8 Important Tips to Keep in Mind For a Successful Career Change: Part 1

Making a career change can be a challenge, and this is especially true when you start getting older or when you’ve been at your current job for a long time. A few reasons why people in the job force may be looking to change their career include financial reasons, a better work-life balance, or they are looking for a high in-demand job in Canada for more opportunities in the future.

Give yourself the upper hand and make your career search easier with these 4 tips:

1) Know Your Skills: Make a list of your talents, interests, and the things you like to do even if they do not make you money at this time. Then for each activity or hobby that you listed, write out the skills that are necessary or involved to do them. For example, bird-watching requires patience and research.

2) Include Training and Experience: Things such as volunteering, classes and training seminars, and years of self-taught expertise count as training and experience. List everything you did, along with the skills you learned.

3) Start Thinking About Career Fields: What occupations do you think would require your talents or benefit from the skills and experiences that you bring to the table? Search for jobs based on keywords of specific job skills, career skills, skills assessment, and general interests that you have. This can give you an idea of the jobs available for your skills.

4) Create Your Career Short-List: Narrow down the list of career fields you think you would like and be good at, keep the list short (5 maximum). Keep adjusting and tweaking your list until you feel confident that everything on the list is careers you would enjoy and also be good at doing. Then work to get it down to one job and focus your attention there.

At Columbia College, our dedicated Admissions staff can help with information for individuals looking to switch careers, they also help professionals get into their new career within a short time. To find out more information about a particular program offered, or to ask general questions, click here.

In our next blog, we will outline the remainder of tips to keep in mind when easing into a new career.