Making a living while doing something we’re passionate about gives us a kind of personal freedom that most people crave. Pursuing our passions, whether they are in the form of a service, a hobby, or a business, is fundamental to reaching the most authentic version of us. Even if pursuing your passion means a change in profession, we must consider it, no matter what the stakes. What is this life, If we cannot stop for a second and marvel at every day and find joy in the little things? It doesn’t matter if you’ve found your passion or are in the middle of exploring new horizons and finding a change in career for yourself.
There’s a valuable takeaway for you from this blog.
Change your job vs. Change your profession
To clarify, changing jobs is moving to a similar position with a different employer and is usually relatively easy. Changing careers is a more in-depth shift and usually means moving to another industry, which requires an entirely different perspective. A career change usually means additional learning, retraining, and beginning a new career path from scratch. It isn’t easy and requires a leap of faith and a bit of bravery.
It’s never too late to make a career change. The timing needs to be right, with a strong foundation and a plan to move ahead. The hardest part is convincing yourself that you’re ready to do it – and that you CAN do it! To make a meaningful change, we want to highlight the preparation required. The suggestions here will help in preparing you for your career change. Are you ready?
1. Decide where you want to go next
Take time to decide on what you would like to do next. It pays to know who you are, what makes you happy, and your strengths and weaknesses. Have you considered freelancing or starting a business? Ask yourself some key questions to understand the direction you want to take.
2. Upgrade your skillset
Check if you have the right skill set to move forward to mold your passion into your career. Suppose you have decided to become a freelance web developer. Can you code? Do you need to enhance your skills before forging a career? Do you require a web development course and need to build yourself a portfolio before making it your full-time profession?
3. Find a mentor
Having a mentor in your field can prove invaluable at this time, more so if you want to start your own business. Listen and follow your mentors closely, and don’t assume that you know everything already. As they are ahead in your field, build a relationship with them where you can ask them a zillion questions to clarify things in your mind and learn from their experiences.
4. Grow your network
You may be eager to get out of your current job as quickly as possible. Still, handing in your resignation too soon could prove disastrous. Begin by building a support network while you’re at your current job. If you plan to freelance, your existing network is your best link to your future work. Use your contacts and build a relationship with people who might be of help. One meaningful way to move ahead with a successful career change is to realize that you don’t have to do it alone.
5. You are your own brand!
You are your own unique selling point. Many people ignore this, but you can use your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to contact other professionals in your field. What you’re essentially selling here is trust to your clients/ customers in a market that seems brand new to you. Feel free to reach out and ask people in your area for help or advice.
6. Set your goals/ Write a plan of action
It is a good idea to work backward. Outline your goals for the year detailing out your aims for the upcoming six months, and the following six weeks. Your first goal is to set yourself goals. Write daily objectives – small things you want to achieve over the next few months to get you out of your job and into a better career.
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