Making a Career Change

In order to make a career change, you must determine:

1. Are you committed to making a change?
2. What industries interest you?
3. What are your strengths and transferable skills? How can you utilize those in a new position?
4. What types of positions are you most qualified for? Of those, which spark the most interest?
5. Are your salary expectations realistic for the position in which you are interested?
6. What training do I need to qualify for positions?

The next steps to making a career change are most important in helping you achieve your goal.

1. Craft your resume to emphasize transferable skills.
2. Include all work history emphasizing how past experience relates to the position.
3. Submit a cover letter with your resume explaining why you want to make a career change.
4. Prepare to answer questions as to why you are looking to make a career change.
5. Practice mock phone/in-person interviews to help build confidence.
6. Have a list of your employment dates, key accomplishments, and goals near your phone.
7. Recruiters will conduct a phone screen to determine your employability, and you want to be prepared. Keep it brief, always upbeat, and informative; use impact adjectives.
8. Register with a staffing firm to gain experience and exposure in a variety of industries. Lakeshore offers complimentary online training for software applications, and career counseling for transitional employees.
9. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Seek out job clubs and networking groups that will not only help with career guidance, but will also keep you focused, and motivated.
10. Use the internet – you will find countless articles offering tips and recommendations to job seekers.

Make your job search your job until you land your new job!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.