Changing your career?

The days of a “linear career” are long gone.

We will work at many things in our life, and we will be paid for only some.

People change direction in their careers for many reasons, but one of the most common is a change in personal circumstances (child-rearing, relocating for lifestyle reasons, etc). At this point, you will have to maintain a balance between what you ideally want and what is available.

Try not to take a job just because it is available. You spend a lot of time working and you should find some satisfaction in it (if only for the sake of the people around you)! If circumstances permit, consider volunteer work to get a taste for a new line of work, and some experience to demonstrate later.

But if, like most of us, you actually need the money, then a “new” career is unlikely to be completely new. Any employer will expect to see evidence that you can perform the role you have applied for, and that evidence will most likely be seen in your previous work.

This need not trap you into your old career. It does mean that you will reformulate the skills and experience you learned in one environment, to make a plausible case for being hired in another.

Remember that technical skills are often less important than personal skills. Communication skills, motivation and energy, and creativity are all crucial in an employer’s mind, as long as the minimum technical ability is there. Talent is in short supply, so employers are also becoming more flexible about who they hire.

If you are re-entering the workforce, or perhaps arriving from overseas, you might have a lot of rejections to the formal applications you make. This is because employers adopt a conservative, “risk-management” approach to hiring. They might not understand your background, or your experience might seem dated compared with other candidates. You can help overcome this by using your social networks for advice and leads. For a new migrant, it might be useful to join a local sports club and make contacts that way. This can be especially powerful in closer-knit communities.

In this way, you become a person they recognise, rather than just a CV.
Some excellent books are available on modern career management and job-hunting. Your local library will have some. And your library, of course, is run by your local council!