and are passionate about. Then, choose a career that has at least some of the things you like. If you don't find the perfect job, you can look into creating your own path by creating a business or brand.
An easy way to identify what things you are passionate about is to look back on what you dreamed about doing when you were in the career you hated. What did you wish you had time for before but couldn't because you where busy at work? For example, if you love to read so much that you prefer it over any other activity, maybe a career as an editor has some merit.
Research A Career That Suits Your Strengths
One of the signs of being in the wrong career is feeling you are wasting your strengths. So, when doing a career change, a top priority is identifying which skills and personality traits are more prominent in you.
Many online platforms offer personality or career quizzes. They help you identify which type of personality you have and to which careers it adapts better. That way, you can start your career research with the options that would be more likely to suit you.
When researching different career options, you have to make sure to cover all possible points. For example, you should know the average salary, requirements for entry-level positions, and the expected growth for each career.
You can contact some people who already have experience working in some of these positions. Try to get a meeting with them to ask questions to know what the job is really like. If you have the opportunity, ask for a shadow job, which means you follow them at their job for a few hours. Garner as much info as you can to make an informed decision.
Choose An Industry
Another strategy that can help you is to choose one industry and explore the different positions and careers in that industry. Also, some people decide to change careers because they want a different lifestyle that their current job doesn't permit.
For example, some people want to have more free time and spend more time outside. But they have a job that requires them to be 40 or 50 hours a week at the office. So, they make a complete change and find another career altogether. Some industries offer different cultures and environments.
The technology industry offers great benefits for its professionals. Some companies offer unlimited paid time off if you want more free time or even remote working if you want to be free to work from anywhere. So, decide on an industry that offers the office culture that best adapts to what you want.
Plan Your Training
After doing thorough research, you should have a career choice made; the next step is to plan how you will learn the skills you lack. It is essential to know how much time you will need to dedicate to become a professional in the new career, if you have to enroll in university, or if you can do a professional certification.
Another critical point is how much it will cost. If you decide to quit your current job, but you have to study full-time for the next four years to get a bachelor's degree, how will you afford all your expenses and tuition? Everything has to be planned before actually quitting your current job unless you have substantial savings you can fall back on.
You can choose between different learning paths. University is generally the more expensive one, and it also takes more time because a degree can take from three to four years. Even an online course can take a lot of time, but it can be cheaper.
It also depends on the career you choose; you can learn a tech skill with a coding bootcamp in a few months. They teach all the skills needed to enter the industry and even help you network with companies. You have to plan your training no matter the career to make the change go smoothly.
Transfer Skills
Many skills can be transferable between careers like interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork, digital literacy, or problem-solving. So, even if you are an entry-level professional, you still have experience working on a company and building relationships with a team; it is not the same as someone who has never had a formal job.
Identify which skills you have that can be applied to any career you choose and make sure you mention them in your resume. You can also mention them in a cover letter and explain why your previous job experience adds to your profile when it is on a completely different path.
Being a career changer is a steep path that requires a lot of dedication, but in the end, it will bring you more satisfaction than staying in a job you hate. Also, you can do some things to make the transition go easier. For example, you can get to know yourself and what you like, research careers and industries, plan how you will learn the new skills, and identify the transferable skills.
If you’d like to know more about how you can utilize your skills for a membership business, schedule a chat here. We can plan out next steps for your profitable career.
