If you’re truly fed up with your job, we hear you! But if you’ve had it with your career, Top Applicant is here for you. While figuring out how to change careers can seem scary, our first piece of advice before making a career shift is taking a deep breath.
In… out… in again… hold it… and… out.
Now, are you ready to make a change for the better? Let’s get started! Here are our expert insights for making a career change for the better.
Why change careers?
Before you embark on the arduous journey of changing careers, ask yourself—why? Everyone has their reasons for leaving a job behind, from a bad manager to overly long hours. But switching careers is something completely different! Since the great resignation, we’ve seen thousands of people change their career paths. Here are some of the most common reasons why.
Going Where the Money Is
According to the Pew Research Center, workers who quit their jobs in this massive shift cited pay as the most popular reason for leaving. There really is staying power in stability! So as you decide where you want your career to go, consider the potential for growth—both financially and professionally.
Expanding Experience
Sometimes, workers may feel like they just don’t fit into their role anymore. In the same Pew Research Center study, 63% of workers cited little to no opportunity for advancement as a reason for leaving. If you feel stuck in your current line of work, you may also feel stuck in life! Expanding your horizons is always an excellent motivator for personal and professional growth.
Improving the Balance
Balancing work and life responsibilities can be difficult as one role expands and the other stays the same. That’s why maintaining a healthy balance throughout every stage of life is so important! One of the most common reasons people leave high profile career fields is to find fulfillment in other aspects of their life.
Time away from friends and family, ever-expanding responsibilities, and total burnout can’t always be remedied with a raise or a pizza party. So if you’re struggling to find a healthy balance in your career, Top Applicant is outlining 2 paths to help you make a change for the better!
Advancing in Your Current Company
-Or-
Making Change From Within
One of the best ways to learn how to change careers by looking within your current company! Not only will this help you retain a normal routine and eliminate the difficulties of switching your benefits provider, it will likely make you more valuable to your company! Before making a change, we recommend talking to your manager or trusted colleagues about how you feel. Believe it or not, others may have been exactly where you are now.
Every company has intricate pathways for navigating lateral and vertical movements. So talking with your managers and senior colleagues about these intricacies is typically the best place to start. We recommend you focus on these 3 things as you talk through your career change.
Where to Start
To get this conversation started on the right foot, begin by talking about what makes you the right person for the job. When making any lateral movements, being objective about your strengths and areas of improvement is important. These aspects can help you define potential roles that fit your goals and the needs of the company!
Where You’re Headed
With both personal and professional needs defined, it’s easier to decide the best role to change your career path. Even if that role isn’t open immediately, your employer may create new pathways to growth to keep you! Remember, changing your career doesn’t always have to end with you leaving your company. Working with management is your best bet to make an equally beneficial move for your employer and your career.
How to Get There
With guidance from management, it’s easier to figure out how to change careers without changing your workplace entirely! Retaining and nurturing top talent saves companies thousands of dollars, but staying at your current company should never come at the expense of your professional growth. Stick to these recommendations when considering lateral movement.
- Be clear about your intentions and goals for your desired position.
- Stay confident in every conversation about growing into this role.
- Remain objective in your career trajectory.
We recommend looking within your current company for potential growth opportunities first. New responsibilities may come with higher pay and new experiences.
However, if you truly can’t stand your boss, colleagues, or career trajectory anymore, starting fresh may be the best move you can make.
Starting Fresh Elsewhere
No one deserves to work a dead-end job. Even some of the world’s top executives have had to start fresh to feel fulfillment in their work and life. So whether you’re breaking out of those golden handcuffs or tired of flipping burgers, Top Applicant is ready to help you find a fulfilling role! Here are the 3 basic steps to starting over.
How to Look
When deciding how to change careers for the better, start by looking for a role that aligns with your strengths! For example, if you’re an extrovert that thrives in a competitive environment, sales may be more your speed than IT. Staying objective about your needs will help chart a new career path that aligns with your long-term goals.
Make sure to align your personality, financial needs, and future goals with the roles you’re looking for. Top Applicant bakes in personality traits and financial needs into every applicant’s profile. We then use this information to recommend posted jobs. As you use our platform, we’re confident that you’ll find a position that aligns with your career goals!
How to Leap
When you do find that dream role, applying yourself is the next step. Optimizing your resume, building a portfolio, and creating a customizable cover letter are all great places to start. Make a list of potential roles that interest you, then get to applying! Job hunting can take a long time, but to truly make an impact on the future of your career, the right one is always worth waiting for.
Sticking the Landing
It’s always a great feeling to land a promising interview! That’s what we strive for when helping Top Applicants find their fit. But don’t get too ahead of yourself; there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome as you navigate the transition phase of your career building journey. It’s rare to start a new career path with just one interview. So here are some ways you can learn how to change careers successfully from every conversation with potential employers.
- Be honest about your experience and direct in your pitch.
- Take notes throughout every interview.
- Ask questions and strengthen your approach accordingly.
Even if you don’t think you’re making progress, remember that practice makes perfect! As you learn more about what employers want in each interview, you’ll be better prepared for the role you were meant to fill. The right job will come along. You just have to keep a positive attitude throughout your career change to make it happen!
Top Takeaways
There’s a lot to think about when you’re considering how to change careers. To keep your head on straight throughout this process, support yourself first. While talking to trusted co-workers and mentors is important, positive self talk is paramount in this process as well! Here are some important things that our hiring experts have taught themselves as they’ve blazed new trails in their careers.
It’s Never Too Late
The world is full of successful people who’ve turned their life around by simply applying themselves! If you ever think it’s too late to go back to school, change your role, or change your life, Top Applicant is here to change your mind. Our platform puts your story on full display in a professional way so employers can see you as a person, not just a piece of paper.
Trust The Process
Changing careers is a marathon, not a sprint! No matter how long you’ve been in your career field, building the experience to move takes time. As you look to expand into a different career path, be willing to make the time to make changes. You may have to stay with your current role for a few more weeks or months than you’d like. But keep your eye on the prize and focus on the future.
Trust Top Applicant
For all the tools you need to make the change successfully, Top Applicant is your best bet! Personalized profiles that tell professional stories make our platform truly unique. With the human way to get hired, starting a new chapter in your career story is as simple as signing in, building your profile, and browsing job postings that suit your new trajectory!
