As a Certified Personnel Consultant working for Find Great People International in Greenville, South Carolina, I receive telephone calls from people who are considering a career change. For some, transitioning to a new career is easier than others. Some professionals already possess a foundation of skills to make the transition easier. I’ll give an example. An unemployed network engineer and hobby electrician decides to become an electrical contractor for new construction. His transition might be easier because he needs minimal training to enter the new field. But others require training, or additional schooling, which can sometimes be costly.

Strategy for Changing Careers

It’s best to take a strategic approach when changing careers. The first step is identifying a career of interest to you. Then, visit jobsites like Careerbuilder.com,Monster.com, and Hotjobs.com and search for job postings by keywords or titles relating to your newly desired career field. Next, read through the job postings identified, analyze them, and try to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities employers are searching for in this field. Once you’ve researched your chosen career, deepen your knowledge through class work or mentoring with a friend whom you respect and whose experience might relate to that field. In order to advance in your field of choice, an undergraduate or advanced degree may be necessary.

Speak to a Recrutier

Another way to make an effective career change is to contact someone like myself – a recruiter or “headhunter” who specializes in your desired field. The purpose of your call is to gather information about your chosen profession. For example, at Find Great People International, we have recruiters specializing in manufacturing, information technology, health care, apparel, finance and accounting, and professional temporary staffing. It may be helpful to jot down a list of questions before your call. When I speak to someone about changing careers, the individual usually acknowledges they do not possess the skills or experience to do the job yet -- but they are eager to break in. I evaluate their skills, based on a series of questions. Sometimes they’ll have a foundation for the new career and that’s a starting point.