How to Change Careers: New Directions For Anyone After A Successful Career Change
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It’s not hard to see the appeal in changing careers. Modern life is hard and it doesn’t look like it’s getting any easier. Work is where we spend a third of our day and, for a lot of us, where most of our stress and frustration comes from. Low pay and too much on our plates are major causes, but on a much simpler level the problem is just a lack of job satisfaction.
A fresh outlook might be the answer, but it’s not easy to change careers. It can be even less easy to fit a second job into your schedule. Upskilling to change roles within your current career might ease the burden, but it might not bring you as much of a difference as you’re looking for.
It takes time and money to change careers. Honestly, it takes a little luck too. You need to be in the right place at the right time to find the right person hiring for your exact skills and experience. Unfortunately, there isn’t a quick and easy solution. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You can change careers more easily if you know which shortcuts work and which small efforts yield the best results.
Ask Yourself Why You Want to Change Careers
Before making any career change it’s important to ask yourself why you want to change careers. If you don’t take some time to reflect on what you’re actually looking for you could end up finding an easy answer that turns out to be the wrong one.
The easiest jobs to get are rarely worth getting. So stop, think, and conduct a self-assessment before you pull the ripcord and end up starting from scratch. Take the time to figure out what the right career for you is, it’s not going anywhere.
If you’re feeling burnt out by working life in your current career then you might need to change careers, or you might just need a break or fewer hours. Even if you don’t have any holidays planned, take some annual leave to just stay at home or consider using some sick days on mental health leave. Use the time to clear your head and get a fresh perspective on what you’re looking for.
Better pay is one of the most obvious reasons people look into how to change careers. We’d all like more money but that’s easier said than done. Money unavoidably factors into our lives, but ask yourself how much a bigger paycheque actually matters to you right now. If it’s all you’re looking for it might be worth changing where you’re at in your current career before you change careers altogether.
Maybe you can afford to take a pay cut and could look into cutting back your hours. How long can you live with any debt you have? If none of that is possible for you then a new career path that takes you into part time or casual work might be your answer instead. Ultimately, if you are looking for more money and can’t move up at your job, just know that a lot of companies will pay more to steal someone from a competitor.
Upskilling Existing Skills For A Successful Career Transition
You might like your job but still feel you need to change careers. That doesn’t have to mean a promotion into a higher role within your organisation. You might just decide to change career goals instead. Sometimes better work-life balance or that fresh perspective you’re after can be found right where you are.
Ask your boss or your HR department if there are is optional training available internally. It might sound daunting, like you’re asking to add to an already overstacked workload, but time is equally limited for everyone and a good workplace will understand this.
If you have less time for your current role due to training or taking on additional tasks, that doesn’t have to mean you need to work twice as hard for twice as long. Speak to your colleagues and your manager to make sure the work that you’re leaving behind gets delegated properly.
As for external training, first aid and CPR courses suit any job and any industry. These courses are short, cheap, and are an excellent way to begin to plan your next career move. Taking a short course on your own time and dollar shows you’re dedicated to learning and to your role, looks great on any resume or in a performance review, and being able to save a life has clear value.
These skills are also applicable anywhere, not just at work. You could end up saving a life at home. If you’re looking to upskill for work then these courses are tax deductible as long as your employer knows you’re taking one in advance.
Qualifications and Other Ways to Find a New Career
What’s the best career progression path? Starting from the bottom is the hardest part of any career transition. There is so much to consider regarding where you’re going and how you’re planning on getting there. The thought of the effort can be overwhelming on its own, before you factor in the anxiety that comes with any new job.
You don’t have to throw away all your existing skills and qualifications. There’s no sunk cost. Every job type has transferable skills that gives you the chance to begin your next job in the middle. Starting in an entry level position might end up being your only way in, but consider that your means of getting your foot in the door.
Being backed by an existing skill set means you’ll have an easier time climbing back up the ladder. But learning on the job isn’t what it used to be and not every company will hire without relevant experience.
Postgraduate study options like going back to uni for a new qualification, taking vocational education and training for a graduate certificate at TAFE, or enrolling in apprenticeships and traineeships are the most obvious ways to build new experience for switching career direction.
The fact is these things take time and money that a lot of us simply don’t have with our current careers. Not without quitting our day jobs and going back to being poor, broke students. That’s where taking a short course can help you get new skills and experience.
If you’re dead set on joining a new industry then you need to reskill. A short course is the quickest way to get hands-on experience for training and employment in a new field. Anyone considering a career change should look at what short courses are available near you and see what matches their goals. Contact the training provider to discuss any recognition of prior learning you might be eligible for and make your training even quicker.
Change Careers to Hospitality
Do you miss how human connection used to feel in this modern, technological age? If you’re sick of talking to AI bots, actually like asking people how their day is going, enjoy keeping busy and having a flexible schedule, then hospitality could be the right way to change careers for you. The mental image of the grouchy teenager slinging burgers aside, hospitality work is for people who value kindness, social connections, and community.
A lot of people hesitate when they hear “hospitality”, thinking of teenagers working in fast food restaurants. But it’s much more varied than that. Hospitality comprises serving food and drinks in bars, cafes, clubs, hotels, at major events, and more.
A hospitality qualification under your belt opens the start of a virtually endless career ladder, with roles extending into management and even ownership. A hospitality career makes travel more possible; a degree earned in Australia is just as valid anywhere else in the world.
A food and beverage course is the all-rounder entryway to a career in hospitality, covering how to serve meals, mix drinks, and take orders. Any venue in Australia that serves alcohol will also need you to earn a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate to work in, regardless if you’re the one selling those drinks.
A barista course isn’t just for cafe work, it suits any venue where coffee is served. Even the people drinking instant coffee in your office kitchen or at home will appreciate someone who’s taken the time to learn how to make a better cup. Add the latte art course to your coffee making training and you’ll have an uncommon skill that will wow both prospective drinkers and employers.
Change Careers to Security
Security might sound like a daunting destination to change careers into. It conjures the image of a large, muscle-bound man standing out the front of a venue checking IDs and throwing drunkards out into the street. It hardly seems like the kind of thing anyone can do, but that’s far from the case.
Security is a people-based industry. It’s not about being able to win a fistfight, it’s about being able to avoid them in the first place, and that takes people skills like kindness and tact to defuse a potentially volatile situation before it can escalate. It takes a sharp mind and a keen eye to spot possible threats and a calm demeanor to handle them safely, not physical strength.
Hours and locations can vary, meaning you can move around a lot, but it also means the work can fit well into any schedule. Many international students pursue a career in security to support themselves while studying in Australia.
To work in security in Australia you first need to earn a Certificate II in Security Operations, then apply for a security license with the governing body of your state or territory. This short course only takes a week of your time, so anyone with enough leave built up can quickly complete this qualification and be that much closer to changing careers.
Change Careers to Care and Support
Caring for another human being is hard work, but it is also noble work. It can be deeply trying, but just as deeply rewarding and fulfilling for anyone with the fortitude to help our most vulnerable people every day.
Many people work as carers without even realising that looking after a child, elderly parent, or family member with a disability counts. To change careers into support often begins this way, with a loved one at home before finding the love for the working and turning it into fulltime employment.
A career change into support work can stay at home. It can also take you out into whatever care facilities need you. Be they retirement homes, hospice care, hospitals, or community support groups.
There are two main types of care work in Australia, disability support and aged care. Both are earned through a Certificate III in Individual Support, but through different elective units, one for Aged Care, and the other for Disability Support. It is possible to take both if you’re uncertain where you want to change careers into or if you want the full range of skills. Both qualifications are bolstered with first aid, CPR, and medication administration training.
The courses themselves are short, only three hours, but how long either takes ultimately depends on how hard you can devote yourself to the 120 hours mandatory work placement. Fortunately, once you’ve sourced work placement you’ll be in a stronger place to begin your new career, whether with that service or a different one.
Change Careers to Construction and Labour
Some people need to change careers just to get outside more. If you’re tired of being chained to an office desk and facing down a computer screen for 8 hours a day, and if hospitality isn’t for you, then manual, physical work might be the best way for you to change careers.
Construction work is like hospitality work but outside and without the customers. The hours are variable, the locations change, and the work is demanding. But the pay is good, often with penalty rates, your shifts can be flexible, and you also get the benefits of working outside and physical activity.
The entry point to a career change into construction work is white card training, also known as the construction induction card. Construction sites are full of dangers and hazards, like falls, heavy machinery, and dangerous materials, and this is quick, one day safety course shows you understand how to spot and deal with them before they can become a problem or cause injuries. Manual handling training can be optional depending on your employer, but shows you know how to safely move heavy loads.
A white card isn’t just for construction site access. You’ll need one if you want to work anywhere that construction work takes place. Even a film set or a community build project needs a white card. Other trades, such as painting or electrical work, will require you to have one in addition to any other qualifications. If you’re looking into freelance work and the joys of being your own boss, you’ll still need a white card.
Ready to Make a Career Change? How To Find Your Next Career
Whether you’re upskilling at work or looking for something entirely new, it takes more than just a qualification to change careers. There are plenty of options out there when it comes to applying for jobs, among them Seek, Indeed, and LinkedIn.
Workforce Australia has resources to help you navigate the current job market, write a resume and cover letter, and make the right decision in finding a new career. With many of the jobs we’ve outlined here, the old fashioned method of turning up and dropping off your resume still works.
Skills Training College is here to support you change careers, whatever that means to you. Our courses can give anyone’s career the boost they’re looking for. A single day or a single week of training is all it takes, and while that might sound like a lot if you’re feeling stuck if you’re determined to change careers it’s easier than you think. Enrol in one of our courses today so you can be prepared for whatever tomorrow brings.
FAQs
What Study Options Are Available?
Skills Training College’s courses come in a variety of delivery formats. Some are fully in-person, while others are blended with on site and online study you can complete at your own pace. We can even bring our training to your workplace for employers looking to upskill their whole team at once.
Am I Supported in My Next Career Move?
Yes. Talk to your trainer during or after your course, and see what professional insights they can offer. Every trainer has different personal experience and can make different recommendations, so it will come down to how helpful you find yours to be.
What Other Skills and Qualifications Do You Offer?
In addition to general first aid and CPR training, we also offer childcare training. While this is directed at teachers and childcare workers, babysitters, parents, and anyone who spends time with children will find this useful. We also offer Child Protection training to stay up to date with the latest professional legal requirements.
Is Postgraduate Study Better?
It honestly depends on what your goals are. Postgraduate study is available part time with many universities, goes much deeper into more specific subjects, and often requires work experience or internships. These take much more time and money than a short course, and their versatility is much more limited.
What Is The Best Career To Balance Working Life With Home Life?
Statistics show that hospitality is the best career for work-life balance due to the flexible hours and shifts, which is why many students stick to this work while studying. However, the reality is that this depends on the venue and your coworkers, and not every workplace in the industry will be flexible with your needs.