How to switch careers in your 20s and 30s

That feeling when you have achieved something!

Do you feel as if your career is drifting in the wrong direction? Take the initiative and make a change. Here’s how

By Charlotte Bean

Do you dread another day at the office? Do you travel through life wondering if you’ll ever find the right job? Do you resent the hours put into a career that simply doesn’t make you happy?

Turns out you’re not alone. Research released in 2018 shows that 43pc of people in their 20s and 30s plan to leave their job within the next two years.

If you are feeling this way, it’s time to take the initiative and change the direction of your career.

"It can seem like a big step to change career in your 20s and 30s," says Emma Kershaw, a director at Just Recruitment Group Ltd. "But if you can take the time to evaluate what you want to achieve, it's well worth taking the plunge. You're still young, so now is the time to secure a career that you'll find fulfilling and enjoyable."

Before you quit your job and dive headfirst into the unknown, consider these five practical steps towards a smooth career transition.

1. Experience your favoured career at first hand

Contact a company or workplace and ask if you can shadow an employee who currently has the job you want. You’ll find most companies will be accommodating, particularly if you promise to make a few teas and coffees in return. And maybe take in some cookies.

    "43% of people in their 20s and 30s plan to leave their job in the next two years."  

While it would be great if we could all bag our dream job with a sizeable pay packet and copious amounts of holiday to boot, realistically all careers have their downsides. Seeing your choice of career at first hand can help ensure you’re not simply suffering from a case of “greener grass” syndrome before you take the plunge.

2. Volunteer

Many jobs require that you have experience, but to get experience you need a job, but to get a job you need… you see where this is going.

Volunteering gives you the opportunity to attain that vital experience around a full-time job, and there are links between volunteering and a greater likelihood of gaining employment,

3. Make use of your existing skills

Identifying her transferable skills allowed Sonia Bateman to leave her 12-year career in HR to start a new one in events management. “I didn’t want to leave my employer, but in terms of career progression I felt like I had gone as far as I could in my role,” she says. “When a position came up as a project manager within the events department, I realised I had a lot of transferable skills.

“Having worked with the manager before, they were also familiar with my skill set, meaning they knew I could be trusted with the job even though I was new to the field.”

Which leads to our next point…

4. Take advantage of your connections

Like Sonia, you may find that the company or organisation you already work for has a role for you, meaning you can play on their existing knowledge of your work if you’re lacking experience compared to other applicants.

If you can’t stay with your current employer to land the job of your dreams, remember those workplace visits and volunteering opportunities mentioned above: these all help to build a network of contacts.

Since graduating, Steven Egan has tried several different careers, something that he feels he has been able to do due to the relationships he has built along the way.

Making a choice a good choice isn't just luck.

“I have always been a firm believer in keeping an open door,” Steven says. “This means I can always go back to agencies and companies when hunting for new career prospects because I’ve established a good rapport with them.”

5. Break up your plans into smaller goals

Putting “Start new career” on a to-do list is enough to make anyone feel like giving up before they’ve begun. So think about the small steps you can take to realise your dream.

Make a list that breaks your career plan down into mini-goals (for example, email a potential employer, look for volunteering opportunities, update your CV, gain a vocational qualification) and give yourself deadlines for each one.

After five years, Sonia’s career in events management has soared: she has won three awards for her work.

Despite having concerns about changing careers and, inevitably, facing challenges along the way, she has no regrets. “I’m now in a role that I’m much more suited to and enjoy every day,” she says. “I never knew what I wanted to do after school and fell into a career in HR. But changing careers has meant I have found my calling in life.

“It’s so difficult to decide on a career when you’re younger with little previous experience, so changing roles in your 20s and 30s gives you the opportunity to find the right path. You spend a lot of your life working, so getting it right really is important. And, if it doesn’t work out, at least you can say you tried!”

Just leaves one question: what are you waiting for?

First Published 22 July 2019

© 2019 Just Recruitment Group Ltd

If you enjoyed this article, you may like: The Just Recruitment guide to interview dressing

You may also enjoy: How to the be the king or queen of time management

Jobs currently available

New job
Regional Sales Manager
Sector: Sales
Salary: Discussed on appplication
Location: West Midlands
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913578
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Regional Sales Manager to establish new distribution networks and relationships within the West Midlands Region.

The role will involve:

  • Strategic Deployment: Propose development strategies aligned with SBU strategic axes, translate them into action plans, and ensure their implementation.
  • Develop the commercial policy, product offerings, and pricing conditions; prioritise and allocate resources; develop sales forecasts for PIC (S&OP); monitor margins on direct costs.
  • Facilitate decision-making and resource coordination, ensure efficiency in expenses and investments, monitor regulatory changes, evolve organisation and procedures, establish and update performance indicators, and monitor service effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Facilitate decision-making and resource coordination, ensure efficiency in expenses and investments, monitor regulatory changes, evolve organisation and procedures, establish and update performance indicators, and monitor service effectiveness and efficiency.

Preference will be given to applications with business-to-business direct sales experience in the electrical / tools / PPE sector.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Warehouse Operative
Sector: Transport, Logistics and Shipping
Salary: £11.50 per hour
Location: Swindon
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary to Permanent
Job ref: JT-SW-WO-0125
About the role

Just Temps seeks multiple Warehouse Operatives for a prestigious company in Swindon.

This is a temp-to-perm opportunity role! 

The role starts on the 27th of January.

Salary will go up in April.

Shift hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm with an hour lunch break.

Duties include:

  • Lifting boxes
  • Scanning boxes
  • Manual labour
Read more
Project Assistant
Sector: Media and Internet
Salary: Competitive
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913569
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a market-leading organisation based in Colchester, looking to recruit a client-focused Project Coordinator, to join their vibrant team.

You will be working under the Project Director, offering support on multiple projects, from taking briefs to completion; on time and within budget. This involves costing, briefing and coordinating projects successfully via multiple business teams.

Key duties and requirements include:

  • Meeting client expectations efficiently and cost-effectively.
  • Co-managing alongside the Account Manager to build strong client relationships.
  • Developing an understanding of the assigned client’s brand and market.
  • Checking that all emails and calls are dealt with appropriately.
  • Attending regular meetings to discuss upcoming projects.
  • Taking accountability for projects which align with the scope defined by the client.
  • Briefing and managing projects through the business departments, encouraging teams to do their best, to work under deadlines.
  • Proofreading and checking against technical plans to ensure all work is accurate.
  • Accurately providing feedback and supporting team members.
  • Demonstrating a broad awareness of the wider picture and accurately reporting to the Project Director on launches and upcoming projects, sharing proposed project budgets and timelines.
  • You will be working with a variety of clients, so you will need to be organised with the ability to multi-task and communicate effectively. Your attention to detail will also be second to none.

About you:

  • Analytical and task-driven, valuing creation.
  • Proactive nature and calm under pressure. Adaptable and resilient whilst maintaining a positive focus.
  • Able to work simultaneously on numerous projects.
  • Confident and have the ability to work self-sufficiently.
  • Contributes to creating a collaborative working environment and building successful relationships across the teams.
  • Treats others with respect, building trust and honouring commitments.
  • Excellent communication skills, both interpersonal and written. Actively listens to others and questions to clarify understanding.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing and exciting business, this role is office-based — offering free parking and excellent company benefits.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Account Manager
Sector: Property and Construction
Salary: Competitive
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913572
About the role

Just Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a growing organisation based on the outskirts of Colchester — they are looking for an experienced and motivated 'Account Manager' to join their dynamic team.

To be considered for this role, you ideally will have had some exposure to a client-focused role.

You will need to offer a solid understanding of materials and managing time frames.

The key purpose of the role is to grow and service existing clients, working with the team to provide excellent service to ensure repeat business and deal with incoming enquiries. You will also assist with sourcing new business, via researching new potential projects.

Key duties will include:

  • Managing a portfolio of accounts, upselling and cross-selling — with a client-centred approach.
  • Securing new business opportunities as they arise as well as dealing with all incoming enquiries — using your commercial focus, ensuring revenue growth.
  • Reviewing and negotiating bids offered by suppliers and subcontractors.
  • Maximising the turnover and profitability of all projects allocated.
  • Gathering information for the design and estimate to complete the project — working with a team on the client’s budgets and timeframes.

Qualifications and skills required:

  • Ideally at least 2-3 years of relevant experience in either the property/construction or signage industry.
  • Excellent customer skills.
  • Positive ‘can do’ attitude with a client-focused, commercial approach.
  • Full driving licence.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a great team — offering excellent benefits and a competitive package.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Order Processing Administrator
Sector: Public Service and Administration
Salary: £24,000 - £25,000 per annum
Location: Witham
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913574
About the role

Just Recruitment seeks an Order Processing Administrator for a manufacturing business based in Witham.

You will be responsible for processing and vetting bespoke orders/quotes — confidently reading dimensions from drawings with a keen eye for detail to ensure the order is produced with a right-first approach.

Duties include:

  • Processing orders and quotes on a daily basis.
  • Performing technical vetting of orders, ensuring compliance with specifications.
  • Identifying and addressing discrepancies or unclear specifications.
  • Processing remake paperwork promptly and accurately.
  • Undertaking any administrative functions within the office as allocated by your team leader.
  • Covering for Customer Service role when required.
  • Handling customer enquiries professionally, ensuring excellent service, when required.

Key skills required:

  • Excellent attention to detail.
  • Confident with technical information (or confidence to learn).
  • Excellent communication skills both verbal and written with the ability to build relationships quickly and effectively.
  • Self-motivated.
  • Ability to work under pressure.
  • Computer literate (Excel/Word).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more