You have decided that your current career is no longer fulfilling. What you thought was an ideal position no longer satisfies you. Perhaps the corporate culture has changed in a way that is not ideal for you. If you are struggling with your current job, looking for a new career may be the answer, however, before you take the plunge with the first available opportunity, you should prepare for the transition.
Identify what makes you happy.
Is it the satisfaction of feeling like you are a part of the bigger corporate picture? Perhaps you need to feel challenged and stretch your current boundaries. List the pros and cons of your current position. Know what is not fulfilling you and avoid those types of positions when searching for your new career. Make sure you know what you want and what works well for you.
Target companies not the job.
You’ve found a job that looks promising. Don’t haphazardly accept a position because you want to leave your current one. Accepting a position with a company that does not have a corporate culture that aligns with what you desire will find you back where you started. Target and investigate companies that follow the philosophies that best suit you. Verify the stability of the company and do background research. It may save you the time and expense of searching for another position a year or two down the road.
You can target these companies by using various resources. First, determine your ideal work environment. Next, list the companies that have this type of work environment. You can develop your target list using various resources. Look at your competitors, websites, clients, professional associations and your network. All of these can be valuable resources that will assist you in creating a target list of companies to approach.
Know your network.
Use online resources like LinkedIn and get to know colleagues in the industry. Make a point of building those business connections. A word of caution…the Internet is everywhere and corporate recruiters will look at what you say on social media. Jobs can be lost because of what shows up on the Internet.
It’s not just the Internet. Watch what you say at your current job. You can’t control what someone else says and it might get around that you are job hunting. You don’t want to have to leave your current position until you are ready. Just remember to watch what you say and where you say it, online and off.
Make a financial plan.
It’s not a good idea to wait until you are out of a job before looking. You need to be prepared for the financial crunch that may happen when you change careers. It takes time to establish yourself in a new position. Having a plan will offer you some flexibility when you make the transition.
Make a career change because you will be more fulfilled and satisfied with a new position. Don’t wait until you are miserable in your current position or the company is floundering. Being prepared will make you less anxious and make the transition easier.