Have you thought about a change in your career path?

Nowadays, it is quite common for people to make a complete change in a career direction and make a shift to a new occupation. The speed under which so many new job roles are opened and the availability of jobs on a remote basis globally have inspired people for a change. Usually, this happens in situations where we encounter difficulties in finding a new position in our area, or we feel that our job is repetitive or without challenges. In these situations, people look for solutions that sometimes involve complete retraining. Whether you decided to change your career direction entirely, or you wish to gain additional skills and knowledge to get a better job, it is good to keep in mind that during the selection process for a new position you will often be asked to explain your decision and explain why you chose to make such a step.

Changing your career path can be a confusing decision for the person interviewing you if you choose not to explain your reasons for doing so. If the interviewer is looking at your CV where you have been in a particular field for five years and then progressed and later decided to completely refocus to another area, a very logical question to ask is: What are the reasons for a career change?

Do your best to be honest and open and give reasons for making this decision. Some of the most common reasons are greater interest in a new field, financial stability, greater opportunities for promotion, easier opportunity to find a job, etc. Any reason can be relevant and good if you explain it well.

During the selection process, you can probably expect to be asked for more detailed information about your current (old) job. Also, they could ask you to talk in more detail about the reasons why you decided to change your career path. Do not be surprised about it and do not think an interviewer is judging whether your reasons are good enough. His role is to understand them, not to condemn you.

The best way to increase your chances for getting a new job in a new area is to gain some practical experience in the field which you can get through projects conducted on your own or for someone pro bono. Make sure to mention these experiences in your CV so your proactivity and motivation for a new job could be seen.

A decision to make a change in the career direction is never easy. However, do not let this discourage you and prevent you from fulfilling your wishes. Good preparation and persistence are often enough to drive the change you want to make. 😊

If you need support during the career change process, take a look at our service Career Transition.