How many jobs do you think the average person has in a lifetime? 4? 8? the answer is actually 12!
In the last year 32% of those aged 25 to 44 considered a career change and since starting their first job after college 29% of people have completely changed fields (stats from Apollo Technical).
It’s so easy to fall comfortably into a career you pursue currently as you know what’s expected of you and everything has become second nature but what about those ‘what if’s’ – What if I pursued a career in coding as I enjoy solving problems and love Technology? Or, what if I put my creative flare to practise and worked in Content Creation?
If you have a creative hobby or interest, you may even be able to shift your career to fit into what you enjoy – we spend around 1,950 hours a year at work (if we are working 37.5 hours per week) so we may as well enjoy ourselves as much as we can right?
A big question for someone wanting to change their career is how? It can be a very daunting process and is a big step out of anyone’s comfort zone but here are a few steps that could help you begin the process.
What shall I do if I want to start a career in a brand new field?
- Think about your interests – If you love computing and solving problems you may want to get into coding or maybe you design cards for your loved ones on special occasions… which could link into a creative role such as marketing or content creation.
- Research possible career opportunities – It’s almost impossible to know which job title appeals to you the most in a brand new industry so dive in and take a look… some roles may appeal to you more than others.
- Consider a course/apprenticeship – Short courses, Skills Bootcamps and Apprenticeships are a great way to start in a new field as you will get help from employers/coaches on what skills are needed in the industry which you can build on… this will help you when going for your first role!
- Take a look at your current skills – you may have certain experience that links into a new role you want to achieve e.g.: Customer service experience in retail links nicely into an IT career where you speak to people internally and externally to solve problems.
- Build your connections and find a mentor – It’s so valuable to find people on LinkedIn who are in the same industry that you want to explore and you can take a look at their current skillset to help you understand what courses they got involved in and also connect with them to see what sort of posts they are putting on their page (they could be hiring).
How Just IT can help?
Just IT is about making careers happen. As a national multi award-winning company operating for over 20 years, we support learners through our unique offering of Skills Bootcamp Programmes, Apprenticeships, Recruitment and Training services.
Our top four tips on making the change:
- Go into your new career with an open mind – It is always good to stay open about the subject you are exploring as you may find something along the way that you enjoy more.
- Understand that a new career doesn’t happen overnight – It may take time for you to get into the career/role you hope and courses/training may become your priority at first, but remember that is ok and we all have to start somewhere.
- Keep strengthening your skills – Even people already in the industry are continuously learning new things and it’s always good to better yourself.
- Just go for it – There is no right time to dive into a new career… The average age a person changes careers is 39 years old.
If you are currently looking to start a brand new career in tech or want to upskill your current tech skills then please reach out to us today and we can point you in the direction of the team who can help.