How to Smooth Your Way into a New Career While Still Working
Your dream job doesn’t have to be a dream for long. You can take your future into your own hands and change your career path while still working your full-time job. It’s going to be hard, but a career change could be in your future.
So how do you get to where you want to work? Most working adults don’t have the option to quit their jobs and start over somewhere new. But you can learn a new skill while still working your full-time job. Taking online courses or doing vocational training in your off time can help smooth your transition into a new career.
If you’re dying to work in a new job or industry but you don’t have the experience or the ability to quit your current job, here are a few options to help you smooth your transition:
Online courses
Recent findings show that online course enrollment is growing even as overall college enrolment numbers are struggling. Online learning offers the flexibility most of us need when pursuing a new career path. You simply need to pick the field you wish to study, determine the credentials necessary to enter the field and find the right online program.
Unfortunately, there are still some misleading stigmas surrounding online education, even though it’s becoming the norm in many cases. If you’re worried that employers won’t respect an online degree or maybe you think you’re too old to go back to school; take a look at these common online education misconceptions debunked:
- Online degrees are easy
One of the most common misconceptions regarding online education is that it is somehow easier than traditional classes. Some believe that taking a course online allows students to slack off, which is completely false. Online courses still require work to be done by a certain deadline, so there’s no slacking off here if you want to pass your classes.
Online courses are often adapted from the same syllabi as traditional courses and are frequently taught by the same professors. Obtaining a degree of any kind is hard work, but an online degree can take even more discipline, self-motivation and time-management to keep on top of course work and deadlines. Higher education is never easy, but it is possible.
- Reputable universities don’t have online programs
This statement is simply false. Innovative technology has made online learning possible for all people, but it’s also given the opportunity for traditional and reputable universities to offer higher education to people all over the world, and in all different kinds of life circumstances. In fact, there are tons of Ivy League online classes you can take right now for free.
- You’re too old to learn something new
False! Don’t get hung up on your age. Online learning has levelled the playing field for all people in all different stages in life. Some courses even allow you to learn at your own pace, so there’s no keeping up necessary. No matter how long it takes or what obstacles you might face, nobody is ever too old to try new things and learn new skills.
Vocational training
If earning a degree online isn’t appealing to you, but you still want to learn something new and start a new career path — vocational training could be the solution for you. A vocational school is a type of education that will train you for the specific line of work you want to do. This type of education or training is focused on realistic, practical, and relevant skills related to a particular job which can be preferable depending on your goals.
There are many types of vocational programs designed for specific careers. Here’s an example list of occupations you might consider vocational training for:
- Cosmetology
- Dental assisting
- Massage therapy
- Medical assisting
- Medical coding
- Nursing assistant
- Pharmacy technician
A vocational school could be a great option for job training so you can change your career while still working your current job. It’s also a faster course to a new career, depending on your field of choice, compared to attending a traditional college.
Working your day job and learning a new skill in the evenings and weekends will be tough work whether you choose to do it online or through vocational training. But nobody ever said self-improvement was easy.
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About the Author Brooke Faulkner
Brooke Faulkner is a writer and mom in the Pacific Northwest. She's already managed a few career changes of her own, and loves to help others make their own just as smooth as hers. You can find more of her writing on Twitter.