Considering Heading Back To School To Help In A Career Switch?

I think the largest advantage is the ability of gaining knowledge and education towards their new targeted industry and role. It’s important to start to build pieces of insight towards any new world you’re entering into, whether personally, professionally, spiritually, etc. Any change needs to have some smooth transition rather than a big leap, so as to not increase the difficulty on yourself, minimize anxiety and sustain motivation.The pros and cons of switching gears and going back to school to learn a new profession or staying where you are and not pursuing this strategy are:

-Going back to school pros — exciting, opportunity for new embracements, meeting new people

-Going back to school cons — expense, time, switching gears in your brain dramatically

-Staying put pros – stability, routine

-Staying put cons – feeling boxed in, possible co-worker annoyances, management set in ways, no succession planning

A good rule of thumb for any job hunter is to first take some time to do some inner soul searching. Jot down passions, things that excite you,inspire you, motivate you, things that leave a tingly feeling when you start to think deeper and deeper about the possibilities. Maybe a nonprofit where you can feel like you’re making a difference? Maybe an educator to help elevate young minds. Maybe something you do all the time and enjoy?Try to not only think about your hobbies that can possibly translate into a career, but also what types of jobs are popular and needed for long-term success, as well as the financial responsibilities of that job. Maybe you want to start up your own pillow production company. Now you need overhead and product, and overhead and product equals money. Maybe you want to start a service business to sell your wonderful content. Now you will need to put some money into marketing, or at least take time to think about how you will get noticed in the sea of online content creators. Not to deter you from trying, but know that there will be hard items to contend when pursuing your new career path. However, every venture, big or small, starts somewhere. Every billion-dollar corporate had to start with $5 and a small loan, more or less. Every entrepreneur or CEO had to start with their first sale or internship, respectively. So my advice is to stick with it. Don’t give up. Don’t stop pounding the pavement and making this new career work for you. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s true. You will most likely have to go months before gaining some traction and momentum in your new job search/career path. You must continue to learn what you are good at and can present value as to a potential employer or client. What makes you unique?What makes you different? What excites you? Now let’s blend all of this and try to get you on a new path towards success, but more importantly,happiness.

Realistically, these career changers who are pursuing a career-switch strategy will involve all-new training/education. The hiring process, however, can take a little longer than the person who’s been doing the job already, unfortunately. We are in an age of speed, and hiring managers are no different. They want a rear end in the chair, and fast. They are already bogged down by having to spend time sifting through resumes for the final 15 minutes of their day, when they have 101 other issues to troubleshoot. They value their workforce, but hiring is a headache. Stick with it, do not expect it to happen overnight. Go do some stuff for free, do not wait for the phone to ring. Start thrusting yourself into the world after you’ve gotten the basics down…you won’t overload yourself, and you’ll most likely be a sponge at that point, ready to work.

Any other thoughts, tips, or suggestions on this topic? I have been through this personally in fact back in 2007 when I relocated to Los Angeles from Cleveland, and had my company back then,Johnson Controls, pay for my relocation. I knew I wanted to move west, so I started looking for work in the LA area 6 months prior to the move. I would send out resumes as normal utilizing any and all avenues, as well as reaching out to recruiters in that region for assistance. Recruiters are a wonderful resource and will work for free for the candidate! Once I received interviews, I was able to explain to them my situation and that I was able to travel for in-person interviews on my own dime. I ended up getting an offer from both BP in Long Beach and Johnson Controls in Whittier, which I was then able to leverage for negotiating a higher salary and a relocation package. The key is to start early and make it a job to find a job. Don’t give up either, determination is key when you’re already a little behind the ball since you are physically not near your targeted area. My second transition came in 2009 after the mortgage meltdown forced me and my wife out of our jobs in LA, so we headed back east. There, I founded my startup resume writing/career coaching business, and have grown it ever since. During a transition, I find that Indeed and LinkedIn are the two best platforms online these days. I would setup job alerts on Indeed so once a role is posted that you’re targeting, you will receive an email and ability to apply sooner than other candidates. It’s key to get in as early as possible before you fall to the bottom of the pile of resumes.Networking online and utilizing free resources like local career coaches,recruiters and government-sponsored career resource centers. Get your name out there in your targeted area, because you never know who might pass your information along to someone hiring.

Thank you for reading! Please visit www.jobstickers.com to keep up with all of MJW Careers’ content, and visit www.mjwcareers.com or email [email protected] (or call 855-YES-EMPLOYEES) to learn more about our resume writing, interview training, career coaching or outplacement services and solutions.

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