Career Transition

Finding a job can a tough one. Whether you lost your job, chose to resign from your current job, or have decided to choose a new career, the next thing on your mind is how to find a new one. Hunting for the job you like and changing a career or career transition can be an emotional struggle for a lot of people. With the increasing applicants and lower number of available jobs, career transition can get at you. Here are a few steps to help you go through career transition as smoothly as possible.

When you hunt for a new job or new career, it is like going into sales because you are trying to sell yourself. The sales process is probably something that you are not familiar with and if you do it the wrong way, you can end up weeks or months still searching for a job. Career transition can be difficult, simply because it’s a change. Change itself is most of the time difficult to get used to.

The first thing you should do is to focus. This is no time for you to panic in searching for a new job. You shouldn’t be making impulsive decisions as to take the first offer you receive. First of all, if you just quit your job because you are not happy with your work, then accepting a similar job right away won’t do you any good. Use your free time to think about your career transition. What path do you want to take?

To help you go about this big career transition, you should ask yourself several questions like what interests you the most, what is the one thing you do best, what do people commend you for, what thing you do that you are so proud of, or what can you do that most people can’t? As you write down your answers, list down the perfect jobs or careers that correspond to those skills. Now this is the most crucial part of your career transition. Decide which job suits you best. Is it the thing that you love to do? When you do it, do you get a sense of satisfaction? If the answer is yes, then you’re one step closer to your new career.

Next, create your resume. Since this is a different career than your previous job, a format that you can use is the functional format where you layout your skills before work history. Relate your skills and abilities to your new career. Check the job ads to see what skills and education are required. Ask your friends or relatives who work in that field. Then, complete your resume. Now, it’s time to search for available jobs. Don’t be frustrated if you don’t get an interview or if you didn’t get a call after the interview. Always think positive. Keep on searching. Be patient and strive harder. If you love that new career, then it will show during your interview.