When you first get started on your career, you often think that this is the path that you are going to be on for the rest of your life. Of course, things change, and you can end up deciding that a certain career isn’t for you. The good news is that it is never too late to realise your dream and switch to a career that you have always wanted to do.
In this article, we are going to give you some of our top tips for switching careers in London. Keep reading if you’d like to find out more about this.
Do Your Research
Before you even think about switching careers, it is important that you understand exactly what your new plan is going to entail. Is it really for you? Are you going to enjoy it more than your current role? Doing some research is the perfect way to get started and figure out if this career switch is the best possible move for you.
Take a look at publications online and read what others have to say about your chosen field. You should also try to chat with someone who is in a similar position or industry and get their take on it. If they respond positively then you might be able to progress with switching career without worrying that it might not be for you.
Talk To Your Boss
In London, many of the big businesses have offices all over the city, with teams working on different aspects of the business. Just because you are not comfortable in your current role doesn’t mean that you can’t stay with the same company and switch to another field. For example, if your current role has you in the tech department but you think that you would be better at digital marketing then there is a chance that you might be able to make the switch and not lose out on your progression within that company.
Of course, this will entirely depend on the company that you work for and whether your boss sees your potential in the new field or not. Make sure to approach your boss with the news and ask them to consider letting you move across to a different department. Depending on how well they receive the news, you can then decide what your next move might be.
Take A Course
If you are going to be switching careers, then you might need to complete some training before anyone will hire you. This could mean that you need to go back to university or even head there for the first time. Some jobs might just require you to complete a course and, in London, there are plenty of these for you to choose from.
This is why we suggest that you course options based in London so that you don’t have to uplift your entire life just to make this career switch. Courses in London cover many different topics and you should be able to find one that matches your needs. On top of this, you can find an evening course that you can complete alongside your current role to ensure that you don’t have to go without employment for an extended period of time. You can learn more about your new chosen career and get back on track.
Network
Our next tip for those who want to switch careers is to try to network as much as possible. If you are already in employment, then you might find that you can get in touch with others in your company who might be on the career path that you would like to be on. Build contacts and you will soon have a network of people that you can rely on further down the line.
If your contacts are limited at this point, you can also try networking around London. You will find that there are plenty of networking events that you can get involved in and hopefully start meeting new people in the industry. You might meet up with them for a coffee or they might offer you a role in their company. Networking is vital, especially in London so make sure that you spend some time working on this.
Figure Out Your Finances
Switching careers isn’t always a simple process and sometimes it can be costly. You might need to give up your current role to start working on securing a new job in a new career and this isn’t always easy. For this reason, we suggest that you spend some time working on your finances and figure out if you can afford to make this change.
You will want to have some savings to cover the gap between jobs and the potential loss in salary when you do get that new role. As someone who is new to the industry, you will likely get a lower salary than others who have been around for many years. This will cause problems, especially if you have become used to getting paid a lot more in your current career. Try to set yourself a budget and figure out if you can afford those night classes right now if you need to wait it out.
Be Patient
Our final tip for those who want to switch careers is to be as patient as possible. Things aren’t going to happen overnight unless you get incredibly lucky with an exciting opportunity. Try to spend some time thinking about the timeframe for this switch and you will understand that it will be a long process.
Patience is key in job searching and it could take you a couple of months to find something that is suitable. If you then throw in a college course or a university masters to the mix, then you will see just how long this might take. Try to remain patient at all times and you will find that things go a lot smoother. Patience is key so try to manage your own expectations.
Switch Today
If you are thinking about switching your career, then you should make sure to take on board the tips that we have given you in this article. Try to establish whether this new role is something that you would actually enjoy and whether you have the skills to succeed in it or not. If you just dive right in, then you might end up regretting your decision further down the line. We suggest spending a few months at least researching the new role and this will help you to make sure that you are not making the wrong decision.
You should also make sure that you have the funds to get you through to this period as you might not be employed throughout the entire process. Take a look at your current finances and establish how much the entire thing is going to cost you. If you think that you can afford it then you should make sure to go ahead with the switch.
Life is too short to be worrying about a job that you are not invested in. Start making the switch today and you will be happier further down the line.
To read more on topics like this, check out the success category.
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