Changing Careers

Changing careers at any age can be a bit scary….After spending most of your life doing one career it can seem ridiculous such as anything in Administration. Safety lies within what you know. But don’t let negative thoughts or people persuade you against doing it. I’ve met several people who changed careers from something completely and radically different while still using their previous business experience.

Just make sure you thoroughly research the career and education that you want to move into and keep yourself open to other possibilities. Jobs, careers, businesses, education facilities and employers all change with the flow of the economy and I’ve found some incredibly interesting new career titles and business opportunities. Whatever your decision is research is the key to making your final decision.

There are several new career titles emerging in business and if you’re looking for a change this could be the perfect time for it. Due to a variety of factors, employers have been expanding the responsibilities of job holders by combining two different positions. The majority of my research found that transferable skills are being used to create new career titles. The most popular is Legal Nurse Consultant or Paralegal Nurse. People who have been working in the nursing industry and have become burnt out are now going back to school for an education in Paralegal Studies. They work for insurance companies, government agencies and attorneys using their medical experience with their new Business Administration and Paralegal education.

Veterinary Physical Therapist - When I first saw this I was thinking “You have got to be kidding me”. However think about it… Dog & cat owners especially are infatuated with their pets and the variety of businesses proves it. I feel I can safely say this because I’m a dog owner and I’m (cough) sort of fanatical when it comes to my precious darling little diva. OK, she’s not that little… she’s huge but she’s still my precious darling diva. Massage Therapists who adores animals can combine their experience of Massage Therapy with an education in Veterinary Practices to open a whole new business field of clients. Two for one sale! Get a massage and give one to your pet!

Art Therapist – So you haven’t made it to the Best of NY Business Gallery of the Elite yet… Don’t give up art; just use it for something that can do a tremendous amount of good and earn a decent business source of income. Art Therapists treat physical, mental and emotional disabilities through art expression. With the experience of both, you can become a skilled therapist as well as an exceptional artist. If your already an exceptional therapist and love to do art in your spare time, bring your professional skills to a new level with art… you don’t have to be good at it to thoroughly enjoy it and I’m sure your patience may appreciate or at least find a common ground of humor in that fact. There are now colleges that specialize in Art Therapy education. If you’re a counselor there are a abundance of Art education courses you can take to enter this field.

OK, so I’ve given you three examples of how you can combine your current skills with new ones. Now it’s your turn to do some thinking. Don't sit around waiting for opportunities to find you, they won’t. It’s up to you to find the door of opportunity. Just remember, if there is already a line behind one door of opportunity keep walking and find anther. The last thing you want to do is be in the tail end of a dying career market. I did just that with the IT boom and after a few glorious months of high pay and full benefits I was let go with 2000 others…

1. Make a list of all your career and business skills – If you've had the career for a long time, you have skills employers want.

2. Do what makes you happy - Make sure you're changing careers for the right reasons. Go to Starbucks or any café and ask yourself some serious questions with genuine answers. If you’re only writing down the answers or thinking them than no one else will know so don’t lie… Otherwise you’re just lying to yourself and in the long run hurting your possibilities for a happy future.

3. Ask yourself questions

• Why do you want to leave your current career? If you're unhappy with your life overall will changing jobs actually make you happier? If yes, why? Make a list of how a new career would improve your life?

• Is the new possible career something you can create your own business with and make a living at?

• Are you willing to go back to school for an education in a new field? Online / Nights / Weekends / Full time

Will you be:

• Happier
• More fulfilled / satisfied
• Go home knowing you gave valuable work
• Look forward to going to work?
• Will you smile more at work and away from the business office?

4. Research - See if there are any one day classes or educational seminars in your interested career choice(s). Go to an Open House at a local College or look up your local Learning Annex classes to see if they have an evening seminar / class available. Other ways to investigate new careers is to look up Associations of the career. Almost every business industry has an Association with a variety of information and resources. Go online to forums in your interested career and ask questions. The bottom line is to research and ask all the questions you have rather you think they’re relevant or not. As the question goes… There are no stupid questions…. Actually there are stupid questions but that’s a whole different blog in itself.

Just ask… You may think it’s a silly or stupid question but it may be one no one else has ever thought to ask and could make all the difference in your decision. One of my selfish priorities is I hate to work weekends and if I’m told that’s part of the job it goes to the bottom of my choices.

Still not sure? You’re as bad as us Libras! GESH… One more

5. Try it out - Is the career you want to change to something you can volunteer for? If you can donate a few hours or a business weekday in the new career environment as an Assistant. This could give you an idea of what you would be working in.