Changing Careers? 7 Colossal Mistakes You’re Making Right Now…

Saying “peace out” to your job is one thing, but changing careers is a whole different animal. If you’re making big moves in your career, it’s important to do it right. Otherwise, you’re going to make it very hard for yourself. Are you making any of the following mistakes?

1. You’re not getting to the bottom of the problem.

If you don’t take some time to understand the real reason why you want to veer off of your current career path, you risk putting yourself in a similar situation in the future. In fact, the real problem might be your career path at all. It could be a bad boss, poor work environment, or something else. Before you change careers, you need to be 100% sure that you’re leaving because the work isn’t satisfying anymore, not just because you’re unhappy in another area.

2. You’re not seeing what else is out there.

Right now, you have a chance to explore what else is out there. If you make up your mind too quickly about what’s next, you might miss out on some amazing career opportunities. Before you commit to your next career path, make sure you do a little exploring first. Attend career fairs, talk to people in different industries, and do some online research. You just never know what you might find!

3. You’re not identifying where you need to upskill.

Chances are you don’t have all of the skills you need to successfully hop into a brand spankin’ new career. So, figure out what you need to learn in order become qualified for the job. Depending on the career path you choose, you might have to go back to school, but not always. Think about cheaper ways you can upskill like certification programs, online classes, workshops, and so on.

4. You’re not leveraging your transferable skills.

While you know you probably need to upskill in certain areas, you need to take an inventory of what you already have in your toolbox. If you’re not taking advantage of what you already have to offer employers, you’re going to hurt your job search. Transferable skills are skill sets that can be applied in a variety of roles and industries. Everyone has some transferable skills. Make sure you’re flaunting yours!

5. You’re not customizing your resume.

Not taking the time to tailor your resume for each position you apply for is a huge waste of time. These days, it’s likely that your resume will go through an automated resume filtering system called an ATS (or applicant tracking system). If your resume isn’t a high enough match for the job you’re applying for, it will automatically toss it out before a human can even read it. Do you really want to prolong your job search by not customizing your resume? I didn’t think so.

6. You’re not making networking a priority.

If you’re not focusing on your networking efforts, you’ve got a huge problem. Networking is the best way to get your foot in the door at a company. In fact, a recent survey shows that 40% of job seekers claim they have found their “favorite” or “best” job as a result of their networking efforts. Having personal connections advocate for you is especially important when you’re changing careers. A little endorsement can go a long way!

7. You’re not researching salary ranges.

When you’re changing careers, salary can come into play a lot more than you might think. If you ask too much, you risk pricing yourself out of the job. If you ask too little, you risk selling yourself short. Make sure you understand the competitive salary rates for the role you want in the industry you’re looking to move into. You can do this using sites like Payscale.com, Salary.com, or Glassdoor.com.

Changing careers is a bold move. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it if it’s the right choice for you. Don’t let these common mistakes hurt your chances at finding a new career path you love!

If you need more help changing careers, join us inside CareerHMO. We’ll answer any question you have on career change and provide you with hundreds of hours of video tutorials. Join us now!