Changing careers | Mai Tai

Are you always day dreaming about a perfect career with your fingers crossed that it will happen some day?

London is packed with almost endless opportunities, so you can decide….are you a dreamer or a someone who will ultimately turn that dream into a reality?

Give your career a quick MOT check!

Try answering the following questions to check if your current profession is right for you.

1. Would you describe your current role as your dream job

2. Are you motivated at work?

3. Do you feel energised most of the time?

If you answered no to the three questions above, this is a first step in admitting that something is not quite right and that you will either have to change your attitude or change your profession. There are many reasons why you may feel disengaged in the workplace. Perhaps you are feeling undervalued, have an unrealistic workload or have concerns over a lack of career opportunities. Or it might be time for a complete career change.

Mai Tai understands the diverse needs of driven city professionals and we have listed five tips to help you design a life which goes against the grain.

Tap into your passion

When you are completely changing your career path, you need to make sure you are swapping for something that you really want to do. Think about the passions you have outside of work and how they could be included in a potential career. List your desires and then assess your options. If you work so much that you are struggling to find out what your passions are. 

Ask an expert

You are not the first person to decide a career change is in order and there is help and advice available. Do some research online and offline. Alternatively, why not seek the help of a career change consultant or a life coach?

Mind the gap!

When you have identified the career, you would like to have, don’t get overwhelmed by gaps in your experiences. Acquiring an entirely new skill set takes time, but step by step, you can achieve your goals. Think about the knowledge and qualifications you need and formulate a long-term plan to acquire them. And it is not all about qualifications, sometimes work shadowing for a day or a few weeks is necessary and many companies would be willing to help out.

Getting the correct qualifications and/or skills for a career change is essential, but gaining knowledge about the wider industry is also important as it will allow you to converse with people already working in your desired sector. Try to gain a deeper understanding of challenges faced by that industry or new opportunities that might be arising, and your eagerness to become part of that industry will seem more credible.

Your CV Makeover

Once you find yourself applying for a job in the industry you would like to work in, it is time to accentuate the positive. Start with your CV. It should focus on the skills you have which are relevant to the industry, your career history should come second.

At the interview, employers can be a little nervous about someone who has decided to opt for a career change. They may question how committed you would be to your new role. It is your job to reassure them. Get prepared to tell them how your previous career enabled you to recognise that you would be suitable for the new role and tell them about your transferable skills.

Insiders tip! Shake up your entire CV by getting an experienced freelancer to re-write it for you. Check out the People Per Hour website for some of the best in town.

Get some experience

You’re probably already familiar with the phrase, “Experience in a Similar Role Required”! It can prove to be a bit of a chicken and egg situation, so be prepared to gain experience on a voluntary basis. For example, if you are looking to get into marketing, look at local organisations or charities who might be looking for someone to help them out, but cannot afford to pay. The experience will prove to be beneficial.

Our mindset towards career change is a funny old thing. Other big life decisions such as marriage or moving house, can be changed when something is not right. Yet when it comes to our career, by the age of 30, we are expected to be on the right path.

There are so many reasons why not to change career. Financial commitments, relationships, bad timing or perhaps a lack of confidence. Going against the grain takes guts and ambition, so focus on the action steps necessary for the change to take place.

Whilst some people might be prepared to take the leap, others may be motivated by the security of staying exactly where they are just to pay their mortgage. So, if you are on the fence, consider this. A recent report suggested that by 2050, up to 40% of current jobs, will no longer exist. Consequently, widening your experiences and expertise can only be a positive move in the long run.

I couldn’t find any recent stats about the number of careers someone would have in a lifetime but it doesn’t matter. Your happiness is a positive thing for everyone, especially the people that work with you!

Shar Fuller © Mai Tai Group 2018