10 Tips For Choosing A New Career

By: JBTodd

Break Studios Contributing Writer

If you are looking to change jobs, here are 10 tips for choosing a new career. Depending on your level of education, the field that you choose could be a bit limited. If an entry-level position is satisfactory, your education may not be as important. If you have a solid employment history in your current field that is a big plus. When you are choosing a new career, an employer who sees you are reliable is much more likely to offer you a position.

  1. Look for other opportunities in your current line of work. If the reason you want to change careers is your current position limits your upward progress, you should look around for a better job in the same line of work before switching careers. You may be able to find work with a different company that offers room for advancement.
  2. If you are sure you want to switch careers, choose a line of work that you will enjoy. If you still have a long way to go until retirement, you want your working years to be enjoyable. Try to choose a new career that will keep you happy, which will make you more productive.
  3. Do some online research to find information about a specific career. If you know which field you want to work in, look online to see what the future prospects are for the industry. Make sure you are qualified to work in this field before you quit your current job.
  4. Assess your skills to help find a career. Look online for some self-assessment tests to see which type of industry is right for you. For example, if you are a natural leader, you may be able to find work in a variety of fields that might not be high on your list. 
  5. Beef up your resume` before you apply for new jobs. If you are certain you want to switch careers, make sure your resume` is up-to-date and has as much detail as possible. Consider hiring a service if you need some assistance.
  6. Try not to limit yourself geographically. This is a mistake many people who are choosing a new career make. If you are not tied down to a certain area, your prospects for finding work in your preferred field are much better.
  7. Compare salaries when you are choosing a new career. If the reason you want to switch jobs is income, compare your existing salary with your new career choice. If the long-term salary prospects are better in your new line of work, you are probably making the right choice to switch careers.
  8. Look at the benefits package before you change jobs. Compare the retirement and insurance benefits offered by your current employer with any new job offers you are considering. Sometimes this can make a big difference in overall compensation, so be sure you are happy with the new package.
  9. Talk to someone in the line of work that you are interested in. For example, if you are considering switching to the insurance industry, talk to some agents to see what they have to say. You may get some valuable advice about specialization or some general marketing tips from the agents.
  10. Contact a headhunter or employment agency for help choosing a new career. These professionals should be able to steer you in the right direction if you are not sure which career is right for you. Make sure to find out if they charge an up-front fee before you agree to meet with them.
Posted on: Oct. 22, 2010