08 Jan The Challenge of Changing Your Career

Changing careers when you’ve been in a certain sector for a long time can be challenging in a world where experience is paramount.
A survey conducted by CV Library showed that over half of British workers are dissatisfied in their current job. This is caused by reasons such as inadequate pay, company dynamics and lack of career progression. If you are one of those who drag your feet to work every Monday and feel as though you need a change, carry on reading for our tips on how to get on a different career ladder.

The Open University

Re training can be a time-consuming business. Many people aren’t in the position to take time off their current work to go back to full time conventional studying. The Open University is now the biggest University for undergraduate education which offers an alternative to this problem.

The OU offers you the chance to obtain a qualification that you can do in your own time. The flexibility of completing a degree online means that you can balance studying around full-time work and personal commitments. You also don’t have the added pressure of trying to find courses near you; Being 100% online based means that you can complete your degree from anywhere in the UK and from the comfort of your own home. The OU offers a range of different qualifications – from undergraduate degrees, post grad and individual modules.

In the meantime, you could top up your current skills with schemes such as Open Learn – These are free online courses you can complete to brush up your skills. Although they don’t offer a legitimate qualification at the end, they are good to add to your CV or LinkedIn profile.

Transferable Skills

Identify the skills you’ve already developed from your current career; Chances are they can be transferred in some or another and will redirect the employer’s attention to what potential you have, rather than what experience you have. For example, technical skills and being computer literate are transferable to most office jobs and dealing with complaints and inquiries will be relevant to customer service facing roles .

Interpersonal skills are just as important as practical skills and are valuable assets that companies seek. No matter how practically skilled someone is, no employer wants an individual who will bring a bad atmosphere to the workplace or damage the company reputation. Some examples of personal skills include:

• Conflict resolution
• Building positive relationships with clients and co workers
• Reasoning skills
• Confidentiality
• Ability to prioritise workload & meet deadlines
• Delegation

Volunteer Work

Make sure you emphasise volunteering-related skills on your CV and covering letters. A winning personal statement on your CV will more likely guarantee you an interview and make you stand out from the rest of the applicants. It’s worth writing about what is influencing you to transition careers and the steps you’ve taken to do so. 

If you are someone who works in an office, yet dreams of working with animals, you could volunteer at your local animal shelter. Or if you’re looking to get into events management, you could look at fundraising volunteer work. The benefit of volunteering is that it’s a great way to add some experience to your CV as well as opens your eyes to the day to day environment of the industry. It’s also great for networking and meeting other professionals.

Careers advisors

A lot of people are in the position of not enjoying their work but feel unsure of what they actually want to do. Speaking to a qualified careers advisor can help you evaluate your skills and interests and offer guidance on suitable careers. They will also provide you information of the steps and processes involved to transition to a new career and answer any questions you may have. Most of these services are free and can be found easily at your local college, job centre or organisations like the Prince’s Trust.

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