by OU Online
Career changes are a fact of working life for many. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American worker will hold more than 11 jobs in their lifetime – fewer than six years in any single position.
Whether a promotion, a need for new skills, a company merger or changing circumstances drive the change, taking positive steps to manage the transition is critical to ensuring the best outcome for yourself and your family.
First, make sure you clearly understand what your current or prospective employers are seeking in individuals who have the job or career you want. If you are a specialist in some area, keep abreast of the trends and work to keep your skill set fresh.
Denezza Thomas, a graduate of OU Online’s Strategic Communication and Digital Strategy graduate program, was driven to pursue a master’s degree to stay at the forefront of her field and prepare for future changes in her industry.
“I hadn’t been in school in quite some time, over 20 years, and I wanted my skills to be up to date with what the students of today are learning,” she said. “The program helped me to better understand how to communicate with my current customers and future customers and how to retain them in the 21st century.”
The ability to write well, demonstrate practical presentation skills, implement collaborative work techniques and negotiate and manage conflict is essential in most management and professional jobs. Even workers in what could be considered nontechnical fields can learn and implement new tools and regulations that employers will value.
That’s why Rodney Williams said he chose OU Online’s Master of Arts in Museum Studies program.
"It's helping me further understand and gain much-needed knowledge to reach my ultimate goal of being a CEO of a museum," he said.
Continuing education is vital to any profession. Whether you want to advance your current career or explore options in a new field, it is essential to do the research and plan ahead. Knowing where you can obtain the training or education you need, how long it may take, how it will fit into your life and the associated costs are all important factors in determining your next steps.
The OU Online Career Development Center is a free resource designed to help current and prospective students and alumni explore career options from more than a dozen professional fields to find their perfect match. You can get help choosing a degree or career path, access career and educational resources for finding your next job or pursuing an advanced degree, or find resources to help you navigate your graduate program while preparing to enter your chosen career field.
Mandi Atwell, a graduate of the OU Online undergraduate business administration program, said finding a degree program that was flexible and fulfilled the requirements she needed to meet her career goals was key to choosing to pursue her education at OU.
“Being an adult learner who works full time, I needed something with flexibility. Being 100 percent online makes it possible,” she said. “I can’t keep the normal hours of a traditional learner. If it wasn’t for that flexibility, there’s no way I would have been able to graduate.”
Understand that you may have skills and attributes that many employers will value. These transferable skills will cross many functional areas and are often complicated for employers to find. Know your strengths and be able to leverage those strengths in the job search process.
Whether skills are specific or transferable, they should be represented on your resume. Updating your resume periodically to reflect changing employment and your evolving skill set is a smart choice. Before submitting it for consideration for new positions, have a career services or human resources professional check it over. Attention to detail separates successful candidates from all others.
For most companies, the primary content of interviews will revolve around abilities not related to your technical expertise. How you make decisions, interact with your co-workers, approach your work life, handle stress and express yourself are the information goals of behavioral interviewing – the technique employed by most human resource professionals when interviewing candidates. Mastering and expressing these skills is a significant hurdle in the job search process.
Understand the hiring practices of the profession you’re interested in, as well as the industry, company size and geographic areas in which it operates. Know whether the employer primarily uses local media, national media, online job boards, social media or personal connections when locating new employees.
Use professional societies to cultivate connections throughout your career and take advantage of their education and training opportunities. Leverage contacts from your professional life, academic career, friends and family to find unlisted job opportunities.
It's important to take a realistic assessment of your goals before embarking on this process. Be clear about your life goals and how your career goals fit into them.
Also, be clear about your current career situation and what might make it more satisfying. This realistic assessment of your wants will allow you to better evaluate opportunities. You may find a position that seems attractive in terms of compensation, but may only meet a few other important criteria for your ideal job. You may need to arrange other parts of your life to accommodate relocation or longer hours. You may need to manage your finances for a lower income to meet other non-monetary goals.
Be honest about what you are willing to sacrifice and what you expect to gain. The odds are you will be much happier in the long run. By assessing your strengths and weaknesses and planning ahead, you can better manage your transition from one career path to another.
Are you considering a career change? Check out the OU Online website to see which of our degree programs align with your interests.
