It is very common for people to change careers at some point in their lives. A change of career can lead to a more satisfactory working life, an improved work-life balance and can boost your earnings. Changing career is a practical move at almost all ages, and often an element of formal education can be very helpful in meeting your goals. However formal education does not need to be completed in a setting that involves attending class – online learning is an excellent alternative.
Why change your career
People change careers for a variety of reasons. The most common theme is simply boredom – you are bored with your current job and have reached the peak without much prospects for further career development. A new career can be a fresh challenge in this regard, or it could be a way to enter into an emerging sector that you have spotted and find attractive.
Another common reason for changing careers is pay – people who are currently in a low paying job often opt for intensive study to achieve the possibility to make a better living in a different career. The opposite can also happen, where highly paid and very successful people opt to take on a field of work that is less intensive, and that offers a better work/life balance.
Sometimes people have a big change in perspective, and decide that their current career is simply not suited to the person they wish to be. For example, someone involved in a finance position could decide they would like to do more to help other people and move into a medical field such as counselling or caring.
Advice for changing your career
First and foremost you need to believe that the change in careers you are dreaming about can really happen. Career changes can be tough choices to make and are often only successfully made when you have a deep belief in and commitment to what you are attempting to achieve. Just because you are already established in an existing area does not exclude you from building fresh, new expertise in a brand new area.
Getting in touch with people in the field you have chosen to change into can also be enormously helpful, as often the traditional routes into the career will be closed. While you may no longer meet the age requirements for a graduate program you could find another way to enter a new career by, for example, convincing a senior employee in your chosen sector to give you the chance to make a fresh start.
Keep in mind that changing careers is a gradual process. You may need to study extensively to retrain and reskill, and it could be a good idea to take up an internship or part time position in your new field to act as a stepping stone to full time employment in that field.
Think about online learning
It is usually difficult to take time off from your existing job to dedicate to full time study. If your change in careers involve completing formal qualifications you might want to think about online learning, as this route allows you to study towards your new career at a pace that suits you and from the convenience of your own home.
Online learning covers a very wide range of courses, including short intensive courses that will simply boost your chances of changing jobs through to entire degrees. Maryville’s online master degree programs are good examples of what intensive online studying can achieve: a broad understanding of a specific topic, which turns you into a very attractive recruit for employers.
Careers you can enter by studying online
Comprehensive online study programs can go a very long way in preparing you for a career change. In fact, online degree programs covering specific topics can open doors to new careers. Though you will need several years of focused studying, professions ranging from market researcher to cost estimation can suddenly open up if you have completed the appropriate qualification.
Almost any plan for a career change will benefit from some degree of online learning. Obtaining a qualification will suggest to potential employers that you are serious about your adopted career, and not simply dabbling and exploring options. Online learning whether in the shape of a short course or a complete degree will also serve its stated purpose – improving your understanding of a specific field, and advancing your ability to do a good job once you have found employment in your new career.