How You Can Make A Career Change Without Worrying About A Pay Cut

Career changes are a common occurrence at present because many employees choose to transition out of their existing careers in search of better work-life balance, benefits, purpose, and company culture.

A recent U.S. Chamber poll revealed that around 41% of working Americans are thinking about switching industries for their next job.

Many job seekers start on their career change journey with low expectations about receiving the same salary (or better) they received at the last job. However, we have several reasons to believe that you shouldn’t resign for a lower salary when changing your career.

There are multiple options for you to make your career more flexible. Freelancing and remote working seem to be two of the most popular choices among job seekers who wish for more flexibility.

If you are clinging on to a job you don’t even like because it pays you a substantial salary that you don’t want to say goodbye to, you won’t need to do that anymore with these tips we share today:

Have confidence in your career change decision

You can never achieve something which you don’t believe. If you want to turn your life around and switch careers for a better future, have confidence in your decision. When you are confident about achieving your career goals, your job search journey would be much more determined.

Start working for your career goals

Instead of daydreaming about becoming the owner of a leisure resort after leaving your banking career, build yourself some achievable career goals. Start small when you define your career goals and plan out what you must do every day to reach them. One small action a day towards your future will have a huge impact in a few weeks’ time.

Think ahead if you can’t seem to make a decision

Changing careers is no easy choice to make. If you have doubts about your immediate future after leaving your current job, try thinking about a few years into the future. Maybe your career change idea would not seem so crazy when you are 10 years down the road. Remember, when it comes to your career, it is always wise to think long-term rather than short-term.

Identify specific goals that you want to achieve out of your career change

Different people have different expectations of changing their careers. Think deeply about what in your current job makes you feel unhappy or unsatisfied for you to consider a career change. There are many things you can consider such as the position, flexibility, travel, and location of the new job.

Remember that you don’t have to start at 0 thanks to your transferrable skills

You are not going back to square one just because you changed careers. There are multiple professional skills you can bring to the new workplace from your old job. Some transferrable skills that can be applied to any industry are:

• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Management
• Communication
• Quick learning
• Adaptability
• Organization
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Problem-solving

Think about gaining new qualifications

If you have no certifications or credentials required for the new field, it might now be time to consider getting some. Enroll in an online course or certification program to learn skills necessary for the new job and add valuable credentials to your resume.

Use your professional and personal networks for support

Almost all job seekers benefit from asking their professional network for support when looking for a new opportunity. Your friends, family, or coworkers can connect you with fantastic job offers with amazing benefits, when you ask them for help.

Consider hiring a professional resume writer to create your career change resume

Though you may not spot them right away, there are a number of qualities and skills you have that can be used to increase your appeal to potential employers. Resume writing experts know just how to frame your transferrable skills, work experience, volunteer activities, and credentials in a way that recruiters cannot possibly reject.