Changing Careers

Changing careers can be overwhelming, especially when changing from a familiar field to one that is completely different. When making a drastic career change it is important to know all of your options and not limit yourself. Maybe you want to switch from being an accountant to a lawyer, or a marketer to a historian. Whatever the change might be, it is difficult  and frustrating trying to figure out where to begin. So, if you are thinking about changing up your career, but have no idea where to start, try  following a few of these tips listed below.

Use the Internet
We all know by know that if you search hard enough, you can find almost anything you're looking for on the internet. So, use the internet to start off your research. One helpful site is called:

O* Net Online- This website allows users to print out 12 pages from their specifically designed Content Model. So, you can print out helpful and thorough information for about 900 occupations. There are many other websites you can use as well, don't just limit yourself to those 900 occupations. Google is always very helpful!

Take Tests
Taking tests, either online or through a career center, should give you hunches and suggestions about potential careers, not definitive answers. Every person is unique. So, we might get thrown into a test family that isn't a completely accurate description of ourselves. When you take tests, remember to take more than one. Each test can give you a slightly different result, so it's important to broaden your horizons and consider everything that might possibly lead to your career switch.

Consider the Job Market 
If considering your needs and wishes isn't working out the way you planned. there is another way to approach the switch. Instead of focusing on exactly what you want, determine the jobs that are available in the job market. These jobs are called projections, or "Hot Jobs".  To find these hot jobs, you can simply so some research online. Here are some recent list.

The Wall Street Journal 
Boston.com 
Bureau of Labor Statistics 

There are a number of approaches to take when changing careers. If you have no clue where to start, try to follow some of the steps above. Switching careers won't be an easy process that occurs overnight, so remember to keep an open mind and explore all available options.