Learn How to Successfully Search for a New Career

Love What You do and You Will Succeed
In Barbara Sher's, Wishcraft: How to get what you Really Want, she states one of the foundations of success is enjoying what you do. If you are not quite sure where your interests or passions are, think about the games that you played as a child. Did you play teacher, doctor, or cops and robbers? Did you enjoy directing and coordinating the activities of the group, or did you enjoy playing alone? Think back to what you enjoyed to start your career search for your future.

Career Assessment is a Valuable Tool for Career Success
If you have difficulty finding your talents and interests, career assessment tests are valuable tools to help you discover your hidden abilities. Most colleges and universities have guidance counselors that can administer and evaluate the testing for you. You can also do career assessments online. There are numerous Web sites that offer free testing. You can take several tests to see if a pattern emerges across the different evaluations on what career best suits you.

Evaluate Your Lifestyle
You should consider what your lifestyle needs are. Do you need full-time or part-time work? Do you like an 8 to 5 or prefer flexibility in your schedule? Are you most productive at an office or at home? Success in your new career can be determined by how compatible your work is with your lifestyle.

Talk to Others
Professionals doing the job are the best source of knowledge and insight into the new career you are contemplating. Ask those in the profession about their jobs and get their feedback. Setting up informational interviews is a great way to get a feel for an industry.

Walk the Talk
After twenty years as an accountant, I wanted to do something more. As a "people" person, I didn't like the alienation of crunching numbers all day. I was also bored. However, I was nervous about giving up proficiency in a field and starting over. When I became Controller at a mortgage company, I watched the loan officers, and I liked what I saw. Loan officers helped people, controlled their own schedules, and were constantly challenged by new scenarios. So, I decided to become a loan officer and have enjoyed it ever-since.

You can make the change too. Take stock of your skills, your interests, and your dreams and move toward a more promising future. A promising career is only a "wish" and some "assessing" away.

Sources
Sher, Barbara. Wishcraft: How to get What you Really Want. Ballantine Books; New York, NY, 1979.