4 Tips on How You Can Turn Your Dream Job Into a Reality
Written by: Amy Collett
If you’re stuck in a job you no longer love, it may be time to consider a career change. Don’t let fear hold you back from leading a life you love. There are steps you can take to get you feeling personally and professionally fulfilled. The Writique can help; start by considering these options.
Hire A Consultant
If you are already highly qualified and want to work with the skill set you have, consider hiring a career coach to help with your career transition. You may already have the qualifications for roles you are unaware of, but which could be better suited to you.
This takes a tremendous burden off your shoulders; it’s the responsibility of your coach to assess your career and training and find placements that better fit you and your situation. Because they work within the job market every day placing people in various positions, this can be a cost-effective and time-efficient way to get into your dream job.
Further Your Education
If you would like to change course entirely, consider going back to school. Whatever your interest, there is almost certainly an online program you can enroll in that can get you the tools you need to succeed in a new career. If you are unsure of what path you’d like to take, consider these popular options for online learning: computer science, psychology, and business administration.
Computer science degrees are increasingly popular, and for good reason —as more companies digitize, the need for IT professionals grows. In fact, in just the cybersecurity sector, job growth has grown 350 percent since 2013. With a master’s degree in information technology, you can go in several directions, like working in data analytics, cybersecurity, or information technology management. For those who enjoy working with computers and want a lucrative income with job security, this is a great option.
If you are more interested in working directly with people, psychology might be the right choice for you. With a psychology degree, Psychology Today explains you’re not limited to being a psychologist; you can work in a number of fields. If you want to work with children, you can become a school counselor. If serving the underserved is your passion, you could become a social worker, or explore the myriad of needs in the nonprofit sector for professionals with psychology training.
Another flexible option is a degree in business administration. It helps you garner experience with all the aspects of running a business — making you an attractive hire. You can find work in business management, human resources, business analytics, or sales. Plus, the median income for those with this type of education starts at about $60,000 and there are opportunities for quick advancement. You could even use the degree to run your own business, which is something you might already be considering anyway.
Start Your Own Business
Many people have a side hobby or passion they enjoy that they dream of turning into a source of income. If you perform or create a service or product you already love that could be transformed into a business, now may be the time to pursue it, and you’d be in good company: recent data shows that 45 percent of Americans have a side gig in addition to their part- or full-time job. The internet makes it easier than ever to sell services and wares to those most in need of them, connecting you to your ideal customer no matter the distance between the two of you. However, TaxAct warns it’s a big step to take a sideline hobby business and turn it into a day job, so plan how you’ll build your business carefully.
If you’re looking to sell freelance services, there are a myriad of websites designed to help you advertise your services. Websites such as PeoplePerHour and Fiverr allow you to set your prices and terms and have customers come to you. If you are creating products, online marketplaces such as Etsy and Amazon Handmade are excellent venues with a wide range of established customers.
Start Strong
Whatever direction you choose, make sure you treat your business like a business. Develop a business plan, which will help you identify goals and map your course, and protect your assets by forming a limited liability company (LLC). These sound like complicated steps, but they can be very simple: use a template to create your business plan, and file your Indiana LLC through an online service. These business basics will help you hit the ground running.
You don’t have to stay in a joyless job. The power to shape your career into something you can be proud of and pay the bills with is already in you. You just have to be willing to take those first steps into the future you’ve dreamed of.
Having a tough time finding a job? Let the pros at The Writique craft a resume and cover letter to help you find the job of your dreams! Contact us today!