U.S. Working Adults Want To Change Careers. Take These Steps To Make Your ChangeA Success (NAPSA)—If you or someone you knowis thinking about changingcareers, youre far from alone. In fact, according to recently released findings from a University of Phoenix survey, 58 percent of U.S. working adults are interested in a new career. Among those interested in changing careers, 81 percent still identify barriers that keep them from doingso. = —(T) WhyNot? The most cited barriers include the 29 percent who say they cannot afford to start over again, while 24 percent said they do not know what new direction they would take, or feel they lack adequate education or experience. Compared to those with at least a bachelors degree (13 percent), 27 percent of those without a bachelors degree identify a lack of education as a barrier. What To Do It can be overwhelming to makea career change but for those looking to pivot their career, three steps can help. e First, know yourself. What do you want to change? For many, the path to a rewarding career starts by understanding what motivates their desire to change careers. It might be a poorfit with your current companyorinterest in another field. Rememberto take a step back and understand the opportunities involved, as well as the barriers. e Next, know whatyouare getting into. Research the field before committing to a change. Network and meet with people currently working in the career you want. Try volunteering in the field in which you are interested. For example, if you are looking to be in a more creative line of work, ask if you can sit in on a meeting in your company’s marketing or creative department. e Finally, you dont haveto start over. Instead, leverage your past experience that maytranslate well in another industry. Expert Advice “With an ever-expanding job market, weanticipate the trend toward new career paths will only grow stronger,’ said University of Phoenix” Schoolof Business Ex- Study shows most people would change careers—if they knew how. ecutive Dean Ruth Veloria. “Many adults, including those well established in their careers, are re-entering the workforce or staying in the workforce much longer. By collaborating with industry leaders to identify relevantskills, professional development opportunities and market needs, we aim to helpall adults, regardless of careerlevel, to becomelifelong learners and meet their career objectives.’ Additionally, Veloria points out that you must know your intendedfield well. The pace of change and innovationtoday means many workers can find themselves short on the skills needed to adapt. The most successful career changers perform honest assessments of their skills, volunteer, network or establish mentor relationships to maketheir career leap. To help achieve your career aspirations, address the gaps that makeit hard to achieve your ultimate goals and seek out relevant professional development courses that can help. Where To Turn You may turn to education as a next step in your career change. In the same survey, when asked what might encourage workers to get additional education to pursue a career change, working adults identified online classes (35 percent), flexible course schedules (32 percent) and accelerated or fast-track curriculum (29 percent). Learn More For further information about University of Phoenix School of Business, visit www.phoenix.edu/business.
