Discovering new careers without researching them is a bad idea. You may also have met professionals who burned out so badly at their job that they quit and rushed into another field that was just as unhappy, or who went to graduate school (often with big loans) only to find out what their chosen profession was like after graduation.
That’s why you should carefully consider exploring new careers. Basic research can improve your odds.
Reading related blogs and books to learn more
The best way to learn about your field is through highly qualified blogs and books. Are they worth researching? How interested are you in the most recent developments and widely discussed topics in your field? You won’t waste time in informational interviews asking questions you may find elsewhere. Take advantage of face-to-face interactions to ask thorough questions about ambiguous career paths.
Join professional Facebook groups and attend conventions.
Meet like-minded people via Facebook groups and industry conferences. What exactly do these gurus advise? What worries them? How wonderful are they? Newcomers? Consider how you feel, how they talk, and if they appear engaged in solving your problems. How skillfully you use this space will determine your success.
Research This
Before going forth and discovering new careers, ask active experts. Pop culture and glamorized labor imaginations are unreliable. It’s a common fallacy that all artists work for a company, yet many enter the arts because they adore creativity and beauty. Artists need business abilities including budgeting, networking, marketing, and contract negotiation to make a living. Thus, ambitious artists who wish to succeed must learn business and marketing.
Talk to ten people in your selected field to get a sense of the job. Why 10? That’s a big enough sample to generalize (e.g., a lack of work-life balance). However, informational interviews must be well-planned and executed to get insider information. Avoid common mistakes to succeed.
Learn About Salary Shifts
While practicing your bargaining skills, it’s easy to forget that your expertise and industry determine your wage. In the entertainment industry, most artists are underpaid. In some fields, entry-level positions pay well.
Knowing your income is essential if you want to borrow money to go back to school or reach other financial goals. Taking on too much student debt will put you in financial trouble after graduation.
Visit Your Desired State and City
Finally, every major city has something special. It’s smart to research all your potential permanent residences, whether you’ve decided or not. Discover the city’s top employers, industries, median income, and cost of living. Check if any state or local agencies or nonprofits can help you find work, learn new skills, or start a business. If you’re a remote worker and move to Vermont, the state will pay for your relocation, while Newburgh Heights, Ohio, will pay off your student loans.
If you put in the effort, you’ll have a far clearer image of what it’s like to work in any particular job, from the talents you get to employ and industry trends to how people interact and their receptivity to career moves. Moving forward will reveal your best next move.
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