10 important things to know before you change careers

Considering a new career? If so, know that it takes a well thought-out plan to make a successful shift. You’ll want to examine your current situation along with the expected outcomes and possibilities connected with changing careers before you jump ship. To assess if a career change is right for you, keep these tips in mind:

1. Market demand
Changes in technology and new ways of doing business are challenging our assumptions about how we work. Labour market information can help you find out about the latest job trends, which sectors are booming, and what shifts are occurring. Websites like Labour Market Information, Making Career Sense of Labour Market Information, Canada Career Consortium and Job Futures can help you obtain valuable information about conditions in the labour market.

2. Location 
Decide if you are willing to move. Career changers who are willing to relocate stand a better chance of landing work. Plus, in some occupations, moving is the chief means for career advancement. If you’re not prepared to work outside your hometown or city, determine how far you are prepared to travel on a daily basis.

3. Education requirements
Discover what education level is needed for the career you want. You can find this information through a variety of resources including networking, volunteering and the Internet.

4. Personal commitments
Think about your responsibilities to the significant others in your life. What impact will a new career have on them? What are you willing to give up? What is non-negotiable? Where might you compromise?

5. Cultural background
Examine if there are cultural expectations around working in a certain field. What impact are these beliefs having on you? Are they limiting you or freeing you to try something else?

6. Lifestyle
Will a career change meet your lifestyle needs? Determine if your new career will pay you enough to live the kind of life you want. Google the phrase “salary wizard” or “salary calculator” to find useful websites with wage information.

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