Switching careers

If you have been a victim of a lay-off or you just need a change you might be looking for a new career. This article will help you focus on your transferable skills, know what employers are looking for, determine what you are looking for, and hone your communication skills.

Finding the job that is right for you is important because you spend more time doing it than anything else in your life. It is important to do research on the careers that are out there to find out which ones are growing and have a future for you. You don’t want to spend money and time training for another career that is a dead end. Also important, is determining what you like to do. When researching possible careers you should distinguish between your wants and your needs. Really think about the jobs you have had and what you want for your future. By now you should have some clearcut ideas about what you want. But, here are some questions to ask yourself to determine what those wants and needs are:

Do you like having a manager over you and being closely supervised or do you want more room to get the job done on your own?

Do you like computers?

Is a high salary your first priority?

Do you enjoy helping people?

How well do you handle stress?

Do you want to work for a big company or a small one?

Do you like to interact with other employees and are easy to get along with?

Do you want to dress up every day for work or be more casual?

Do you like short term projects or are you not bothered by a project that lasts months?

Are you looking for a job you can do from home?

Do you like problem solving?

Are you creative? Are you organized?

Do you like to manage other people?

How important is medical and dental insurance to you?

Do you like to travel?

Do you need a job that is family-friendly because you have kids.

What hours are you willing to work?

How many hours can you work per week?

Think about these questions each time you are considering a nwe career. Determine which ones are most important to you and prioritize them accordingly. An invaluable resource is a career counselor to help you sort out careers, skills and your wants and needs. It is wise to find someone you can talk to sort out everything and put you on the right path.

Once you have narrowed down your research on jobs, evaluate the future career in comparison to the one you previously had. Are there similarities? Is there anything that you disliked about your previous career that could occur again in the new field?

Everyone has skills, talents, and experience, especially when you have been working for 20 years. You should always be aware of the skills that you have acquired that can be useful in other careers. For example, any experience communicating and dealing with the public will most likely be helpful in a new career, regardless of what it is. There are many skills that can be transferred from one job to the next that you can market yourself by: ability to learn, ability to meet deadlines, being a team player, knowledge of the computer, knowledge of the Internet, knowing how to do research, persuasive skills, negotiating skills, ability to adapt to a new environment and make changes, to name a few.

Remember, even after you have decided what career you want to switch to, and possibly have even undergone some training on your own, an employer still needs to hire you. What are employers looking for is a common question. All employers want to hire employees who will represent their company well and who have the skills the company needs. Your experience and training may get you an interview, but other things will determine whether or not you get the job. Though it is not legal, how you look is a determining factor in getting hired. I am not talking about whether or not you are a beautiful person, but how put together you are. You need to look professional, clean and neat to get noticed in the first place. In addition, whether you are compatible to other employees is going to be important. You need to show that you have a positive attitude and are going to get along with everyone. You also want to show that you are highly motivated to do whatever it takes, first, to get the job and then to achieve it.

You also need to be able to communicate to the future employer your experience, skills and talents while talking about yourself. Good communication skills involve listening to and understanding what is being asked of you during the interviewing process. You have to be able to gather your thoughts and articulate these thoughts. If you feel you are lacking in the communication area, take classes or join speech clubs to hone this skill. Strong verbal skills are your best bet in selling yourself to a prospective employer.