| As you move through life, your needs, goals, and | | | | Strength Finders Profile (skills and aptitude). |
| interests can change. If you've lost your spark for | | | | Finding Inspiration |
| your current career, you may decide that it's time for | | | | Many successful career changers will tell you they |
| a major change in occupation. While this can be a | | | | took their passion and turned it into a career. A great |
| scary process, following these tips and guidelines can | | | | book for putting your interests and dreams to work |
| help you make a career change successfully and | | | | for you is Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really |
| more easily. | | | | Want by Barbara Sher. This book will show you |
| Review Your Current Career | | | | strategies for determining your interests and |
| First off, you may want to decide if it's your career | | | | discovering your skills and strengths. It can also help |
| or your job that needs changing. If you find that | | | | you develop a game plan to achieve concrete results. |
| your company or industry holds promise, you may | | | | Analyze Your Income and Savings |
| want to consider if there is another position within | | | | Making a career change can mean a change in |
| the company that would be more compatible with | | | | income, especially if you've decided that you need |
| your job skills and interests. Don't be afraid to talk to | | | | more education or training. Before moving forward, |
| your boss and to ask around in your company about | | | | sit down and analyze the time and money needed to |
| other available positions. Employers have an | | | | get a degree or certificate in your new career. You |
| investment in their employees, and an employee that | | | | need to decide if you'll be able to continue your |
| expresses the need for growth and more | | | | current job while attending school to fully determine |
| responsibility can be considered an asset. | | | | your monetary situation. |
| List Your Skills and Aptitudes | | | | Do Your Homework! |
| Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses | | | | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is an excellent |
| before making a change. Your list of attributes should | | | | way to learn about different careers and the income |
| consider not only what you think you do well, but | | | | potential, expected growth, and training and |
| also where you have received your accolades in and | | | | educational requirements. Research your chosen field |
| outside of work. Also, be honest with your list of | | | | by going online, reading trade magazines and |
| "needs to improve." | | | | testimonials, and talking to those in and around the |
| Assess Your Interests | | | | profession. Volunteer or take a temporary job in |
| You should also write down what you enjoy doing in | | | | your new field of interest. Doing so will allow you the |
| your spare time. Is there any way you can take a | | | | opportunity to decide whether or not your new |
| hobby and make a career out of it? If you find this | | | | career is a viable one for you. |
| process difficult, you can use career assessment | | | | Take Your Time |
| tests online or at a college or university. These tests | | | | Remember, be honest in your assessments and take |
| analyze your personality traits, skills, and interests. | | | | time to research carefully. Career changes are a big |
| Some excellent assessment tests include the | | | | deal, and we want yours to be successful. Time |
| Meyers-Briggs (personality assessment), the Jackson | | | | spent now in preparing for your new career will lend |
| Vocational Interest Survey (interests), and the | | | | to your success and enjoyment of it later. |