I'm thinking about a career change

5 steps to take if you want a career change

You’re feeling a little unsettled in your job and thinking about changing career – perhaps it’s causing you stress; you’re bored; you’re not earning enough; you want a better work life balance; or you simply have unfulfilled dreams.

Are you constantly searching Google for a new role because you fear you’ve chosen the wrong career or perhaps you dream about a different career and just not sure how to get there?

These are all signs that tell you it might be time for a career change.

No one wants to be stuck long-term in a job that doesn’t excite or fulfil them. If you recognise the signs that you’re unhappy in your job, and you’re thinking about a career change but have no idea where to start – we can help.

Now is the time to be bold and consider the next steps in making the change.

We have lots of practical advice available online and on a one-to-one basis to help you change career. Follow our steps and you’ll be on the right track to a successful career in no time.

  1. Decide what it is you want to do – you may have a particular goal in mind, but you may also be considering lots of different options. Set some time aside to try and narrow down your career options.

What do you actually want to do? As part of this thinking, consider what aspects you enjoy about working; what makes you happy and gives you job satisfaction; your strengths and weaknesses; your skillsets and gaps in skills; is self-employment an option?

  1. Make a plan - set some time aside to plan out what actions you need to take and stick to it. It’s OK if you’re not sure what action you need to take. You may have your ideal job in mind but if you don’t that’s OK too.

Start by thinking about what kind of job you’d like to do, and we can help you with the rest. Make sure your plan includes actions that are realistic. A few small wins will give you the momentum to see it through.

  1. Find ways to fill any skills or training gaps - your employability skills – the mix of skills, qualities and personal attributes that you have – are really important as they can make you stand out from the crowd, over and above your academic qualifications.

You need to identify them and demonstrate them in preparation for your next role. We’re talking about things like having a ‘can do’ approach, being able to use your initiative, good personal presentation, reliability, commercial awareness, teamworking, good communication, IT skills.

We can help you develop new skills and find appropriate training courses to plug those gaps. Read: The top 5 employability skills

  1. Build your personal brand - Building up a strong and professional profile on social media can really pay dividends. Any employer who receives your CV is likely to also check your profile online so make sure they are equally impressive – up to date and professional.

Social media is also the perfect place to learn more about the career you’re interested in. You can connect with people in your chosen industry and if you’re being active online then so much the better. Read: How to build your online presence

  1. Discuss your ideas with people you know and even better, people you know who already work in that sector. Talking about it can really help you to visualise yourself doing it.

Reaching out to people and realising you don’t have to do it alone is an important step.

Where can I get advice on changing careers?

Inspira can help. We can be with you every step of the way on your career change journey offering you some friendly advice and helping you find programmes combining personal development activities with practical career management techniques.

We’d be delighted to have a chat with you

  • Pick up the phone and talk to one of our careers advisers to see how they can help you 0345 658 8647 or
  • Fill out our form if you’d rather communicate by email and tell us a bit about your situation and if there’s something in particular you would like help with
  • You can also get in touch via Facebook.