If you're ready to make a career change, you're not alone. Career switches are extremely common in today's market. In 2019, prior to the global pandemic 49% of workers had made a dramatic career shift in their lifetime and that number is expected to rise post-pandemic. Spending more time at home or being laid off led many people to re-evaluate their career choices. If you're thinking about making a change, here are five tips for making the transition.

One: Self-Assess

A career change is a huge stop and you never want to walk into such a change blindly. Before doing anything, think about what you like and dislike about your current job, industry and employer. In some cases, a career change isn't the answer, but a new job with a new employer is. In other cases, you'll find that a change in career is the right move.

Two: Research Gaps That Need To Be Closed

A career change often means learning new skills or even earning a new certification or degree. Do plenty of research on your new chosen path to determine how much work you're going to need to put in to be able to land a job. Then, develop a plan to close the gaps.

Three: Dip Your Toes In The Water

Landing a job often requires industry-related experience. However, you don't need that experience to test the waters. Many people identify volunteer activities in their desired field or they look for freelance opportunities in the industry to test their interest.

It's also a great idea to find someone to shadow in your target role so you can see first-hand what they do each day to determine whether reality aligns with your dream.

Four: Try Temporary Or Contract Jobs

A fantastic way to learn about a new career path and gain much-needed experience in a new industry is to leverage temporary or contract jobs in that field. Short-term assignments allow you to earn while you learn, build your skills and fatten up your resume.

Temporary jobs often do not require the same amount of industry experience as a full-time job, which makes it easier to break in. If you do a great job on an assignment, you could parlay the experience into a full-time job. At a minimum, you'll walk away with valuable experience for your resume and with new industry contacts.

Five: Work With A Recruiter

Recruiters can be a career-changer's secret weapon. A great recruiter can help you assess your situation realistically. They can let you know what you need to do to be a desirable candidate, and they can help you find temporary or full-time jobs in your new field.

If you are looking for a new job or even a new career, work with the expert recruiters at PrideStaff. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals.