Changing careers is seen as something of a daunting task; after all, most consider their jobs as something that offers stability, security, and something they’re good at.
However, what if that job does not bring much joy or satisfaction anymore? What if you’ve thought that there seems to be no future advancement in your role, or the position lacks benefits or compensation?
With some reflection, planning, and research, embarking on a new career won’t be as intimidating as you think. We have accumulated some tips to help you with the career transition process, along with a list of some of the best degrees for a career change and the easiest careers you can transition to.
How To Transition Careers: Tips
Once you’re sure and can see that a career switch is your best option, the next step is to figure out how to choose the right career best. These are some tips to help you with this challenge.
Check out job options
Begin by determining what you want to do and what type of work will fulfill you more. Some fields allow for an easier and smoother career transition than others, and in some cases, a complete change is deemed necessary. Many people want to reinvent their professional lives completely; however, you need to look into connections between the current work and what you want to be doing next.
Find out what you like
You start by making a list of all the things you are passionate about and your interests. Was there ever something, in particular, you always liked? What about talents you never quite delved into or gave serious thought to? What subject piques your interest, or what fields and/or industries intrigue you? Maybe even go as far as thinking about what your ideal work environment would be.
After having a rough draft of what you like and what you don’t, you can move along to setting strong career goals that can help you visualize what you want and motivate you through your career transition.
Assess your current skills
Reflecting on the soft and hard skills you have honed throughout your career can help identify the profession that would be the most appropriate and fulfilling for you. Identify what skills are transferable, competitive and which would be the most valuable to a new position.
As you prepare to change careers, keep in mind that every industry has its own standard required skills. Try connecting your strong points to the responsibilities listed in the jobs you’re interested in. It is essential to take stock of what you have accomplished and look at your education, background, and capabilities. Then, make them stand out on your resume.
Try job shadowing
Job shadowing is a helpful way to learn about a particular job of interest. It entails spending time with a professional when they are at work. You can gain a greater understanding of a professional’s job by observing them for a few hours to several weeks.
Unless you’re in the field with someone in a similar position, talking about their day-to-day functions, you can’t have a true feeling for the career to decide whether it is for you. This can also serve as a way to build a strong network of people in your desired industry. In the long run, they can serve as advisors who will guide you along the way.
Try out a different position within the industry
Transitioning to a new profession doesn’t mean that you will have to start from the bottom end. If you feel like starting over is not something you want to do, explore whether you can pivot to a slightly related position where you can capitalize on much of your experience.
Consider what the advantages and disadvantages of starting over would be for you. For example, you may find that you need to take a class or get a degree; however, you can look at it as an opportunity for you to redesign your work/life balance. Explore how this new position aligns with your personal goals and values and whether this leap will help you reap more benefits than your current situation.
Best Master’s Degrees for Career Change
Many jobs require attaining a certain degree to get into the field, and on the other hand, some degrees give professionals the chance to explore the new field, thus changing their career path.
When it comes to degrees, there are master’s programs that require you to fulfill prerequisites, like a bachelor’s in the same field. Other masters make it easy for anyone with a bachelor’s degree to apply.
Let’s take a look into some of the best master’s degrees you can pursue that help with a career change.
Master’s degree in cyber security
In the ever-evolving world of technology, a degree in cyber security can open many doors, and since the industry is broad, so are the career opportunities. With jobs from business analysis right through project management, there’ll be something to suit you and your skills.
Some career paths include:
- Cyber Crime Analyst/Investigator
- Cybersecurity Manager/Administrator
- Cybersecurity Engineer
The additional administrative and leadership coaching you undergo as part of a master’s degree in cyber security is one of the most significant benefits.
Master’s degree in marketing
Marketing programs often give insights into strategies and decision-making processes for brand development and design promotional campaigns. Most marketing programs cover customer profiling and segmentation as well as for analytic concepts and tools for implementing and evaluating marketing campaigns.
Some career paths include:
- Brand manager
- Market research analyst
- Copywriter
If you want to change careers and work in marketing, you’ll have many options for entrepreneurial work, freelance, consulting work, or in-house employment in organizations both large and small.
Master of business administration
An MBA program prepares graduates for advanced problem-solving and executive decision-making for an organization’s management needs. A minimum of three years of work experience is usually expected of MBA applicants.
This degree can serve as a ticket to managerial positions and as a means to climb the corporate ladder. In addition, you can enter many different sectors within the business field with this type of degree, or you could also specialize in a concentration such as Entrepreneurship, Global Affairs, Economics, and Finance.
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Some candidates may see the MBA as a fast track to executive positions, but candidates with more experience are more likely to fill in jobs the degree provides for a career transition.
Master’s degree in finance
A master’s degree in finance will help you gain the skills necessary to assess variables that influence the price of assets and other properties. With a master’s degree in finance—and often required professional certifications—you’ll likely find yourself equipped to pursue a range of lucrative reporting, analyst, and management jobs.
Some career paths include:
- Financial Planner
- Financial Analyst
- Budget Analyst
4 Easy Careers to Transition Into
There are plenty of roles that people can transition into with the required skills and qualifications. Here are four of the easiest careers to transition into.
Data science
Data science is the discipline of transforming data into knowledge, and it now plays a vital role in an organization’s growth. Since data science encompasses so many different roles—data architecture, data analysis, data visualization, and so on— there’s a possibility that your career background relates to this field. The data science profession is relatively new, meaning that many data scientists and machine learning engineers didn’t start their careers on this path.
Such a career change necessarily involves a lot of effort and time spent researching, attempting to find out why code isn’t working or searching for an explanation for a data inconsistency.
Social media management
Nowadays, a social media strategy helps companies big and small develop a strong online presence and build a brand. They know this due to the great impact the internet has on consumer behavior. Being a good social media manager means paying attention to companies’ social media strategies, homing in on what’s working and what they could do better. Social media managers increase their company’s presence on online platforms with the intention of expanding sales and beating out competitors.
Becoming a social media manager requires strong communication, customer service skills, and an outgoing personality. Those who possess these transferable skills may find it easy to get a job in this sector of marketing. If you feel like you can be devoted to building a business’ brand and cultivating a strong following and community, this career path can be suited for you.
Software development
The tech industry is among the most adapting to career changers because employees focus on innovation and need people who can bring their unique passions, interests, and experiences to create something different.
Software developers design every component needed to run user interfaces well. They use virtual models and flow charts to plan step-by-step details for coding software consumers enjoy. Career changers transition into software development from many bachelor’s fields. All that’s required is sharpening your programming, computer, and analytical skills.
Although the process of changing your career can be time-consuming and intimidating, if your current situation is not fulfilling you and you’re not waking up excited about the day’s prospects, this could be just what you need to make a difference. The right career is a natural, encouraging, and productive progression of oneself and their natural skills. Explore your opportunities, make a plan and start your new journey.