As a recruiter we speak to so many candidates every week who would like a change in their career. There are many reasons people have for wanting to move in to a different field, from not earning enough money to not getting enough job satisfaction, but whatever the reason it’s not an easy thing to do!

In our current economic climate it is hard enough to find work in a job where you have 10+ years experience let alone a job you have never done before. If you are thinking about making a change in career path the first thing I would recommend doing is sitting down and thinking about (or even writing down) your reasons for wanting this. If this is still something that you plan on doing then here’s a few tips that can help you make the transition more smoothly:

1) Identify your skills and what value you can add to a company – By reviewing previous successes and projects you have enjoyed you should be able to determine whether your core values and skills are met in your current career, and if not think about what kind of job might fulfill those areas of strength.

2) Research your career alternatives – Utilize online career guidance websites and really think about the type of position you want.

3) Utilize personal contacts – Once you have identified what field you would like to move into, see if you can get in touch with someone in that field that may be able to offer you advice and information on their day to day role.

4) Volunteer or shadow professionals – See if you can gain any unpaid work experience in your chosen field, this will look good on your resume and show your commitment to your future goals.

5) Further Education – Are there are courses or classes you could be taking in your spare time to increase your chances of getting that job!?

Finally, I would also say work with what you’ve got! If there are tasks you could be doing in your current role or within your current company that would give you any transferrable skills into your chosen career, then make sure you are doing them and make sure this comes across on your resume!

For further information please feel free to contact the CML Office.