5 Tips for Switching Careers

Tip One: Do Your Research• Use the Occupational Outlook

Handbook to get an idea of salary information, qualifications, job outlook and work environment.

• Attend webinars and conferences related to your field.

• Subscribe to newsletters and join online communities.

• Read career blogs for help with all things career related.

Tip Two: Ask the Experts

• Reach out to experts in the field and ask them how they got where they are today.

• How much education, training and experience do they have?

• See if they will let you job shadow to get a better idea of what their job entails.

• Ask for their advice on switching careers.

Tip Three: Get Financially Ready

• Changing careers is stressful –even more so if you don’t have the financial means to make it a smooth transition.

• Try an app like Mint.com to keep track of your funds.

• It will ease your anxiety to have a little extra money in the bank. Save as much as you can before making the switch!

Tip Four: Update Your Resume

• Update the look and feel of your resume or create it from scratch using resume building sites.

• Add recent accomplishments, work responsibilities, newly acquired skills and any volunteer work you’ve done.

• Proofread for typos or formatting issues.

Tip Five: Network and Look for Jobs

• Tap into your professional networks (such as LinkedIn) to see who’s hiring and to connect with new people in the industry.

• Contact headhunters and ask what they look for in candidates.

• Attend local job fairs and networking events.

• Check job boards frequently.

Tip Five: Network and Look for Jobs

• Tap into your professional networks (such as LinkedIn) to see who’s hiring and to connect with new people in the industry.

• Contact headhunters and ask what they look for in candidates.

• Attend local job fairs and networking events.

• Check job boards frequently.