How to Make a Seamless Career Shift

The current global health crisis has made all of us think about what is really important in life, including our professional happiness as well as our mental and physical health. In the animal health industry, making a career shift requires careful consideration and strategizing. Here are some tips to make a seamless career shift.

Identify If a Career Change Is What You Want

If any part of you has considering making a career pivot, you should pause to think about your long-term goals. It is one thing to fantasize about starting a new career but following through is a different story. Start by evaluating whether your current job gives you what you want in terms of professional satisfaction, career development, income, work-life balance, etc. Then, research other careers to see if they align better with your goals. You also want to consider what skills you have and what your personal strengths and weaknesses are. In some cases, you may need additional education to make the job change a reality. What you do not want to do is make a spontaneous career shift only to discover the new career doesn’t really line up with your interests or skills. If you think a change in a career will give you more satisfaction in your personal and professional life, a career shift may be exactly what you need.

Create a Plan

Once you decide a career change is what you want, it’s time to make a plan. Start making a timeline. Is the new career something you can jump into right away or are there educational or skill requirements you need to obtain before you can make the change? Your plan should include the steps you need to make yourself hirable in the new career, as well as the steps it will take to leave your current job. The plan should also include a timeline for a job search. In some cases you may have to save up money so you have a cushion if you don’t find a job right away.

Use Your Network

Big changes are always stressful. Will you find a job right away? Will you enjoy the career as much as you thought? Will you be able to make friends at your new job? You may feel tempted to distance yourself to cope with the stress, but it is important to lean on the support system you have. Your friends and family can help keep your spirits up as you job hunt. You also want to work on building and maintaining your professional network. So much of job hunting is who you know, so try to connect with people in the industry.

Changing careers is a big decision that should not be made lightly. That said, a shift in careers may be exactly what you need to attain the satisfaction and balance you need. Be open-minded and realistic as you decide whether a career change is right for you, then develop a step-by-step plan that will allows you make your career goals a reality.

Are you looking for top talent in the Specialty Chemical, Plastics, or Animal Health industry?

Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your team. Boaz Partners is a premier executive search firm focused on the direct recruitment of executives and professionals for the specialty chemicals and plastics space. We are your partner, and our focus is on custom recruiting solutions.