How to make a more painless Career Transition

We all want to keep working to receive a paycheck. But, during a Career Transition, this may not be entirely possible. You may want to get into another job right away, but you may still be searching for a new job a few months, or so. If you have your finances in order, have money saved, and can collect unemployment insurance, you can have a little peace of mind and keep paying the bills on time, until you find another job.

In a highly competitive job market there are usually more applicants than there are job openings. If you are searching for a new job while you are unemployed, you could be very frustrated trying to land a new job. The brighter side is that you have time to think things out about what you really want to do for a next career.

Getting ready for the Transition

You may have been laid off or fired from your last job. So, here you are now, but don’t know exactly what your new career direction is. One suggestion would be to network through friends and family to see if they know someone who’s hiring.

Now is the time to update your resume, cover letter, and brush up on your interviewing skills. Additionally, many employers nowadays prefer interviews on the phone to not only cut costs, but to serve as a preliminary step in the hiring process.

The easiest career transition is to stay within the same industry. You will certainly have the knowledge; but, may only have to get the experience in the particular job opening you are interested in, even though it happens to be related to your present job.

Another way to gain experience is to volunteer or donate your time in exchange for the experience in the new field, or related job opening. You could also work as a temp. If you happen to be going back to school, you could investigate programs which offer internships. Lastly, you could try to get into a part time job within your new job interest.

Don’t quit your regular job until you are sure you like the new field.

Tightening the belt on Finances

Changing careers can be overwhelming, but what’s probably the most difficult, is to change professions entirely. If you are changing jobs, you have transferable skills which can be used to qualify you for a similar occupation. A completely new profession requires new training and education. This takes time and money, and a big concern usually is how you will support yourself during the training.

The best way is to plan ahead, and train in your spare time on weekends or evenings on your home computer if there are online classes, training, or certification programs. Finances are a big concern during any career transition, and a tightening the financial belt may be in order until your salary meets or exceeds your previous career salary. It shouldn't be too difficult; if, in the meantime you can examine, define, and draw the line between what things you truly need to spend your money on versus those things you only desire.

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