By Doug Hewitt
Overview
Sometimes a new career is necessary because of jobs being shipped overseas or downsizing. Other times, a new career can provide a spark and a new outlook on life. Some careers can grow stale over time, and people need to find new careers to keep their interest levels up. Although the reason for finding a new career can vary, it's important to find the right career. For example, if job security is an issue for you, it wouldn't be wise to choose a career that has a poor outlook for employment opportunities. A career in videotapes might have looked promising at one time, but the advent of DVDs has negated that promise.
Step 1
Research the careers that you're interested in or want to learn about by talking to professionals who already work in that field. Visit the library and ask reference desk personnel for books on careers. Read about the careers you're interested in. Pay special attention to typical incomes for that career, the opportunity for advancement and job satisfaction statistics. Take notes.
Step 2
Make a comprehensive list of pros and cons for your careers. This can take several days or weeks as you think about the career.
Step 3
Talk to your family and friends to discuss your strengths and weaknesses and how well they fit with the careers on your list. Try to whittle down your list of careers to two or three. If you have one that stands out, choose that one. If not, rank each one with your preference.
Step 4
Call colleges if your career requires that you get additional education. Ask about the degree you need for your particular career. Some colleges have reputations for being particularly good for specific careers, such as nursing or teaching. Ask the college counselors for information about specific college programs.
Step 5
Make your career decision by choosing one from your list. You should feel confident about your choice because of your list of pros and cons. While there's always a degree of uncertainty in any decision, the process of evaluating careers and the educational requirements for those careers should enable you to be comfortable with your choice.
Step 6
Talk about your decision with friends and family. They often will provide emotional support for your decision.
How Do I Find a New Career? by competencycareer.com