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Introduction of guide to career change

How to make a career change safely

Why vocational study can chage your career

Why vocational study can chage your career

How to fit study in to your busy life

It might seem obvious, but let’s start by outlining what we mean by career change. This isn’t about doing the same job but for a different employer. It’s about moving into an entirely new profession: one which may requirea brand new skill set or be conducted in a completely different working environment.

Some people have a strong professional ambition from a young age and the motivation to achieve these goals. For the rest of us, it’s completely normal to wonder if another job would suit us better. In fact, our researchshows that over half of British adults aren’t satisfied by their current role. This explains why 71% of people have changed career at some point in their life and 39% have changed twice.

There are many reasons why people seek to improve their working life, such as the desire to earn more money, to benefit from greater flexibility in their working hours or simply to feelmore fulfilled.

There’s no doubt that this kind of change can be daunt-ing. However, there are number of things you can do to make the process of moving into a new career as pain-less and successful as possible. With this guide, we aim to provide the information and support you need to take that next step towards a more fulfilling career.

We’ve teamed up with experts to offer guidance in key areas such as how to change career safely, honing your interview technique, tips for choosing the right career and advice on when to use the services of a professional career coach.

We’ve also outlined how gaining a new vocational qualification can boost your career prospects – whether it’s by giving you more confidence or adding that extra boost to your CV that helps you stand out from fellow jobseekers.

So read on and find out whether now is the right time for you to make your next a move!

Dave Snow*Survey conducted among 3,000 adults in employment

There may be a chance to buffer your career change by going parttime in your old job as you establish credibility in pastures new, says career coach Rosie Walford It’s not because the job market is flush of course… almost the reverse: many HR departments are feeling squeezed, yet treasure their best, experienced people.

And that means that if you’re known and respected in your current job, your employer may accept a requestfrom you to go part time. It might even suit them to pay you a little less, but not lose your unique brilliance and experience in the team.

Making a staged transitionI’m a great advocate of a staged career shift. Many of my coachees want to change career quite radically but they don’t want (or need) to start at the bottom. Or live on baked beans.

However, they often have some knowledge or experience gaps to fill before they are ready for a stimulating role in a brand new field. For people going freelance or setting up new business, they need to build up client relationships and get the company off the ground.

This is where the staged transition can help. Going part tiTme in your existing job will give you the chance to study, intern, volunteer or whatever it takes, to prove yourinterest and get a good foundation in the new area. Meanwhile you have the security –emotional and financial – and credibility ofyour existing work.

The old job no longer has to fulfil you – it can simply serve as a useful buffer while you find your way to the work you love.

Don’t be afraid to negotiateMy coachees usually say their company doesn’t ‘do’ part time contracts for people in their position. Well, times are changing. Dozens have found – as I have myself – that they can negotiate in this climate, more easily than they thought.

Imagine making a pro-rata shift to a four day or three day week as you establish yourself in a field of your choosing. It’s cheeky – but at the moment, it normally succeeds. It makes this a surprisingly good time to start the shift.

For more advice from Rosie on changingcareer visit www.thebigstretch.com.

Rosie Walford one of the coaches onwww.careershifters.org

You can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job. Dave Snow gives advice on breaking this cycle.

While this might seem like a chicken and egg scenario, in reality there are a number of ways to gain the foothold you need. These include volunteering or doing an internship – topics that are covered later in this guide.

Another option is to gain a relevant vocationalqualification. Vocational study demonstrates commitment to your chosen profession, which is often half the battle.

A career-focused qualification also enhances your CV, helping you to stand out in a competitive job market. Unlike academic courses – such as A Levels or degrees – which tend to cover theoretical concepts, vocationalcourses teach practical skills relating to a specific profession.

Valued by employersOur research shows that 67% of bosses believe that vocational courses are better at developing industry knowledge and skills than academic study. So a vocational qualification is likely to have a more immediate effect on yourjob prospects.

While some employers will still want you to have done the job before they’ll give you a chance, just under half of bosses would hire someone for an entry level position who had a relevant vocational qualification but no handson experience.

There are also many professions where you can use your new skills to start your own business or operate as an independent consultant – for example bookkeeping and accounting or web design. In this situation, your new qualification will be evidence that you are equipped to provide a reliable service.

Earn while you learnOne of the best things about embarking on a vocational course to change career is that youcan study for your new qualification alongside your existing job through distance learning. This means you can continue earning money while you gain the skills to enter your chosen occupation.

When it comes to changing career, there are no hard and fast rules for achieving success. If you’ve tried to make the move already without any joy, then now might be the time to consider how a vocational qualification couldprovide the added boost you need.

Case StudyHome Learning College student case study 29 year old Philippa from Norfolk breeds and shows pedigree dogs as a hobby. After the birth of her first child, she decided not to go back to work full time and instead started a web design course with the main aim of building a website focusedaround her dogs. Philippa picked up the new skills quickly and was soon approached by people who were impressed by her talent and wondered if she could do something similar for them. Purely thanks to word of mouth, she is now in demand as a website designer and has worked with a number of well known organisations.

Philippa comments:“I initially did the course through Home Learning Col-lege to support my hobby, but severalpeople who saw mywebsite asked if I could do one for them and it just snowballed. It’s been fantastic because I haven’t had to go looking for work and I am making enough money tosupport my hobby, which means I can show mydogs all across the country.

I usually get about three to four hours a day when my little girls are asleep during which time I can focus on my work. When I need to go and visit a client my sister in law looks after the children. The rest of the time I do all mycommunication online or over the phone. It’s a wonderful way to earn money without having to be away from the children for too long.”

Example of a website phillippa has done here to showcase skills learnt

Do you want to gain a new qualification but wonder where on earth you’d find the time? Home Learning College tutor Jessica Simpsonoffers tips for success

Studying as an adult can certainly be challenging, particularly if you already have a job, family and social life. Having said that,many people find learning in later life far moreenjoyable than they may have expected –largely due to the ability to choose subjects because they want to and not because they have to.

Studying a subject that’s related to your existing or desired job can also have a positive effect on your career prospects, which makes all the hard work worthwhile.If you’re still unsure about your ability to fit further study into your life then the tips below outline ways to maximise your valuable time and get the most out of your learning experience.

Enlist the help of family and friends Talk to your partner, family and friends before embarking on a new course and make sure they understand why this is so important. Thatway, they will understand that you may not always have quite as much time for them as you would like.Do you want to gain a new qualification but wonder where on earth you’d find the time? Home Learn-ing College tutor Jessica Simpson offers tips for success

Choose the right subjectIf you’re going to add another element into your schedule then it’s a good idea to make it something you will enjoy. Research conducted by our training partner Home

Learning College shows that 40% of Brits think adult learningdiffers from being at school because it is easier tofeel motivated by a genuine interest in a subject. A further 32% think there is more incentive to learn as an adult because it’s not compulsory. With this in mind, take your time to choose a course that fits your personality and natural skills. If you’re good with numbers then you might be perfectly suited to book-keeping or accountancy. Perhaps you enjoy working with computers or want to express your creativity, in which case you might fancy trying your hand at web design. Whatever your preferences, it’s important that you can visualise successfrom the start, so don’t start a qualifica-tion just because you think you should!

Maximise your timeMost of us have periods throughout the day where we could be more productive. For example, if you travel to work by public transport then this is an ideal time to catch up on background reading. Another suggestion isto set aside one or two lunchtimes per weekfor studying.Being disciplined and sticking to a structured study time-table will make it easier to maintain your will power. It will also help you managethe expectations of those close to you, as they will know in advance when you will beunavailable for other activities.