Thinking of Changing Careers? Here’s How to Get Started.

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By Ford R. Myers, President, Career Potential, LLC: : If you’re seriously considering making a career change, it will be important to go through some preliminary “internal exercises” to discover what type of role would be best for you. Here at Career Potential, LLC, we use at least seven exercises that are very powerful. These are explained in detail, with multiple examples, in my book, Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring. With the guidance of a skilled career consultant, these exercises can generate a high level of clarity, focus and direction.

As a career changer, you would also be well-advised to take a battery of “formal” career assessments and personality profiles (such as The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and The Strong Interest Inventory). These will help you identify new career options and narrow-down the possibilities to a carefully thought-out list of initial job choices. Changing careers is a big decision, so it’s wise to pursue this sort of deliberate, logical process – as opposed to just jumping impulsively from one career to another.

From these exercises and assessments, you can start to eliminate the “pipe dreams” and focus on the career paths and work environments that fit best with your strengths, preferences and experiences.

For example, if you always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but you’ve spent the last 20 years as an accountant, then maybe going to work as a financial executive for a major airline headquartered in your city would make more sense than climbing into a cockpit.

Make your “initial cut” by sitting-down and writing-out a list of possible careers or jobs that are a realistic fit with what you’ve learned about yourself. Then brainstorm some related options, perhaps with the help of a relative, close friend or counselor. Make sure the careers you list are ones that you feel genuinely attracted to.

Get “market feedback” from former colleagues, associates and professionals who are in a position to know both your skills and the requirements of your targeted industry.

Researching Careers, Job Categories and Titles

The next step is to research what’s required to enter that field. There are many great resources you can use to identify appropriate career paths and job roles. These include:

• Library research
• Online databases
• Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes
• Occupational Outlook Handbook (US Department of Labor)
• Career coaches
• Professional associations
• Trade publications
• Universities
• Career portals and “job board” web sites

Once you’ve completed your research, if all signs point toward a good fit, then mobilize your resources, get into action and go after your new career! Read full article

Articles:

More  career articles

Career expert and author, Ford R. Myers writes articles providing career help and advice. These have been featured internationally in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, and web sites. Below is a sampling, which you may download for free:

• Thinking of Changing Careers? Here’s How to Get Started.
• The Power of “Pull Marketing” in Your Job Search
• Glassdoor’s Important New Report: “The Inaugural Best Jobs in America for 2015″
• New Year, New Career: The Six-Step Power Plan to Achieve Career Success in 2015
• Follow-Up Steps After The Interview: Strategies to Help You Get the Offer
• Back to Basics – With The Job Seeker’s Tool Kit
• Your Compensation Negotiation Strategy
• Five Career Tips
• Perpetual Career Management
• What Makes People Love Their Jobs?
• Focus on WIIFT instead of WIIFM to Interview Your Best
• Career Coaching is a “Two-Way Street”
• Questions About Professional References
• Networking: The Three Questions You Must Answer to Achieve Job Search Success
• Give Your Resume A Fresh Start!
• Social Media: A Networking Deterrent
• Congratulations! You Got The Job. Now What?
• Cover Letters – Purpose and Structure
• Informational Interviewing: How to Start the Process and Approach People
• Handling Difficult Interview Questions
• The Most Important Interview Question
• The Job Search Success Interview
• The 7 Truths of Career Success – Part Two
• The 7 Truths of Career Success – Part One
• Begin With an “Internal Career Audit”
• Negotiating: Twenty-One Rules of the Game
• 13 Good Reasons Why You Need a Printed Interview Presentation
• Are You a Commodity in the Employment Marketplace?
• 5 Tips to “Spring Clean” Your Resume
• Accomplishment Stories – Your Most Powerful Tool to Get the Job Offer
• Please Grieve
• Full-Time Employee PLUS Freelancer: The New American Career Path
• Interviews: Types and Structure
• Passions and Gifts
• Botox For Your Resume – And Other Job Search Tips To Combat Ageism
• Are you On-Track to Achieve Your Career Goals?
• One Chance to Make a First Impression
• Tips for a Successful Job Search – Part Two
• Tips for a Successful Job Search – Part One
• 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Make … And How to Avoid Them
• Top 25 LinkedIn Job Seeker Groups: To Help Build Your Brand and Launch Your Career
• Successful Job Search Strategies For Mature Workers
• Your “Target Company List” Builds Focus, Momentum and Productivity
• Interview Questions You Can Ask
• Funny Job-Search and Work Stories
• The “Bridge Job” Strategy – Making Money While You’re in Career Transition
• Creating Your Career Transition Binder
• Your Resume’s Building Blocks
• Should You Respond to Online Job Postings and “Help-Wanted” Ads?
• 7 Truths of Career Success
• Career Strategies for Recent Graduates
• How Employers Behave When There Are More Workers Than Jobs
• 20 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market
• Embrace the Salesperson Within and Ace the Job Interview
• Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times
• Debrief After Your Interview
• Benefits of Using a Career Coach in a Bad Job Market
• Leadership and Industry Transition
• 5 Tips to Rev-Up Your Career This Fall
• Help Your Child Transition Successfully from College to Career
• Only 5 Interview Questions
• Advance your Job Search and Career with Online Identity Optimization
• 10 Challenges Senior Executives Face in the Job Search
• Q & A with Ford R. Myers
• Establishing and Maintaining Leader Behavior
• How To Deal With Annoying Co-Workers
• The Best Time to Update Your Resume
• Performing an Internal Career Audit
• Assimilating Into Your New Position
• Maybe the Employer You’re Looking for is YOU!
• Using Phone References and Recommendation Letters
• Everything is Negotiable
• Networking: Your Most Important Career Activity
• Working With Executive Recruiters
• Top 10 Holiday Tips For Career Success
• 2014 Outlook for Senior Executives
• The Many Faces of Job Interviews
• Acing the Interview
• Beating The Sunday Night Blues
• How to Deal with an End-of-Year “Pink Slip”
• Common Misconceptions About Career Management
• Your Most Effective Self-Marketing Tool
• The Franchise Advantage
• Networking: the Core of Your Career
• Self-Employment Options
• Re-Discovering Your Career Passion
• How to Bullet-Proof Your Career