Change of Heart!

Are you a member of that segment of the population that is unhappily employed? Cheer up!! The mid-year job forecast shows hiring picking up over the rest of 2012. Customer service, information technology, sales, administrative, business development, accounting and finance and marketing are all sectors expected to increase hiring. Before making the big career plunge, assess your current career satisfaction. Factors like unpleasant co-workers or an uncreative environment may be making your day-to-day unpleasant, but they can be easily changed by moving to a new career in your same field. If you know it’s the work and not who you work with or work for that’s bringing you down, prepare yourself now for the career change you’re going to make with the following tips:

Investigate education options. Earning a degree in your new career sector is ideal and usually required to apply for most jobs.; however, enrolling as a full-time student is sometimes out of the question for many professionals. Consider taking a few evening courses at a community college, attending seminars or shadowing professional groups to help build skills in your new area of interest. Also, read industry-related books, magazines and blogs to familiarize yourself with trends. Many hiring managers will appreciate the effort you’ve displayed and overlook the fact that your degree is unrelated to your new field.

Never hesitate to show your passion and enthusiasm. Many job candidates you’ll be competing against for positions are just like you—unhappy in their current careers. Don’t be reluctant to make the change. Be competitive. Explain to the hiring manager that you’ve made poor career choices in the past, but you’re sure you’re pursuing the right career now. Your passion for your new career will most likely impress the hiring manager and trump impassionate professionals with relevant work experience.

It is crucial to update your resume and focus on transferable skills. When you’re applying to jobs in related fields, hiring managers understand and appreciate the work samples and quantifiable data you provide. But if you’re pursuing a career opposite to what you do now, your previous accomplishments may not seem so stellar. Instead, tell hiring managers about the unique skills that you bring to the position that will enable you to succeed. For example, if you’re an accountant looking to break into a journalism career, you can focus on your ability to see numbers trends differently and possibly more quickly than a candidate who has only ever held journalism positions.

Display your adaptability and do not hesitate to explain your decision for the switch. If your current career change is the first of its kind, focus on a new system or process you learned within the industry. Talk about a time you needed to adapt or learn something quickly in your private life. When talking about your adaptability, it’s key to be honest. Hiring a candidate outside of the industry is a big risk to companies. If you tell a hiring manager that you can adapt to your new career in a week, he’ll expect you to do so. Do not over exaggerate what you can do.

If you are having a change of heart, and considering a career change, be passionate and focus on your ability to adapt easily. Revive your skills and talents and make the plunge. Job changes can be fulfilling propositions.

“4 Tips For Changing Careers.” Business Insider. Web.12 July 2012.