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How to change careers successfully

Change Career

Are you interested in changing careers? Maybe you’ve discovered new interests that you’d like to put to work, or you’d simply like to make more money. Before you make the switch, it’s important to explore your current situation.

 

Try to keep a daily journal in which you write about your current job. You don’t have to get into all the details, but do note which aspects of the job you like and which you dislike? Maybe you like the company but not the content of your work, or vice versa. This will help you figure out what you’re looking for and what you need to do to change careers. Perhaps you’re only a diploma away from a raise in your current position. Reeves College offers programs in business, healthcare, legal administration, and art and design. 

It’s never too late to upgrade your skills or change careers completely -- no matter how old you are. To help you decide if your career needs a makeover, and help you choose a more satisfying career, follow these five tips:

1. Assess your interests, values, and skills

Go back in time and review your past successful roles, volunteer positions, projects and jobs to identify your favored activities and skills. Are your core values and skills addressed by your current career? If not, it’s time to take some action. 

2. Consider alternative careers

Brainstorm ideas for career alternatives by researching your career options. Have a look at programs available at Reeves College to get some career ideas based on jobs that are in demand or meet with a career counselor for advice. Reeves College has an entire team of career experts on hand.

3. Check out job options

You can find a wealth of information online simply by Googling the jobs that interest you. Find out as much as you can about those fields and reach out to any personal contacts you have in those sectors for informational interviews. A good place to start is your college alumni career network. LinkedIn is also a fantastic resource for finding contacts in specific career fields of interest.

4. Set up a job shadow

If you are thinking of publishing as a career, try editing your local chamber of commerce newsletter. If you're interested in working with animals, volunteer at your local shelter. When you shadow professionals who are working in a field of your interest, you’ll get to observe the work firsthand. You don’t have to spend a long time at this – just a few hours can offer tons of insight. Career Services at Reeves College is a good place to find alumni volunteers who are willing to host job shadowers. 

5. Take a class or go back to school full-time 

Investigate educational opportunities that will help you to connect the experience you already have with a brand-new career. When you enroll in a career diploma program at Reeves College Calgary, you are taking the first step big toward finding a career you’ll love. 

Reeves College programs and courses have been developed based on input from professionals in the areas of art and design, business, healthcare, and legal studies. Their input ensures all graduates enter the workforce with the required skills to excel in their chosen career fields.