Maybe it’s been years or perhaps only a few months, but sometimes you just aren’t happy with your job. If your current position isn’t getting you where you want to be, or you want a complete do-over, it may be time for a fresh start. KSL Jobs has tips for navigating your goals for professional growth.
Take stock of your interests
Finding a career that keeps you happily coming back to work day after day means figuring what you value. Aside from money and the need to eat, that is. How do you determine what’s important to you? Consider what you do in your free time. Are you passionate about creating? Solving puzzles? Building? Helping others? Organizing?
Feel like your career is going in circles — or worse, spiraling downward? Take a career aptitude test to see what jobs might fit you better.
If you’re unsure what jobs relate to your interests, consider using a career aptitude test. When you discover what motivates you, it may be easier to know what kind of work you’ll enjoy. Some free tests include:
- 123 Career Test: After choosing a series of likes and dislikes, you’ll receive a personality assessment and some recommended jobs.
- Princeton Review Career Quiz: After answering 24 questions, you can create a free account to read about your personality type and see job suggestions.
- MAPP Career Assessment: Answer questions to determine your motivations to learn which careers you may succeed in. This more involved test takes about 20 minutes to complete.
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Exploring new career paths
Stepping away from a current job can be a bit scary, especially if it’s something you’ve been doing for a while. What if you don’t like your new choice? Will you get along with your new co-workers? How do you know if you’ll be successful?
If you want a fresh start, a career change can be a positive step. To quell your fears of what if, do some research into your new fields of interest. The better you understand a field or specific role, the more informed you’ll be before making a career change.
Job shadow
Job shadowing — following someone who works in your desired field for a few days — can teach you what it’s really like in that position. You may be excited about the perks of working as a salesperson, for instance, but do you understand the effort it takes to talk to people all day?
If there's a profession you think you may enjoy but you don't know much about it, ask if you can job shadow someone for a few days.
Volunteer
Another option to dip your toes in the proverbial job pool is to volunteer. For example, if you were thinking of becoming a school teacher, you could help in your child’s school classroom. You’ll quickly learn the ins and outs of what it’s like to spend the day in a room full of kids. Would you become frustrated with classroom management issues?
Interview people
You can also simply talk to people about their jobs. Ask a variety of people about what they enjoy, what their day-to-day looks like and what they dislike. Online forums may provide some insight as well.
Build a career change roadmap
One of the hardest parts about leaving a job, and especially a career field, is the unknown. How do you even start? But if you set specific career goals and a timeline to achieve them, you can feel more confident taking that first step. And the next, and the next. Once you determine your interests and what careers may be most compatible, creating a personal job map may make the transition smoother.
Work in jobs that will teach you desired skills
What skills will you need to switch careers? If you’d like to open your own retail shop one day, for example, you could look into roles where you learn about customer service, inventory management and accounting.
Could you benefit from additional formal education? That might include training courses, a college class or certification. Look at listings on KSL Jobs to learn what skills and education are required for roles you’re interested in.
You may need to take a course or learn some new skills to qualify for a job on your new career path.
Set a timeline
Once you know what you need to learn, determine how and when you can achieve it. That might include saving up funds for a college class or checking into a technical training program. Look at online courses, too, which may be available on a more flexible schedule. Give yourself a timeline. “I will start this certification course in two weeks” or “I will start my training next semester.”
Set a goal for job applications too. “I will apply for three jobs per week for the next month” or “I will add one new skill to my resume this quarter.” Setting dates on your job map gives you something to work toward and can help keep you motivated.
Preparing for jobs in your new field
Once you know what you want to try and have some skills to do it, update your resume. In addition to your new accomplishments, be sure to include what you’ve learned in your previous jobs. Most general skills are relevant in any role, so demonstrate how your past experience enhances your ability to fill this new position.
Prepare for your interview
If you’re making a major career change, you may be asked to explain why. Practice answering such interview questions, focusing on how you can bring a unique perspective and excitement to this new role.
Learn, talk, apply
Whether your goals for professional growth include a promotion where you currently are or you want to start a new career entirely, you can find options on KSL Jobs. Discover the skills you’ll need in a new role and set a timeline to learn them. Talk with others on-the-job to better understand the role and determine if it’s something you would really prefer. Then set a timeline to get yourself where you want to be.
