Ways to Exploring a Career Change – Before Chucking Your Current Job!

It’s the dilemma faced by so many people in the workforce today. And, we see it firsthand at Key Corporate Services. The fact is, most of the potential candidates that we are in contact with are currently employed. They aren’t desperate, they just want to find something better, more challenging, more rewarding.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with that, the reality is many of these people are paralyzed by fear. Fear of the risks associated with stepping out and making a career change. While some apprehension is normal, there ARE ways to explore career changes while still in a job.

If you are currently employed but feeling stagnant and wondering how to find new passion in your work, take heart. A recent article in TheMuse.com entitled 4 Secrets to Taking Career Risks—While Still Paying Your Rent highlighted ways you can explore career options while in a current job.

They include:

You could network within your company

Most companies have departments with different responsibilities and functions. Realize that these represent a myriad of opportunities for networking.

Step out of your comfort zone and develop relationships with people in other departments where you might have an interest. Seek out someone who is preferably at a director-level in that department. Why? Because that person will know when positions are available and need to be filled. Mentoring with someone at least 2 levels above your current grade is always a great idea.

Design your own job function

Who better to know the needs of your company than someone who currently works there? Try creating new functions for your current job. Develop an entrepreneurial skill to solve a problem.

Align your existing skills and passion to developing a new approach or best practices for your current position. Your manager will be impressed with your creative thinking out of the box approach. And you will be changing a stale job into an exciting, challenging one again.

How about a doing a Shadowcation?

A take-off on the idea of a staycation, a shadowcation involves shadowing someone in a new position. If you think someone’s job is interesting and you would like to do that, see if you can spend time walking in their shoes. Solicit shadowing opportunities as you would job opportunities. Email the appropriate contact and explain why you would like to shadow them. Offer to clear your own schedule to accommodate their needs.networking

Analyze the cost associated with a career move

You owe it to yourself to analyze the true costs associated with making a career move. What will be the financial costs? Will a move result in a lower income initially? If so, how long will you be happy in this scenario? If you chuck a job and strike out on your own to look for a new one, how long do you anticipate it will take to land that new position? How much savings do you have to live on during the job search?

Changing careers doesn’t have to be so paralyzing that you don’t even try. Realize there are options along the way. If you believe in your ability to succeed at something new, you’ll likely see greater professional rewards than you ever thought possible.

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