Are you thinking about making a significant change in your career path? You are not alone. While there is no official statistic on workers frequently changing their career paths, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that Americans hold an average of 12 jobs throughout their lives. For the typical worker, some of those job changes would be enough to be considered a completely new career.
How to Start
When creating a roadmap for your second career, plan to travel toward something, rather than just escaping your current situation. Use these steps to ensure you’re headed in the right direction:
1. Assess Your Interests
Even if you are changing your career because you are no longer excited about what you do, there is likely something in your previous role that you enjoyed. Perhaps you liked working as part of a team (or alone), found the hours convenient, or felt a connection to the products or services your employer provided. Keep these positive aspects in mind when considering your next career.
2. Identify Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are the hard and soft skills you’ve acquired in your current career that you can take to your next profession. For example, let’s say you work in retail sales but want to move to computer support. The customer service skills you learned in retail directly apply to your new career in IT support.
3. Be Prepared to Develop Your Skills
You may not have all the skills you need to succeed in your new job yet, but don’t despair. Use the research phase of your career transition to identify the skills you need to add and start filling those gaps. You can do this by looking at the LinkedIn profiles of people who have the job you want and comparing their qualifications to your own. Again, you may be surprised to find that the gap is smaller than you expected. Don’t assume you’ll have to go back to school to change jobs – a few classes or some on-the-job training may suffice.
4. Set a Budget
Most of us work at least part-time because we have to, so the idea of crunching the numbers and figuring out how much you need to earn before making a significant change in your career is a good one. You may need to work hard to reach your goal – or you may find that your new direction pays you as much or more than your current job. Either way, it will be helpful to know exactly how much money you need to make.
5. Seek Expert Advice
There’s a lot you can do on your own. Don’t hesitate to call in experts when you hit a tough spot in your search. If you are a college graduate, consider reaching out to your college’s career center. Many offer job search assistance and career counseling for graduates after they leave school. Alternatively, you might think about hiring a career coach, going on informational interviews with contacts in your dream field, or joining professional organizations to expand your network.
10 Secondary Career Options to Consider
1. Consultant
If you love what you do but are ready to use your skills in a new direction, working as a consultant might be the right choice for you. Consultants advise businesses on how to improve operations and outcomes, provide training on new technologies, or offer specialized services or consulting capabilities. Depending on your area of focus, you may be able to become a consultant by leveraging your existing skill set, or adding certifications to prove your competency to employers and clients.
2.
Web Developer
Web developers are responsible for the look and feel of websites, as well as their essential technical aspects. You may not necessarily need a bachelor’s degree to become a web developer, but you need a mix of graphic design knowledge and technical knowledge. If you currently lack those skills, a coding bootcamp might provide you with a shortcut. (Or start using one of these free online programming resources.)
3. Teacher
According to an analysis conducted by the Urban Institute, teaching is a common secondary job for many older workers. There is a shortage of qualified teachers, and there are jobs available. There are also opportunities
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/10-great-second-careers-5088540
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