As we prepare to flip the calendar to a blank slate of a new year, you might have decided that a new job should be in your future.
A new year is a great time to think about reinvention, and that can go for your professional life as much as it can renew a pledge to get in shape, travel more, or learn a language.
If you’re looking to change jobs and reinvent yourself professionally, this is the best time to put a new best foot forward! Here’s how to go about it.
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Consider your talents.
Do you love working with clients and customers, but your current job doesn’t give you much opportunity for that? Or maybe your happy place is organizing, keeping everything in place, and everyone on target for their deadlines. If there’s something you enjoy that your current job doesn’t utilize very much, consider that when looking for a new job. Find something that fits your interests and skills and see where that can take you.
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Learn a new skill.
If you’re not finding positions that are interesting to you, or if you’re finding jobs you like, but you’re missing an in-demand skill, this can be a great time to take a class and pick up some new information. There are also tons of tutorials on YouTube and LinkedIn that can help you learn at least the basics of a number of skills, including social media, simple construction, maintenance and carpentry, just about anything! Pay attention, take notes, make some attempts and see whether this skill is something you’d like to utilize in your next job.
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Find a mentor.
Consider the work your friends and family do. Does anyone’s job interest you in particular? See whether they’d be willing to talk with you about their work, what it entails, how long they’ve been at it, what skills they need to have and what their day looks like. Ask if their workplace offers job shadowing so you can get a real look into what they do five days a week and see if you can try your hand at it. You might be surprised at how much more goes into a job than meets the eye!
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Try volunteering or an internship.
If you have the time, see whether you can loan your time to an organization that is of interest to you. If you like animals, see if your local animal shelter has a volunteer program so you can see what goes into veterinary work, for example. Also talk with local unions or vocational schools to see if they can help put you in touch with groups that offer training or other educational opportunities. It’s a great way to get hands-on learning before committing to a kind of work full-time.
Changing your career can be daunting, but nothing without risk is worth doing. Invest and believe in yourself, and you’ll be rewarded!
If you’re looking for a little help in finding a new job, call Debbie’s Staffing. We have wonderful companies as partners, and they’re looking for candidates just like you to join their teams. Call Debbie’s Staffing today and let’s help you on the road to reinvention.
