Career Changes Dos and Do Nots

Written by Jane Worthington Jun 07, 2009 www.jobsarticle.com

There comes a point in everyone’s life when you re-evaluate what you do for a living. Maybe one person no longer enjoys his job anymore or another person feels as though she has nothing else to learn from her current job. Regardless of the reason, these individuals are eager to find a new exciting career that feels like a better fit for them and one that is in the direction that they would like to go. Whether you have decided to seek employment in the medical equipment sales world or you would prefer to become a zookeeper, you need to remember a few important job seeking skills.

First, you should not rush into a sudden career change without planning everything out. If you are the main breadwinner for your family, then you have great responsibility to make sure that your family is not destabilized by this change. Talk over your preliminary plans with your spouse and other people whose opinions you trust. Once all the pros and cons are on the table, it is much easier to make the best decision. The next step is to develop a strategy. If this new direction is very different from the one you had before, it is best to enlist a mentor to assist with the transition. It is very normal to feel nervous, but if you have a solid plan and a strong support system, you will be able to weather the biggest bumps without losing your momentum.

Make sure you review the rules on job interviewing, cover letters, and tailoring your resume for each job in which you are interested. Do not be discouraged if you do not have much success at first. Job seeking takes time! For example, if your previous job entailed sitting at a desk all day writing up analytical reports, you will need to prove to interviewers that you have the ability and the skills to be a great medical sales representative if that is what you want to do. The two jobs might be very different but there are always transferable skills that can apply to anything! Making these points smoothly during an interview takes practice, however.

Do not give up! If this change is something that you know will make you happier and improve life for you and your family, then it is definitely something worth looking into. Good luck!