Should you change your career?

Are you thinking of making a career change? You may have lost interest in your current career or perhaps your company is downsizing. Are you moving to another area or have you finally reached the point where you are ready to follow your dream of being an entrepreneur?

Follow this 10-step plan to a successful career change

1. Assess your interests, likes and dislikes

Many people focus on what they DON’T like - an annoying boss, their company, meaningless work etc. Focus instead on what you DO like. A self assessment should include a look at the following: values, interests, personality, and skills.

Values: the things that are important to you, like achievement, status, and autonomy
Interests: what you enjoy doing, i.e. playing golf, taking long walks, hanging out with friends
Personality: a person’s individual traits, motivational drives, needs, and attitudes
Skills: the activities you are good at, such as writing, computer programming, and teaching

2. Picture it

Envision the kind of life you desire. What do your surroundings look like? Do you want to work indoors or outdoors? Is a high salary important to you? Is it important for your work to involve interacting with people? Is it important for your work to make a contribution to society? What would an ideal workday look like? Take the time to get a clear picture in your mind.

3. Be enthusiastic and passionate

People who love what they do tend to be more successful. To discover your passion, pay attention to the things you are naturally drawn to. What types of things do you love to do? What characteristics and talents do others compliment you on? Do you have any hobbies that you could turn into a business? Imagine if you were in the position of starting over and there were no stumbling blocks or barriers standing in your way, what would you choose to do?

4. Research

Once you’ve discovered your passion, research the available careers that fit with that passion. Go to the library. Join associations. Talk to people who have started similar businesses Take classes. Read trade publications. Conduct informational interviews. Ask friends, relatives, fellow students, your teachers, and neighbors if they know someone who works in your targeted field. People love to talk about themselves and what they do. Call someone you read about who has your "dream job."

5. Train and educate yourself

You may need to update your skills and broaden your knowledge. If possible start learning the skills you need while you are still in your current job. Don’t rush. This is an important transition, so take your time. Good communication, time management and writing skills are essential. One should also be assertive and organized. Public speaking skills and computer literacy are great assets to have.

6. Plan and prepare

It’s very important to have a goal and put it in writing. This will give you a ‘roadmap’. It’s important to set a target date for when you want your "new life" to begin. Once you select a date, write it on the calendar. Knowing how much time you have can be a great source of motivation. When you have set defined, written goals, you recognize opportunities when they come into your life. Without any goals you are easily swayed in any direction. My favorite quote is “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there”.

7. Network

Networking is a very useful way to meet people who may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular industry, and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network. Even if you don’t think you already have a network, you probably do - consider colleagues, friends, and family members.

8. Get support

Seek out people who share your interests and avoid pessimists. If you are planning to start your own business, consider meeting weekly with other aspiring entrepreneur to generate ideas, share information, get support and stay on track. A good idea is to find a mentor who can help you through the rough patches. Your mentor may also be able to help you by taking advantage of his or her network.

9. Take action

Even if you feel you are not completely clear or ready, you MUST take some steps in the direction of your goal. It often happens that once you take the first few small steps, your vision becomes clearer and once you get the ball rolling, it’s hard to stop.

10. Be flexible

It’s really important to be flexible about nearly everything. No matter how well you’ve planned and prepared you should realistically expect some setbacks or bumps in the road. Don’t let these things get you down. Keep focusing on your vision and let that motivate you to persevere. Keep track of your progress. Reward yourself with small rewards whenever a new milestone has been achieved. Celebrate your success!