Month: October 2016

It’s not surprising to suddenly hit a brick wall after dealing with so many ups and downs from the current career you have right now. Hitting the end of these lamentations come on without warning; here comes one day, you’ll be walking to work and then you suddenly realize you really don’t want to do it anymore. You’ll caught yourself joggling answers for these two life changing questions-whether to stay right where you are right now, or to get out from your box and lead yourself taking a new career path.
 
You may feel your life has become stagnant and monotonous after having the same job for decades, and for some, you can see it coming a mile off, and it accumulates into a decision to change careers. After all it’s equally important to realize it is okay to make a change to your life. However, make sure you take into account these important factors before you decide to quit your job.
 
Take it slow. Changing career path should not happen overnight. There are many steps to making a career change. These include planning, learning, training and qualifying. It will probably be at least a year before you’re ready to start a new job properly. Changing professions is usually a slow process, so if you like fast results, bear this in mind. Do you have the time and patience to invest in a career overhaul? And, more importantly, are you absolutely sure you want to? Make sure you won’t regret every situation; every job has pros and cons.
 
Your new career might require you to dust off the books and head back to college. Are you in a position to fully commit to earning new qualifications and learning new skills? Are you able to dedicate your evenings and weekends to revision or projects? If you are ‘too cool for school’ now, changing your career to one that requires new academic qualifications might not be the best idea. Choosing the right career training institute plays a big part in the process too.
 
Here are some general tips in choosing the right training institute.

1. CHECK THE TRAINING INSTITUTE’S REVIEWS:
   Good Reviews – If there are 1000 happy students then training institute will have at lest 10 good reviews.
   Bad Reviews – If 1000 students are not happy with the quality then you will find at least 10 bad reviews about them.
2. HOW THE TRAINING PROVIDER RESPOND TO UNHAPPY STUDENT? – If the training institute cares about the quality and reputation then they will write an official reply to complaints raised in different forum.
3. KNOWING THEIR TRAINERS – Best way to know about the trainer is to take the feedback from ex student. Ask for contact details of 1 or two students who got trained and do not hesitate to call them. Most importantly request the training institute to share the profile or resume of the trainer. You have all the rights to get a copy of your trainer resume.
4. PLACEMENT RECORDS – Know about the previous placement records and know who their clients are. How many connections they are having with proof ( Like linkdin, Job requirement email, Job postings in their facebook page etc).
5. MATERIALS THE INSTITUTE UTILISE– Materials are the most important thing. If proper materials are not available that means The Institute is new in that domain. Ask for sample materials, Detailed Syllabus & Projects details etc.
6. ASKING QUESTIONS SUCH AS CAN I ATTEND THE SAME CLASS AGAIN? – Know if you can re-attend the training if some concepts are not clear. Yes, you deserve extra class if you are not convinced in one attempt.
7. SUPPORT AFTER THE COMPLETION OF TRAINING – Know how long the institute will continue to support you after completing the training and how students can reach the trainer for doubts and clarification while working.
8. LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – Ask if they have any Learning Management System configured which is complaint with SCORM. Many Training Institute failed in implementing it. Learning Management System is very crucial in tracking student’s progress, preparations for Interview, and access to updated materials etc.

Moving forward, there are more factors you need to consider in changing your career prim and proper. Some factors that talk about your financial status, how this would affect the people around you and what would be your backup plans were part of the track.
 
This is something you need to consider before ending your current career- Is there enough in the bank to see you through? Can you rely on your partner’s income alone or on help from family and friends? Will a part-time job alongside your new studies be sufficient? Additionally, if you will be starting from the bottom in your new profession, your salary may take a bit of a hit. Depending on what your new venture is, you may have to return to school and, hence, might not have time to work. This might mean you have to rely on savings or make major cuts on spending while you don’t have a secure, full-time job. You may have to enter at a junior level and, if you were a manager or executive in your previous position, the difference in salaries will be significant. You need to consider whether you’re able and willing to live on less money until you have worked your way back up a different ladder.
 
Is your family in a position to cope with change? For example, is your financial situation strong enough to survive your term of unemployment before you find your next job? Will you have to relocate? Changing careers may uproot your life and routine. A decision as big as changing your profession is going to affect more people close to you. Spouses, children and other dependents need to be considered in the decision. It can involve more studying, more experience and training and, usually, less money for a while. Do you have young children who need to be considered; change can be confusing for them. Although you’re the one who has to do the job every day, so your happiness and sanity should be a large deciding factor, it’s important not to be selfish and to think of the other people in your life.
 
Don’t forget to always prepare for plan B. Don’t make a hasty, rash decision without having a Plan.
 
It’s all well and good, knowing you want to end one career and embark on another. However, before you hand in your resignation letter, make sure you know what you want to go into next and, more importantly, that you have a plan of action. Whether that means having another job to walk straight into or starting a college course to get new, relevant qualifications, make sure you know what your next steps are; be ready to implement them before you sever all ties with your current career. As one door closes, another door opens.