10 Tips to Make a Career Change in 2013

I am all for making a change when it’s warranted, not just at the beginning of the year. But I also believe that there is something synergistic and rather hopeful about the New Year. For those of us who look to the New Year to start anew, especially with specific life altering goals, it’s an opportunity to do better and grow as a person. When it comes to careers, the New Year is a chance to get renewed focus and gain more insight into what your next chartered course will be.

Julie Redfield, a talent management expert at PA Consulting Group, has shared her tips to help you set New Year Resolutions professionally so you can make a career change in the new year.

Here is Julie’s 10 Tips to Make a Career Change 2013:

1. Make a list of the pros and cons of your current job. Take the time to actually write them down and discuss them with a trusted confidante. This action will help you realize why you want to make a change, and what your new career needs are.

2. Be honest with yourself on your true motivations for the new career. What inspires you to make this change? Is it a bigger title, is it a field you where you have always wanted to be, is it a company that you personally believe in, is it a big name company, or is there someone you want to impress? We all have different drivers, and it’s important to take the time to understand your true reasons.

3. Make sure your desire to change jobs or careers is fact based. Changing careers is a major life decision and should not be taken lightly. Take the time to gather facts about your new industry, companies and the jobs you are researching.

4. Discuss with your current manager the things that are making you unhappy. Most employers don’t want to lose good employees, and you might be surprised what changes your current company will make to accommodate you, perhaps even allowing you to make a career change within the company.

5. Identify target companies and research them. Use social media sites to find out what employees are saying about the company, and try to find your own contacts within target companies

6. Talk to a trusted mentor to get advice. Make sure it is someone who knows you and is willing to give you honest and candid counsel.

7. Find a recruiter who specializes in your field. Build a strong relationship with a least one recruiter, so that they get to know you – the more you know your recruiter, the better equipped they will be to find suitable prospects for you.

8. Use your network to put feelers out in the marketplace. Get the word out that you are looking to make a career change.

9. Join an association in your new field. You’ll meet industry contacts and learn more about the field.

10. Be prepared to tell your story.  Don’t be afraid to tell people your true personal story and why you want a career change. Everyone can relate to the human side of career changes, so be clear, and direct about you want and why.

As a former HR manager and recruiter, I agree 100% with Julie, which is why I wanted to share with you her valuable list of tips. If you aren’t happy at your current job, make a change! Stop putting off tomorrow what you can do today?

Sure, changing careers and/or jobs isn’t easy. But many a people have done it successfully (including me), so I say, you will never know unless you try.

Are you wanting to make a career change in the New Year? Let’s discuss!

About Julie Redfield:

Julie Redfield is a talent management expert at PA Consulting Group. She brings crisp clear solutions to complex people issues, combining the human perspective with sound business practices, preparing companies to have the right people ready for the right roles at the right time. She brings a commercial focus to the HR function by having it motivate and engage employees, focus on business outcomes and drive bottom line growth.

About PA Consulting Group:

PA Consulting Group is a firm of more than 2,000 people, specializing in management and IT consulting, technology and innovation. Independent and employee-owned, we operate globally from offices across Europe and the Nordics, the United States, the Gulf and Asia Pacific.  PA Consulting works with businesses and governments to anticipate, understand and meet the challenges they face. PA Consulting has outstanding technology-development capability and a unique breadth of skills, from strategy to performance improvement, from HR to IT, and has expertise covering energy, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, government and public services, defense and security, transport and logistics, telecommunications, consumer goods and automotive. For more information about PA Consulting Group, visit www.paconsulting.com/us .