Set Specific Goals

Before exploring career options, identify what you want from a new career. Maybe you want to make more money, to work in a particular industry or have a better work-life balance.

Imagine your successful life after shifting into your new career. Picture as many details as possible, including:

• Your income range
• Where you live
• Your schedule
• What you do every day
• What gets you out of bed

Consider creating a vision board or bulleted list of what you want. As you think about what career to pursue, reflect on whether it matches your target lifestyle.

Research the Job Market

The next step is to learn what opportunities exist. While having a dream is wonderful, you’re more likely to succeed if your dream field offers plenty of opportunities.

Research the career fields with the most openings, starting with a general look at the top industries. Many of these fields offer jobs that fit almost any working style and preference.

For example, healthcare and information technology (IT) appear multiple times on the current list of high-employment industries. Each has millions of jobs available for almost any type of worker, from the customer service rockstar to the hands-on tech troubleshooter.

Assess Your Interests and Skills

Now that you know what’s out there, it’s time to consider what you bring to a role. Don’t worry if you lack on-the-job experience. That’s what training is for.

Start with your personal and professional interests. Identify what you love to do, either in your free time or at previous jobs. For example, if you enjoy putting things together, a career as an IT network technician might be right for you. Medical coding and billing could be the perfect career if you like keeping things organized.

Next, list the job skills you’ve built in previous positions or at school.  Don’t underestimate the value of transferable skills — personal qualities that help people succeed in the workplace. Skills like leadership, project coordination, research ability and written communication are valuable in any industry.

Identify Training Needs and Opportunities

As you think about your professional future, potential pathways will stand out. Keep a running list of appealing career paths and job titles, ideally with pros and cons. Note what matches you already have and which you’d need to develop. 

Look into training opportunities to close those skill gaps and know that funding might be available. Just ask Olga, a single mother who used this type of funding to land a career that lets her support herself and her daughter. Or Christina, a military spouse who retrained as a billing and coding specialist.

There are countless success stories like these, and MedCerts is here to turn you into one of them. We offer career-focused training programs that prepare you to certify in high-demand fields, including healthcare and IT. 

Our education consultants are available with tips for choosing a career and hands-on support getting started. Reach out today and start working toward your dream career.