Best Ideas for a Career Change

Updated June 17, 20221.8k

If you’re not feeling fulfilled in your current career, then you might want to change to something new. Here’s how you find a new career that you might want to look into.

Career Change Ideas

When you make a career choice right after you get out of high school, typically before the age of 20, your preferences and interests are likely much different than they are now. Although some people are still in love with their current job, others may have a different dream job that they’re interested in pursuing. If you’re thinking about going into a new job search, then here’s what you need to know about becoming a career changer.

Why Might I Want to Change Careers?

There are many reasons someone might decide they want to change their career path. If any of these apply to you, then it might be time to look for new career advice:

You don’t find your current job fulfilling anymore.
You discovered a new passion over the years.
A new type of job has been invented that you really like.
Your current field is becoming unnecessary.
You want to move from a part-time job to a full-time job or vice versa.
You’ve changed your idea of the perfect work-life balance.
You’ve taken a pay cut at your current job and want a second career.

There are many reasons that you might want to change careers, ranging from just finding a new type of job you enjoy to actively being unable to find jobs in your current field. All of these are equally valid reasons to pursue a career change.

Career Change Options to Pursue

What are some good career change ideas to consider, no matter where you are in your career? There are typically two jobs that just about anyone can transition into. And, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), you don’t have to worry about these jobs fizzling out anytime soon:

Administrative assistant
Customer service representative

These two jobs are basically always looking for new applicants, and chances are that you have plenty of transferable skills that can help you when working for these jobs. However, if neither of them catches your eye, then consider these other job titles that can be great options:

Career coach in your current field
Computer science/Software developer
Financial planner
Graphic designer
Healthcare worker
Nonprofit worker/Fundraiser management
Real estate manager

These options all have different requirements and different paths toward a full skill set. However, they’re all great options for someone who’s already had one career and wants to move into another.

Tips for Creating a Resume for a Career Change

When you’re writing a resume for an upcoming career change, you need to focus your resume on whatever you’re trying to showcase. Here are a few tips you can use to prepare your resume for a new entrance into the job market:

Emphasize transferable skills. If you have skills you learned in your current industry that you can also use in the new one, then talk about those skills first.
Include certifications if available. Certifications are a great way to show a hiring manager that you actually know what you’re doing.
Know the average salary for the job you’re going into. You may get questions about your salary range requirements at an interview.

Always write a cover letter. No matter what job you’re applying for, a cover letter is always an important part of your job application.
Include different types of experience if you can. If you have experience in the field you’re pursuing, then add it alongside experience in your current field. Just learn how to tie your current experience to the new field.

These tips can make it easier for you to change careers.

FAQ: Career Change Ideas

Can I consider a career change at an older age?

You can pursue a career change at any age. If you want to pursue a career change after just one year of employment or after decades of life experience, then you absolutely can. Individuals who are looking for a new career later in life may want to rely more on previous experience when deciding on a new industry to pursue. That way, you can avoid returning to school but instead move right into the job market once again.

What makes a new job a good career change?

The best career options to pursue a new job are jobs that you love, jobs that are becoming high in-demand and jobs that relate to the current career you’re pursuing. You should make sure at least one of these elements is true when you look at a different job. If none of them are true, then you might be best off staying with your current role.

How can I effectively get a job in a new career?

When you switch careers, you need to ensure you can actually compete with job seekers in the new career you’re interested in. The best way to get that career is to lean heavily on the tools at ResumeNerd. Use the resume builder and cover letter builder to create an eye-catching cover letter that’s sure to make a hiring manager be impressed by your qualifications. From there, use ResumeNerd to brush up on job interview tips and tricks. This can help you become ready to pursue a career transition.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.