From lives to livelihoods – the Covid-19 pandemic has affected everything, and circumstances are forcing many people to consider a career shift.

Change can be intimidating, and many people do not know where to start or how to go about navigating this crossroads. This can lead to hasty decisions and making the wrong choices.

Here are six things to think about that can help individuals navigate the transition and make a career change as painless as possible.

1. Identify the areas of interest

The first step is for the individual to figure out what they want. Narrow down the options, figure out one’s niche skillset and ask these questions:

• What skills do I have that make me more competent than others?
• What do I enjoy doing?
• How can I make an impact, or influence others through my work?

The person should work out what they are most interested in, and once they know what they want, they are ready to make that big career move.

2. Know what the deal breakers are

If there is a great job opportunity but there are aspects that make it impossible to accept it, these are the deal breakers. For example, the job may involve moving to a new city or another country but there are constraints that make such a move impossible.

Hence, location is a deal breaker. As life goes on, people encounter many more deal breakers — money, distance, family, personal relationships and so on. So, individuals should figure out the deal breakers from the get go.

Whether it is the salary or the location of the company, sort out viable options and narrow them down to those that can be worked with.

3. Explore options

Doing trumps thinking every time. Do not waste time thinking about the pros and cons. Start exploring the options. For instance, create that blog one has been thinking about, launch a YouTube channel for original compositions or even start an online side-hustle.

If an idea pops into the head, any idea, always write it down and tick it off the list when it is completed. A career change is never a smooth process and overthinking it does not help. The quickest and best way to get positive results and find the right direction is to do something about it.

Prepare for rejection

During every transition, there will be rejection. Don’t be discouraged. Nobody becomes successful without falling down and picking themselves up again, and again.

Keep the spirits up and continue to work in the chosen field. There may be 20 rejections, but one day the exceptional job opportunity one has been looking for will come.

Start networking

Networking is key during the process of changing career. Landing a job becomes much easier with the appropriate professional network in place and the right referrals.

Take the time to build meaningful, long-term connections, so, when support is needed, the connections are there. And the network can help in finding new connections and sponsors in the industry of choice.

Pursue relevant courses and internships

Pursuing relevant courses or internships for professional development and to build one’s skillset is useful at a career crossroads.

For example, someone who needs to lose weight exercises and eats less to reach the goal weight.

Similarly, someone making their way in a career needs to do the work to reach a goal, in this case keeping up with the latest industry trends and staying up-to-date on new methods of doing things.

Taking up professional courses will hone one’s skills and deepen one’s knowledge.

Build a portfolio

A digital portfolio is an excellent way to showcase the abilities highlighted in one’s résumé.

Just telling potential employers about what one has worked on will not create any interest. Use a digital portfolio to prove what one has learned and accomplished.

If there are potential clients and bosses looking for samples of one’s work, just send them the portfolio. Always keep it up-to-date and relevant to the industry one is moving into.

Conclusion

Preparing for a career change and finding the ideal job is not a one-day process. It can be a stressful experience but it is also very exciting.

It can help someone find themselves, discover what makes them happy and figure out where they see themselves career-wise in the future.

It is important not to give up and to keep moving forward.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com

Jobstore is an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.