Ready for a job change? Things you need to do before making the move

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Author: Future Manager Research Center

CareerBuilder’s survey reveals that in 2019, 32% of employees plan to change jobs this year. More than one-quarter of employees (29%) say they regularly search for jobs while employed, and 78% say that even though they are not actively looking for a new role, they would be open if the right opportunity came along. Low unemployment and high demand for talent is feeding a recruiting environment where job seekers and new employees are in control.

When you want to make the move to a new career, how can you successfully change the job?  There are five preparation steps to change jobs across fields. Check the following tips to see if you are all set to face a new challenge.

  1. Make sure you have enough savings

In the career field you are familiar with, it usually takes about three months from the beginning of preparation to a successful job change. It takes half a year or even a year to change to a total new job. During this time, you have no financial supports and you need to spend money. If you don’t have enough savings, you might find an unsatisfactory job because your savings will be depleted in a few mouth’s time.

2.Collect industry information from the right people

There are insiders who are the most sensitive to industry intelligence, such as professional headhunting companies, human resources companies. In terms of job hopping, it is best to find a headhunter or  someone from your college alumni career network who is more authoritative in the industry that can provide you valuable information. The more contacts you have, the better. Therefore, it is best to have a guide in the new career field. It will take a lot less detours than trying to find it by yourself.

3.Assess your interests, values, and skills

The best situation is that your core values and skills can also be applied to the new job. In this way, you must clearly position yourself in the job search , know your strengths and weaknesses according to your own characteristics and interests, not only based on salary as the criterion for finding a job.

4.Take a class and upgrade yours skills

If you have zero experience in the new career field, investigate the educational opportunities to learn new knowledge and develop skills to pave the way for a job change.  There are countless online courses where you can find sources to get educated at home on your laptop, or you can participate in some evening courses in the school where you could come up against professionals in your target career field.

5.Write a good resume and cover letter  

When you want to win a dream job, it is suggested that you also need to adjust your resume according to the company and position. And also be sure to write a cover letter to express your aspirations and motivations toward this position.