Is passion missing from your day? What is your purpose and how can you spend more time doing that? For some reason, at the end of the day, you’re just not loving your current job. Are you willing to take the plunge into an entirely different position?
“Its never too late for a career switch especially if you will find greater purpose in life and jump out of bed every morning!” says Sharon Tsao, CMO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
If you’re ready to make that career switch, here are some tips to keep in mind!
Talk up your hobbies/applicable skills
Whether you have a side-gig, you freelance, or do some tasks just for fun, you can put that on your resume.
The skills you already have can translate well into a new position—so brag about them! You may not be a Rock-star salesperson yet, but you are great at networking and developing working relationships and believe you just need the right new boss to teach you the science of sales since you already have the art! You may have a passion for social media and would love to take your talents to a marketing department, but you don’t have the degree. Maybe ask your boss if you can help your current employer with their social media plan and gain some experience!
Get Certified
Going back to school to get a degree in the field you’re switching to could cost a pretty penny—getting certified does not! If you’re applying for a more technical/experienced position, you can take a course and get certified in the field/position you’re looking to get into. Some job seekers may be naturals at Project Management, so go to the Project Management institute and get yourself certified! Six Sigma certifications are another great solution for people who are the internal “go to” for quality solutions. This comes in various skill levels: White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt. These certifications can be obtained through an accreditation body like the American Society for Quality (ASQ).
Discuss your reason for this switch in your cover letter, resume and/or interview
Let’s be real—there’s a reason you’re switching careers, people don’t typically make such a big change just for fun. Maybe you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated at your current job. Maybe you found yourself more excited about your side gig than your 9 to 5. Regardless, potential employers will likely be interested in the motive behind this career pivot. Practice the word tracks you need to articulate this.
Be ready to take a pay cut and have a side gig to help financially cover the bills
Even with transferable skills and applicable experience, you may not be as qualified as the candidate who has been in the business for years. Because of this, your pay may not be as much as you’d like when you first start. This is more of a heads up than a deterrent—in the long run you could end up making more than you would have in your old position!
Need some more tips? Check out this blog and reach out to Contemporary Staffing Solutions with help on your job search!
Read More helpful & inspiring tips here.
Contemporary Staffing connects job seekers to hiring managers nationally in the following professions: Accounting & Finance, Call Center & Office, Human Resources, IT, Salesforce, and Sales & Marketing.