Changing Careers Cheat Sheet

Whether you’ve decided to do a complete 180 career change or just want to try something new and exciting, there’s no reason to panic.  Lots of people change what they do for work and do it successfully every day.  Take the pressure off yourself, work hard, and you’ll be there in no time with a few of these.

Be Okay with Change

Sure, it’s going to be uncomfortable and it will take an adjustment period, but the very fact you want to make a change and take the leap is the biggest, hardest step of all.  So many people stay in the same jobs because it is easier and less risk to them.  You only have this one life, so take that chance for happiness.  You are your best investment, so make it a good one.

Older woman in professional clothes in an office building looking at the camera.

Make a Plan and Timeline

Set goals early for yourself and recognize what are visible signs of success in your new field.  If you can keep your current job while you become fully trained in your new desired field, even better.  This will make the transition easier without income interruptions.  Set a timeline for your transition and stick to it.

Training and Qualifications

Does your new career have certifications or training to become licensed?  Look into all these things ahead of time so there are no surprises along the way.  Make sure these lifestyle changes and schedules will work with you and your family.  Take note of when training or classes are and make sure they will fit into your life before you make any drastic moves.  Stick to your original plan and everything will turn out fine.

Tell Friends and Family

You never know who knows who or who is friends with someone who could be in your new chosen field.  Express your interest in a career change and people will be more than willing to help you out if they can.  Sometimes just getting to talk to someone in your dream career will ignite your fire to get you moving and excited about the future.  They will also be a great mentor when it comes time to find a job.  They might even be in contact with HR or the hiring manager for a company who is looking for exactly you!

Be Passionate and Educate Yourself

When you were younger, you had teachers and parents pushing you to work hard and educate yourself in things that you were interested in.  It’s harder as adults to get that motivation, so it’s up to you to be the driving force for change.  Research and become a mini expert in your new career.  Search out people within the field and how they became who they are today.  Be passionate about what you are trying to do – it will set you apart from others and keep you motivated. 

Changing careers can be overwhelming, but change is a good thing.  If you keep yourself in the right mindset and focus on your happiness as the end goal, you can’t go wrong.

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