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Career management

Changing careers is not as complicated and difficult as it used to be 50 years ago, with so many employment opportunities available one can switch not just jobs but switch careers. Interestingly, it is no longer uncommon for middle aged individuals to change careers. If you are currently in a job you are not happy with or feel that you would be better off doing something else in life, here are few tips to help you evaluate and assist you in a career change.

How satisfied are you with your job? Measuring job satisfaction is not a simple task because everyone has their fair share of good days and bad days. The best way to assess your job satisfaction is by keeping a journal; keep a journal of your day to day activities, your interaction with colleagues and also with your superiors. At the end of each month, go through the journal and see how many ‘good days’ and ‘bad days’ you have had.

The personal inventory If you are convinced that you need to change careers, the first thing you need to do is make a personal inventory. Take some time away from work and analyze you strengths and weaknesses and try and find skills that you think can help you change careers. If your skills are being put to good use then you might need to change jobs and not careers. If you are satisfied that your current job is not doing justice to your skill sets the next task is finding a career that will utilize your skills to the maximum.

Brainstorming Finding careers that do justice to your skills will not be a simple task. You should discuss your core values and skills with friends and family members to get creative and critical inputs. It is important to keep your options open and consider all possible careers before you start short listing careers.

Short listing careers Chances are, there will be more than one career paths available to you. If this is the case, you should have a detailed understanding of each prospective career. If you are not satisfied with your research, speak to a career counsellor to get a better understanding of each career option.

Research As mentioned earlier in the article, it is important to research each prospective career path. Once you have short listed careers you are interested in, carry out further research and look into aspects like working hours, pay scales and also the amount of stress you are likely to encounter. If possible, try and volunteer for activities that are linked to the career you are planning on choosing.

Look for educational opportunities Before you embark on any career, make sure you have the necessary certifications/qualifications required. If possible, look out for colleges and professional groups that are offering courses relating to your new career. If your new organization does not offer in-house training, you will definitely need to look for educational institutions that are offering training courses and certifications relevant to your new job.