Career progression: changing career paths

The majority of people consider changing career paths at some stage during their careers. Not everyone acts upon it but for those who do the move can prove a highly rewarding experience.

There are many reasons why individuals consider changing their career paths, in the majority of cases it is about job satisfaction, work life balance, career growth, opportunities and salary. It is essential that you thoroughly research your potential new career path before taking action.

Before you take a career change you should:

1. Carry out a detailed self-assessment and analysis of your skills, accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses against your new chosen role
2. Look into the state of the industry and/or sector you are looking to move into and the opportunities it would offer to someone with little or no comparable experience
3. Find out about the qualifications available for you to make a smoother transition into the role
4. Are there any mentoring, traineeships, internships or volunteering opportunities within your new career area in companies or institutions
5. Read through numerous job descriptions, person specifications and attend job fairs so that you can assess where your skill gaps lay and find out the essential candidate criteria
6. Network, online and in person, this will uncover potential opportunities in your new career field
7. Rewrite your CV so that your transferable skills are highlighted
8. Have confidence in your current abilities and how they would transfer over into your new career path