New Year, New Career?

Many people think about a new career at the beginning of the year, with career change the main New Year Resolution for those who are bored or unhappy with their existing job. However, as with most resolutions, this one is often put on the back burner

Most of us have incredibly busy lives and as soon as the festivities have ended, we are swept back into the daily grind and taken over by commitments and responsibilities. On the rare occasions we get some free time, we’re usually too exhausted to think about looking for a new career. So more often than not, another year goes by and we’re still stuck in the same rut. How can you avoid this trap?

One of the main problems is that most of us aren’t aware of the best ways in which to find a job. So even those who do take steps towards change, often end up filling in application form after form or posting endless resumes or CVs and seeing no results.

Unlike many resolutions, for example losing weight or giving up smoking, career change requires a lot of thought. Career decisions are not straightforward, as there is so much choice and in addition, there are so many factors to take into consideration - should you retrain to learn practical skills or should you go back to college and get an academic qualification? Have you got a partner and children or a mortgage, which need to be considered?

Then you need to find out what sort of work you’d enjoy. Perhaps you’ve got a few ideas, but the trouble is, you may not be able to see the bigger picture. Professions can often glamourized by TV shows, which focus on the more interesting sides of the job. Another important point is that job satisfaction is very much an individual feeling. Almost all jobs contain some less than interesting tasks and some folks can put up with these more readily than others. You need to look at all aspects of the career in order to make a balanced choice.

So if you do want to change career in the coming year, don’t think you have to do it in a week! Start out by discovering as much as you can about your potential new career. Be sure to do your background research and identify the activities and skills which are involved. You also need to know which experiences and qualifications are needed and the prospects for career development. If possible, speak to people already doing the job - more than one if you can, as each person will give a one-sided account - some people hate their jobs, others love them. So depending on their attitude, you could get a completely different view. If you talk to a few teachers, for example, you’ll wind up with a more balanced view of teaching than if you speak to only one.

Next think about what you’d like to spend your time doing,which talents you want to use and which new skills you want to learn. Think about your own definition of job satisfaction and be sure to identify any tasks you just aren’t prepared to do. Look at tasks you have enjoyed in previous jobs, and think about things which you wished you could have done. Write down all the ideas you come up with and use them to formulate questions to ask your contacts in the career.

With all the information gained from your research, you’ll have a more realistic picture of the career in question, allowing you to chose a new career more effectively. Of course, it’s not possible to give an absolute guarantee of success, but the more information you have in advance, the greater your chance of job satisfaction. If you are serious about finding a new career this year, kickstart your search by choosing the most effective techniques.

Happy New Year:)

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