By Mariam Kigongo
There are many important things to consider before changing careers, such as salary expectation, your motivation, networking opportunities, your reputation and what additional education or training you might need. Here are some few steps mainly to consider before you hop onto the next career.
1. Motivation
For most of us, we always change our career hoping for a better salary or better benefits. This is not wrong, however it’s always important to examine further your motives for changing careers. Usually, people seek a new career because they’re dissatisfied with their current work. You want to make sure you really think about the source of your dissatisfaction. Questions one should always ask themselves, “Do you not like a particular aspect of the work? Do you dislike your workplace? Is your salary too low?”
Regarding, dissatisfaction there may be alternatives other than changing careers. Such as, you can consider changing positions with a different employer to get breathing space away from your current position to the new position in terms of shifts or sitting arrangements. Other possibilities are that you’re exhausted and need to take a vacation or leave of absence. It’s usually a good idea to exhaust other alternatives before making the more drastic move of changing careers.
2. Reputation
If you’ve already been working in your current career for a quite a number of years, chances are you’ve established a professional reputation. Depending on your choice of new career, you may have to start from scratch and be a newbie again. You may also lose contact with your former colleagues as well as employers. However, in many cases you can integrate your new career identity with your old one. You’ll need to think through whether you can use your established reputation and contacts to establish yourself within a new career, and if not, whether you’re willing to start over.
3. Education and Training
Further education and training is always good to have regardless whether you changing careers or not. However, you always need to know what type of qualification you may require to get promoted to the next level in your career. This may involve anything from a brief training course to a certificate program to an entirely new degree. Before you make the leap, find out what education or training requirements you’ll need. Also make sure you have the time, money, and support to undergo more schooling.
4. Networking Opportunities
If you know anyone in your new field, it is best to contact them to find out more about the work place. If you don’t know anyone, it’s best to find new contacts that will help you adjust to the work place and grow within the new career. Some ways to do that are to attend conferences, join a professional association, or use your existing network to find relevant people who will help you grow. Another great way to meet new people is during the informational interview where it is a briefing meeting in which you can ask questions and get more information about the new career and position.
5. Salary
All of us would want to find out what our expected salary will be in our new careers. If you have a family, and your expected salary is not as good as the previous one I would advise one to negotiate with the employer to be able to get a good deal.
However don’t negotiate drastically, always be reasonable with your negotiations. Find out what your salary prospects will be when you start, as well as your long term earning potential. Make the right choice by talking it with your family and friends and the last decision is on you before you change careers.
About Author:
Mariam Kigongo works with EverJobs Uganda, the fastest growing online job portal in Africa.
