If you’ve been yearning to improve your job situation but you’ve been struggling to do so, don’t panic. Whether you’re a parent or not, reinventing your career can be a tricky task to get your head around. However, as long as you have confidence and determination, you stand a good chance of improving your prospects. To help you on your way, here are three simple steps you can follow.
1. Get qualified
Depending on where you’d like your career to take you, you may need to gain additional qualifications. If you’ve got your mind set on a fairly specialised role, it might be that you’ll need to become appropriately certified before you can even apply for jobs, so it’s important that you research what might be expected of you. For example, if you wanted to become a mortgage adviser, you would need to first gain a certificate that allows you to practice. The qualification you achieve has to be one that’s recognised by the Financial Conduct Authority, such as the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP). Once you’ve gained your certification, you’ll be ready to apply for, and hopefully secure, your dream job as a mortgage adviser.
While it may seem easy, finding the time to qualify can in fact be tough, especially if you’re a busy parent. Fortunately, it’s possible to achieve this type of certification online, meaning you can study, revise and sit your exams in your own time. For instance, if you were to enrol on a Simply Academy course with the intention of completing a CeMAP qualification, you can complete your studies through interactive e-course guides. All you need is a suitable device, such as a computer or laptop, a reliable internet connection and the motivation to further your career.
2. Do some work experience
To get ahead of the game, you might want to consider doing some work experience. Spending time in the environment you’d eventually like to end up in will not only impress future employers, but it will help you gain practical knowledge and a better understanding of the role too. For example, if you’re looking to break into in the financial sector, you could work alongside a worker in a bank. Racking up experience is always worthwhile, and it could be what sways an employer to hire you over someone who hasn’t had the same level of involvement.
3. Update your CV
Essentially, your CV is a document that companies and recruiters will use to decide whether to invite you to interview for their advertised job or not. So unless yours is fully up-to-date, you may struggle to make heads turn. Ideally, your CV should reflect your most current achievements and responsibilities, as well as listing any skills and expertise you have that you feel is relevant to the role you’re applying for. Most companies will give it a brief skim, so by ensuring your CV boasts your most current accomplishments, you stand a good chance of getting noticed.
You should also edit your LinkedIn profile, and if you don’t already have an account, you might want to think about signing up. Many recruiters use this platform to reach out to and connect with potential candidates, so make sure your page is up-to-date if you don’t want to miss out.
As long as you take the right steps along the right path, you should be able to take your career in any direction you want.
Have you recently done anything to revive your career or maybe even change it?
Image credits: Benjamin Childs via Unsplash
[…] time to take stock of your life — and the blues often descend because of a dissatisfying job. Changing careers can even be challenging if you’re footloose and fancy-free. And it might seem nigh-on impossible […]