Read This if You’re Condsidering a Career Change

Job hopping is the new norm for millenials (born between 1977-1997), and nearly 91 percent of millennials expect to stay in a job for less than three years, according to the Future Workplace’s Multiple Generations @ Work survey. If you’re in this category, this means you could have as many as 20 jobs over the course of your working life!

If you’re considering a career change, here are a few tips:

1. Assess yourself

If your current job is not stimulating, figure out what you dislike about the work and environment and decide how it could be more challenging. Likewise, if your job stresses you out and is too intense, consider what occupation might be more satisfying. By analyzing your current job, you’ll have a better understanding of what opportunity and work atmosphere might be more suited to you. Consider many possibilities before jumping at every “help wanted” sign or online post. Ask yourself: What do you enjoy doing? What skills do you have that can translate to other lines of work? What are your core values and what industries incorporate those values?

2. Consider your timing

Perhaps it’s a brand new job with which you’re dissatisfied within just a handful of days, or maybe it’s a job you’ve held for three or four years. Regardless of the timing, offer the courtesy of a minimum two week notice. If you’ve been at the job for only a year or two, however, be very mindful of your choices and their consequences before throwing in the towel. According to BBB contributor, Bryan Borzykowski, people should be careful that they don’t job-hop too often in search of “the right fit.” Potential employers may wonder if the candidate will only be there until something better comes along. Longevity at a job shows you have a sense of loyalty and commitment, but also an interest in shaking things up and tackling new challenges.

3. Go back to school

Some careers and military positions require a degree or a certification. If these credentials are lacking, enroll at a traditional college, or find an online learning institution that might offer a series of streaming videos for weekly lessons.

4. Look into your hobbies

Wouldn’t you love an occupation that allows you to do what you enjoy when you’re not working? You have the expertise and the passion, two ingredients that employers would prize. However, turning a hobby into a career can be a mixed blessing, writes Alison Green from US News and World Report. According to Green, working your hobby as a job could eventually cause you to start hating it—someone who loves to bake on the weekends may find the magic departs quickly if she’s required to bake 100 cakes a day for work.

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