There’s a lot of truth in the saying, we work to live, not live to work, but that doesn’t always mean you have to settle for a career you don’t care for. Whether you feel like you’re on the wrong track with the job you have, or you see not future, you may need to make a change. Although you may want to avoid unemployment, or at least make a period of it as short as possible, a career change can often be good for you.
But, in order to be able to make that change, you often need to work on you. To land yourself a new job, whether it’s a promotion in the field that you’re already in, or to move industries and job roles altogether, you need to showcase your strong points. Sometimes, you may even need to add to your strong points altogether. When you feel like you’re ready to move on, it’s time to get yourself ready for the change, and here are seven standout ways to help you do that.
Get More Experience
First of all, you may want to think about getting some more experience. If your resume is a little light, you could benefit from some additional items to put on there. If you are looking to change career fields, then this is definitely going to be a must. To get more experience, you may want to try a range of things. You could do some intern work around your current job, or do some free work in the field remotely, or even spend your weekends getting more experience.
Volunteer
Then, you might want to think about volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to boost your resume. When you’re applying for different roles, recruiters often look for those little things that can push your application to the top of the pile, and volunteering is often one of them. It could be for a charity, or even in the field or industry that you’re looking to move into. Either way, volunteering work can help you to stand out.
Go Back To School
You may also want to think about studying some more. Sometimes, it’s your qualifications that can hold you back. But, when you’re looking to progress in your current industry or move on to a different role, further training and qualifications can help. Whether you want to look into online MBA HR programs to land you that promotion or look into beginners accounting courses to try and move roles, start today. It’s definitely one day to prove you’re dedicated to your career.
Join An Organization
Then, there’s always the option to join an organization. Being a part of a professional body can look great on your resume, but it can also allow you to network with likeminded people and open the door to a range of opportunities too. If you’re not sure what kind of body you should join, these professional organization examples should help. Then, as you become a part of something new, you should find it boosts you as a person as well as your prospects.
Go For An Award
Next, you might want to think about going for an award. When you want to boost your career prospects, you need to be able to stand out. Awards and honors can do that for you. Whether it’s entering your work in a competition or working hard to be nominated for something at work, do what you can to try and earn an award that can show off how good you are at what you do. Even if you’re looking to change fields, it will show how good of a worker you are.
Start A Project
You could also consider starting a project. Employers often like to see that their candidates are well-rounded. It’s great to have interests that can either feed into your work or improve you as a person in other ways. Whether you start a blog on a topic that you’re passionate about, or begin a group online or in your local area, you can show employers that you have a lot of skills and a lot to offer them.
Create A Portfolio
Finally, you may also find that having a portfolio is a great selling feature. When you’re looking to change jobs, gain a promotion, or even be headhunting for anything that could be of an interest, it’s crucial to have a portfolio. Creating a professional online portfolio allows you to show off your work, keep everything together in one easy to access place, and also be discoverable online by recruiters interested in candidates like you.