On average, Americans change jobs every one to five years. Whether you’re fresh out of college or have been working in a certain industry for years, finding a new career can be daunting.
Do you have your dream job?
If not, read on for guidance on how to find a new career that leaves you satisfied and content.
Know Yourself
The process of finding a new career starts with knowing what you can bring to the table.
What Are Your Interests?
Your ideal new career will be something that fascinates and interests you. Look at how you spend your free time, and then answer the following questions: What headlines catch your eye every time they pop up? What do you read about? What topics do you inherently steer the conversation towards? What do you love to do and learn about?
Outlining your interests is a brilliant starting point. It cuts out any career options that would bore you to tears or leave you unsatisfied.
What Career Utilizes Your Gifts, Skills, and Talents?
Are you inherently good at managing money or planning events? Innate talents can provide solid direction when deciding what career to pursue next.
It’s also important to value skills that you’ve poured time and resources into. Have you taken any courses or workshops? If you enjoyed honing those skills, prioritize them in your job search.
If you aren’t sure what career will fit these requirements, recruitment agencies can help match your values to a job that keeps you motivated and fulfilled.
Narrow Down Your Job Options
Now that you have a better idea of what you can offer in a work environment, and what skills you’re hoping to lean into, it’s time to narrow down your list of options for your new job.
Consider the following aspects of each potential job:
The Industry
Do your interests and skills point to a specific industry? Do you find yourself gravitating towards jobs in the same field?
Knowing a job’s surrounding industry gives you broader questions to ask those already working in the field. Ask around to find out about the industry’s entry points and growth opportunities.
Work Environment
A job’s work environment can make or break your working experience. Do you thrive on structure and routine? Make sure your next career caters to that.
Do you work better when alone? More jobs allow you to work from home, either permanently or for parts of the week. Incase you can’t travel to work and are looking to work remotely you can try career coaching for remote workers to learn about all the options available in the market
Ideal Salary
The primary reason anyone seeks employment is to pay the bills. When finding your new career, answer the following questions:
- What are your core expenses?
- What is the lowest you can earn (as a transition salary or permanently)?
- What amount do you feel reflects your worth as an employee?
This is one of the most practical aspects of searching for employment that makes a significant difference as you advance through your industry.
Make Your New Career Your Favorite
Whether you believe it or not, your perfect career exists!
Hopefully, these tips have helped you narrow your job possibilities to those that play to your strengths and challenge you to never stop learning.
