How to plan a career switch

After 15 years of climbing the corporate ladder, it hits you: you’re bored and burnt out and your real calling is marine biology. Making a mid-life career change can be daunting if you don’t plan ahead. Career counsellor Marlene Haley of Find Work You Love Inc.; Malcolm McGowan, managing partner at Holloway Schulz & Partners; and Dave Malicki, program developer for Langara College Continuing Studies, show you how.

Seek clarity
Knowing what you don’t want to do might help you determine what you do want to do. “Be clear about the reasons why you want to change careers. For instance, perhaps your values are changing. Perhaps the industry is changing,” advises Haley. “This allows you to be clear on what you want in a dream job and helps you visualize what this job would feel like.” If you’re still unsure, McGowan recommends career-focused psychological testing to help guide you. “People often have interests they’re not even aware of,” he says.

Know your strengths
Scared to start over? Don’t be. You’re more qualified than you think. “A big part of changing careers is identifying transferable skills,” says Haley. “You need to ask yourself, ‘What are my abilities, What are my strengths and weaknesses?’ Then you can capitalize on these skills and transfer them to your new profession.” If you’re putting together a resumé for the first time in a decade, taking stock of what you have to offer will make you more confident about entering a new field.

Get schooled
When embarking on a new career path, start with retraining, says Malicki. Even if you don’t need another degree, college classes or online courses are still beneficial. “Say you’ve got 15 years of work experience but you want to start a small business. You already have problem-solving skills and project management skills, but you still need to learn how to do things like structure your company. Classes will help,” he says.

Do the math
Be prepared to take a hit financially – entering a new field usually means a significant pay cut. “If you’re beginning again in a new career, of course you’ll have to start at a lower level and work your way up again, and your pay will reflect that,” says McGowan. Haley recommends talking to a financial expert or accountant and setting out a new budget to cope with the change. “You might need to downsize your

Do some digging
Before you make a move, find out which options are open to you. “You need to gather a lot of information before making the shift,” says Haley. “Research the labour market; find out about industry trends. You need to know what’s available.” Now is the perfect opportunity to put your schmoozing skills to good use. Hit up your networking contacts to learn which industries are about to take off – and who’s hiring. n