Creating opportunities for yourself - a how to guide

A career change can happen in a number of ways. It could occur organically, after re-training or going back to school. Occasionally it can just be pure luck. But one of the best ways to tackle a career is by being proactive.

Here are four tips to help you create new opportunities:

1. Follow your passion. Figuring out what you love doing could lead to the right career for you. A great place to start is to think about what you enjoy most about your current job or write a list of the things you do inside and outside of work that make you happy.
   
   They could be small everyday tasks or more irregular responsibilities that you wished were a bigger part of your job. Now take a look at your list. Do you see any trends or patterns? It could be that your favourite activities point to a particular industry or role that you would thrive in. Or there might be one thing you listed that, once you see it written down, you realise it’s what you want to focus on.
    
2. Convince someone to give you a go. Your passion can take you a long way. All you need to do is find the right person to give you a go. A good way to try out your new dream job and convince someone to give you a go is to give it a trial run. That could take the shape of an internship, a volunteer role, or a casual job. There are many options that don’t require a long-term commitment, and it doesn’t matter which route you take, as long as you take one. Ask your friends and family, scout around online and check social media for opportunities.
    
3. Keep learning. Making sure your knowledge and skills are up-to-date will help keep your options open. Work-related short courses are often perfect for developing your knowledge and skills quickly. Graduating from one or more may be enough to get you over the first hurdle into a new career. That might be getting a competitive edge in your resume, showing a willingness to learn, or gaining the basics of the skills you’ll need in your new job.
    
4. Get experience. Look at everything you do as an opportunity to gain experience. Experience can be gained in a number of ways such as volunteering, internships or study. Your transferable skills are also just as valuable as experience and with a bit of brainstorming there’s probably quite a few that you could be highlighting in your resume, cover letter and online profiles. When it comes to experience look at what will give you the best chance of changing careers and fill the gaps in your resume.