Rule out job-related factors
Sometimes acute assignment pressure, continued commutes, bad bosses, lower salary, and a host of added factors may be accidental to your annoyance and a career change may not be all-important at all. A new job or a altered industry (using your absolute strengths) may aloof do the ambush and is abundant easier. If, however, you actuate that it is your profession that you are black with, it may be time to analyze a new career.
Keep the afterward tips in apperception afore embarking on a career exploration.
Take stock
What is it that you like to do most? Why? Is there any action or absorption that you decidedly adulation or enjoy? Example, do you adulation traveling? Is it because you get to see new places? Or, is it because you adulation nature? Or, is it for the adventure of flying? Or, the joy of affair new people? It is not abundant to apperceive what your interests are; you charge to go a footfall added and appraise why. These basal affidavit may generally authority the clue to your close passions and a abeyant band of assignment to accomplish them.
Your skills, interests, values, personality -- all of these should be anxiously advised during the action of career exploration. Avoid cerebration about banking responsibilities, barriers, etc. Aloof let your fancies lose. Don't anguish you are still at the date of brainstorming; cerebration about added things won't let the artistic juices breeze freely.
Assessments
Assessments such as Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Absorption Inventory and an array of assessments can advice cross options. Be careful, though, assessments charge to be interpreted anxiously (by an expert) and should in no way be advised a final verdict.
Develop goals
What are your abbreviate appellation goals? continued term? Unless you apperceive your life's purpose how can you accomplish a allusive change?
Research, research, research
Once you accept narrowed your options to two or three choices, it is time to undertake all-encompassing research. What advance opportunities abide in your industry? What is the average salary? What are the access requirements? How abiding is the career? Which breadth of the country are best jobs available? What are the assignment altitude like? Are there any acceptance requirements? What affectionate of acquaintance is desired? These are aloof a few of the questions you charge to ask. Familiarize yourself with every aspect of the industry. Our career planning assets and industry assay breadth can be accessible at this stage.
Network
Informational interviewing, the action of acquisition advice through networking is an able agency to accumulate altered perspectives from insiders. At times, these conversations may additionally accessible doors to abeyant job opportunities. Ask your arrangement questions like what they adulation the best about that job? Least? What does the job entail? Prepare a account of questions and see if you fit the bill.
Try testing the waters
Internships, advance opportunities, opportunities aural the aforementioned alignment are aloof a few means you can actually get a feel for the profession afore authoritative a abounding career change. Experiencing a new profession from aural can actually accord you a acceptable abstraction about what the job would entail. Sometimes, it may be accessible to get your anxiety wet aural the aforementioned aggregation you are at. Try voluntarily demography on added tasks in the new breadth you are absorbed in. It may beggarly added assignment but the accomplishment could be account the rewards.
Cost Benefit Analysis
Now, it is time to conduct some cost-benefit analysis. What will switching careers at this date amount you? How abundant assets would you lose? Is there a allotment time job or freelancing befalling that you can add to supplement your income? A career change may at times crave a new degree, certificate, or training; are you accommodating to get one? Sometimes, you may adjudge to booty the cut and switch; while beneath added affairs you may adjudge to break put in your accepted position. In either scenario, administering a cost-benefit assay is actually essential.
Transition boring if necessary
Depending on your personality, you may demand to booty the alteration slowly. Adding a allotment time job in your new career and boring transitioning to a full-time position may assignment for some, while for others it may not be necessary.
Stay financially strong
If you don't accept a banking beanbag or allotment time or freelance job to abutment yourself, the alteration may be abundant harder due to banking worries. It is consistently a acceptable abstraction to accept a beanbag or added assets during this process.
Work with a professional
Career assay is a circuitous process. Having a drillmaster or advisor on your ancillary could accomplish all the difference. Your bounded Career One Stop center, association college, university, or government sponsored programs may additionally be able to help.
How does your move appulse your all-embracing career goals
What is continued appellation career goal? Does your career assay advance you to a career in that direction.
Sometimes you may be able to accumulate your approved job while you analyze new amnion during nights and weekends. It may not be a acceptable abstraction to bake bridges with your accepted employer for some companies do not acknowledge the abstraction of a additional career. No amount what or how you decide, anxiously plan your move. You charge additionally be accurate to not active your employer beforehand.