Take courses to change jobs. What to do if you decide to change your profession

Good afternoon Elena Melnikova is with you with a two-volume work book, today we’ll talk about how to change a profession.

There are not so many people who chose a profession in early childhood and remain faithful to it all their lives. Before the rest, at least once, the question of the correctness of self-determination arises. What makes people think about it?

1. You have reached the ceiling of professional or career growth.

The former type of activity has ceased to bring satisfaction. The time when you carried out complex assignments of the leadership with burning eyes is long gone. What used to be considered the acquisition of valuable experience has turned into a routine everyday life.

This can happen to anyone who has grown out of beginner's panties and exhausted their potential in this area. At the same time, some are helped by promotion on career ladder, but it is not available to others. So, for example, it was in my work with mentally retarded children.

Stability is good, but sometimes it leads to stagnation. From time to time a person needs to change something in his life. Of course, the simplest thing is to rearrange your house or change your wardrobe. But, if this does not bring satisfaction, why not dare to make more global changes? It has been proven by practice that changes in life contribute to getting rid of depression, the activation of thought processes, and therefore, the willingness to perform new tasks increases.

2. Professional burnout caught up with you.

Alas, this is not a whim or a whim, but a serious illness, where sometimes the only way out is to change the field of activity.

When I worked in pedagogy, I was lucky enough to attend a special training to get rid of this condition. It's no secret that it is work with people, especially in a post-industrial society, that wears out the body the most.

The training not only suggested ways to fill life with bright colors, but also tried to solve the main work conflicts that lead to long-term stress. If employees more often received such trainings as a gift from the management (and in our case it was so), the team would be more united, they would feel better, and the turnover would be less.

The most interesting thing is that the head teacher, who went with us to the group and gave the school about 50 years, considered these classes a whim. Still, after all, a real teacher should work selflessly, without complaining about fatigue! One day she went on sick leave and never came back.

3. The current position is dangerous to health.

Working in a hot shop, with an X-ray machine, on night shifts or in the cold, should not stretch out for a lifetime, so if your work involves a risk to the body, this is an important reason to think about yourself.

4. Large loads.

If work takes too long, comes home with you, and takes pride of place on your weekend to-do list, consider whether it's worth it.

We work to live, but not vice versa. Of course, a person who is passionate about creativity, for example, a fashion designer or an actor, does not consider this state of affairs out of hand, but if constant thoughts about work interfere with family and leisure, it’s probably time to set priorities correctly.

5. Professional deformation.

From the teacher, others expect intrusive advice, from the doctor - excessive caution and a pathological love for cleanliness. It's no secret that work really shapes our habits, needs, and way of thinking, and even determines how we are perceived by loved ones. By changing the type of activity, you will not only change internally, but also show others that your potential is much wider.

6. You have to move to another area (from city to village, from north to south), where your current profession is not in demand.

If possible, study the local labor market in advance so that there is time for retraining.

My friend, a chemist by profession, had experience working in European companies, but by the will of fate she ended up in the Moscow region. Unable to get a job due to frequent travel, she found a student and tutored on the Internet.

7. Approaching unsuitable age.

If your activity has an age limit and retirement is just around the corner, it's time to think about what to do in the future. Yes, many athletes become coaches, but related activities are not always possible. Probably, it's time to remember the dreams of youth or activate your forgotten abilities.

8. The current job is financially unstable and is only getting worse over time.

Over the past decades, the situation on the labor market has changed more than once. Those professions that not so long ago were considered a guarantee of a comfortable existence, suddenly went into oblivion, and new or forgotten old ones ascended to the monetary Olympus.

If you know how to catch a wave - good luck! If it’s not in your nature to keep your nose to the wind all the time, and the salary is less and less like money, connect your relatives, friends and the Internet. As they say, one head is good, but two is better.

9. Change in life values.

Sometimes a person wonders if his work benefits him and society. Often this is due to a change in religious creation. Having gained faith, the bartender may no longer want to prepare alcoholic cocktails, and the dancer may no longer want to entertain the population in nightclubs. Someone has an acute desire to help people or animals. In this case, you can join any volunteer movement and, if it does not tire you, look for yourself in related activities.

10. Finding a dream.

Our dreams are not always associated with professional activities, but it happens. Perhaps in your youth you saw yourself exclusively in a certain area, but then, having stepped on the throat of your own song, you obeyed the wishes of your parents or the requirements of circumstances, and now memories of unfulfilled hopes haunt you. Or, on the contrary, just now you have realized that your whole life has been preparation for your dream job and now is the time to fulfill your plan.

Are my years my wealth?

If you are now 18 - 20 years old and you consider your employment as a part-time job while studying, you are in luck. But you probably aren't reading this article.

As a rule, the issue of changing a profession worries humanity at a more mature age, when youthful maximalism and adventurism have already been exhausted, and doubts - yours and potential employers - are gaining momentum.

How to decide on changes after 30 years?

For me, the crisis of the thirtieth birthday began even before the onset of this age. I did not like the city where I live, and my position is a teacher in a correctional boarding school. For my birthday, my friend and I went to a remote village to ride horses (this was my first experience), and there I made up my mind to change my place of residence and work. And everything worked out!

Six months later, I had a house in small town. It became objectively impossible to work in the same place, because at 9 pm, when the shift ended, the transport did not go to my house. Having somehow managed to get by before going on vacation, I began to look for a place closer to home and, of course, no longer in pedagogy.

Everything was decided by a randomly seen ad: "The hotel requires an administrator." Initially, they did not want to hire a teacher in the service sector, but, apparently, the ardent desire to get a different experience, written on my face, played a role. With a day-to-three schedule, I have a lot of time for household chores. But the changes didn't end there.

Increasingly, I began to think about a remote part-time job (oh, how difficult it is to find another in a small town!), And there wasn’t enough creativity in my life, and then I came across an ad from Vasily Blinov. By the way, my early articles were also written on a working computer in work time(may the former boss forgive me!)

If the cherished “I want” more and more often reminds of itself, drive away fears. As the novel Dorian Gray says, The best way overcome temptation - give in to it. Later long years we will regret what we didn't do. Well, so that I would not be reproached for advice to throw myself into the pool with my head, let's be a little more careful.

• Make a wish list

Try for some time to write down everything that does not suit you in the old place and what you would like from the new one. Of course, all aspirations are not destined to come true right away, but you will bring some clarity to the overall picture.

• Rate yourself

Knowledge, skills, business and personal qualities - all that has been accumulated over the past years. Shy and modest women can ask for help from loved ones. Sometimes it helps to make unexpected choices. My friend Ksenia, having worked for two postgraduate years in a veterinary clinic, was looking for something she liked for a long time, until one day someone, having tried her cake, ordered her another one. Now she has stable orders - and this is without any courses and crusts.

• Consider your options future profession

With a list of skills in hand, draw all possible perspectives. Even if it seems to you that the time has come to declare yourself as a fashion designer, include in the list a few related specialties, reserve on the way to the fashion world.

• If you don’t have any moral strength to do the same thing, and you haven’t decided on a new kind of activity yet, ask friends and relatives what you could do.

Take the placement test again. It is good in such cases to read the newspaper with vacancies from cover to cover (namely, the newspaper, because on the Internet you carry out a thematic search, and in print you may come across an unexpected solution). Once I leafed through it because I had nothing to do and found my sister a job painting watch bezels.

• Feel the ground

To learn as much as possible about your future profession, attend the necessary events, meet potential colleagues. This will help you avoid unexpected disappointments. So, one of my friends, who passionately dreamed of becoming a guide, signed up for the course, but when she found out that she would have to wash the toilets, she left the first lesson.

• Get ready now!

Think about what knowledge you need to improve, what skills you lack for your future profession, and where you can get them. In some places, you can limit yourself to seminars and webinars, and sometimes only expensive courses can help. If your current job can help you to improve your skills, do not miss the opportunity!

• Perhaps a related specialty will help you make a smooth transition, which will give you new skills.
• Provide yourself with a financial pillow for the time of change, because the salary at first is likely to be less than the previous one.
• Think about how to explain the field change to the recruiter.

If necessary, attend training sessions to increase self-confidence. Of course, a potential employer will have many questions for you. Including how you will bear the likely decline in income. A woman can always refer to a strong rear and a family-friendly schedule, a man - to savings and confidence in future success. The most important thing is to show enthusiasm for a new occupation and an ardent desire to work in this company.

• Start compiling and sending resumes and do not shy away from word of mouth!

We do not always have a financial cushion for sharp jumps, but it is definitely worth a try. You can always enroll in courses, take online training or look for a part-time job. By the way, if you really want something, the Universe sends help: on the way you come across necessary people, on the Internet - "random" ads, etc. it's never too late!

Not all of us are by nature great combinators, capable of changing our own reality every second. More often than not, we need to think carefully before making a decision. Changing a profession, especially in adulthood, is a serious and responsible step, but this does not mean that it is not worth stepping.

What opportunities will open up after the long-awaited changes?

Pleasant bonuses for the brave

• Expansion of own competence

Previously, you skillfully combined debit with credit, and then your soul called you into the world of cosmetics, and now you already know so much about skin care. Of course, knowledge can be obtained at webinars and courses, but their perfect development is always associated with practice.

• Acquisition of new qualities of character

If earlier you lacked the ability to stop a galloping horse, then, having settled down as a groom, you will not learn such a thing.

• New acquaintances (especially for creative professions)

And this is not only a benefit, but, first of all, communication and fresh interests.

• Horizon expansion

A person who has worked in one place all his life - perhaps good specialist. But just think how much new you will learn when, along with a change in profession, you gain knowledge, acquaintances and, perhaps, a couple more hobbies!

• Self-realization

With all my heart I wish you that it does not end there, but only begins!

• Increase self-esteem

Even if the new position is not related to career growth, “I did it” is worthy of respect in itself. This is something you can and should be proud of.

• Inspiration

How sad creative soul without fresh knowledge, skills and impressions! And finally they happened! Even if at first glance the work does not encourage creativity, the true creator will find inspiration everywhere. At least in access to a service computer or spray gun

• Change in psychological status (age, self-awareness)

If it seems to you that addressing by name and patronymic adds a few extra years, or, on the contrary, the options “Helen” and “girl” automatically turn you into an eternal youth, perhaps your position is at odds with your sense of self.

Remote work is the ideal case when you yourself determine the style of addressing yourself. Form an image using a sonorous login or, on the contrary, hide behind a meaningless nickname - you choose. And the most important thing here is the assessment of your personality only according to the results of work.

• New chart

Perhaps not the most familiar and not ideally comfortable, but you can find pluses in everything.

It is easier to plan your daily routine on your own remote work. If it is not related to calling or live broadcasting, no one will forbid you to work at night or jump up with the first roosters.

• A dream come true

Perhaps the most nice bonus. It remains only to wish that dreams do not end there.

And, finally, any changes in life entail new twists and turns. The current can swirl as soon as you enter it. Sometimes the course of events is completely unpredictable. Therefore, I do not undertake to continue this paragraph.

Today, more and more people are thinking about changing their profession, in the words of Dante, "having passed their earthly path to half." Forgetting about a boring office and getting creative, turning your favorite hobby into your main job is an old dream of many of us. But the older a person gets, the more difficult it is to decide on such a serious step. We talked to our experts about how to let go of your fears and start your career from scratch.

Why has the issue of career change become so urgent today? “Life has become better, life has become more fun” - the relative stability that has replaced the long economic and social crises has allowed many to stop thinking about every penny they earn and pay attention to what they really want in their professional life.

“Now there is freedom of choice and, most importantly, a real labor market,” explains psychologist Elmira Davydova. - Those who entered universities 20-30 years ago, until recently, could not even think about changing their activities. A profession in Soviet times was chosen once and for all. And in the 90s, it seemed to everyone that the only way to survive was to work in a kiosk, so we chose more profitable destinations. The humanities then seemed scary, because you can’t make money with their help, and simply no one went to the faculties of psychology and philology.

A successful change of profession at any age makes a person more free, creative, happy

Today the situation has changed radically. “A huge number of adults come to me, seeking to contribute to their professional activity more creativity. Of course, creativity does not always mean composing poems or drawing pictures, - Elmira Davydova clarifies. - This is a kind of activity, about which you can say: "I did it myself."

Thus, for the first time, many have the opportunity to realize their potential and even make a successful career in a new field. And along the way, the most unexpected turns can happen.

“Currently, there is a noticeable trend towards the so-called downshifting,” confirms existential psychotherapist Natalia Tumashkova. - When people in their 40s and 50s who are fully established in their field suddenly change their field of activity: big businessmen become captains of small boats and take tourists along exotic routes, bankers go into journalism, lawyers into social work- in general, Diocletian leaves the imperial sinecure and goes to plant cabbage.

However, not everyone is able to find the strength to disrupt the usual course of affairs. Some doubt the expediency of changing their profession, others are afraid of being left without funds - but still feel unhappy at work.

“A successful change of profession at any age makes a person more free, creative, happy. When you are really doing your own thing, it is not a burden, - says Elmira Davydova. “Therefore, any trials on the way to this state are worth it.”

Stage 1 - awareness

Experts identify very specific symptoms that the old job is no longer suitable for you. Elmira Davydova lists the main ones:

• during work you are constantly bored;
• you do not want to read special literature;
• it seems to you that in this area you have already achieved everything possible and there is nowhere to go further;
• you too often catch yourself thinking that at work you are thinking about abstract things;
• your health is deteriorating (in severe cases, neurosis and panic attacks occur);
• you don't feel like going to work to the point where you want to cry.

Of course, these feelings can also be caused by severe fatigue. Therefore, before you quit your job and go on a free creative voyage, try to experiment - go on a long-term vacation, creating all the conditions for yourself to have a good rest.

In addition, pay attention to relationships with colleagues and superiors - perhaps the problem is not in the profession as a whole, but in your place of work. And only if, after a rest and a change of team, your condition has not returned to normal, it is worth moving on to the next stage.

Stage 2 - deal with fears

The later the realization comes that it is time to change your life, the more difficult it is to take this step. For an already established professional in adulthood, the transition to beginner status can be extremely painful.

“For a long time I could not decide to return to medicine 25 years after graduating from the university,” Anna, 49, shares her experience. - I imagined how experienced doctors would look at me with irony, like a girl. Of course, I was worried that I would not be hired at that age! But all these fears turned out to be in vain - the main thing is to really want and achieve your goal.

“Any change always involves some uncertainty, which gives rise to anxiety,” Natalya Tumashkova comments. - Therefore, to begin with, admit to yourself that you are afraid, and try to understand: what are you most afraid of? Only the “named” fear can be correlated with reality, to see, “is the devil so terrible.”

When NOT to change careers

Whatever our dreams, it's always better to be realistic about the situation. Not every business can be mastered in adulthood, and if, after celebrating your 50th birthday, you want to become a professional theater actor or pilot, you should think twice about this decision.

“In the end, it is not necessary to make a profession out of a dream,” says Elmira Davydova. - Life is not limited to work. Fill the activity that you lead with creative content, and implement your addictions as a hobby. Often the cause of depression and depression is not work, but something else. This may be a personality or age crisis, and then you will need to consult not a career guidance specialist, but a psychotherapist.

How to deal with the fear of change?

• remember your successful experience of change - how you started something, did something for the first time, how scary it was at first and what helped you cope with the task;
• collect positive examples from the life of friends and acquaintances;
• remember your relatives - a lot of changes fell to their lot, and they coped with them; look for inspiration by reading the biographies of famous and successful people(for example, the book "Sailor in the Saddle", written by Irving Stone about the life of Jack London);
• remember that the most dangerous thing is "burnout" in the profession. Having reached this stage of aversion to own work you can never go back to it.

“The only way to cope with your fears is not to chop the branch on which you are sitting with an ax,” says Elmira Davydova. - You need to act gradually, drop by drop: go to study at courses or do what you want to do, your hobby. Gradually absorb a new environment, make acquaintances, study specialized literature.

Indeed, in the process of learning a new business, it may turn out that this is not at all what we need.

Stage 3 - decide on a new profession

For some, this part of the path may seem the easiest - finally, there is an opportunity to realize your childhood dreams, find a use for hidden talents, turn your favorite hobby into a life's work. But for many, the question “where to go?” seems like an insurmountable obstacle. Then a career counselor can help you in your search for a new calling.

“In 60% of cases, my clients already have a specific topic or area that they are interested in. Then we have only to concretize the desire. In the remaining 40%, people learn something fundamentally new in my office,” says Elmira Davydova.

The main purpose of the career guidance methodology is to identify which profession suits this particular person. To do this, there are many different surveys and tests.

“I'm trying to understand how a person interacts with people, whether he likes to do something with his hands, to which he has inclinations,” continues Elmira Davydova. - You need to find the right object and the right action with this object. Each of us has a corridor of desires and a corridor of possibilities. And in the place where they intersect, a person finds his vocation.

Before you go to a specialist, it is important to do your "homework". To do this, ask yourself a few questions: “Where and when did I feel happy, fulfilled?” Take a “tour” of childhood and youth memories: “Where did I experience the feeling that I want to experience now while working? And why did I ever refuse it?

“The next step is inventory own resources, - advises Natalya Tumashkova. “All the skills and abilities that have accumulated over the years of life can be used as keys to mastering a new business.”

It is necessary to carry out work on studying the labor market: what can you do, what can you apply your abilities and experience to? Which of your friends is ready to join or maybe invite you to work?

In addition, today there are many courses and types additional education which can be combined with the main work.

“Usually I recommend people to look for something close to the area where they are now,” notes Elmira Davydova. - We often do not notice the opportunities that lie in the field of our activity. And only when the resources in the nearest circle are exhausted, you can go to "outer space".

Think: what would you spend your time on if you no longer had to work for money?

Just for such a case, the psychologist has compiled a list of questions, by answering which you can find a new business of your life.

1. If you are bored at work, write down five reasons why you feel bored. Imagine that you are doing something exactly the opposite. Do you like it? What do you feel? Write down five qualities that should be characteristic of your work.

2. Write down on the sheet the professions that you know. Subtract: Subtract all professions you don't like. From the rest, subtract those that are not available to you by age. From the remainder, subtract those that are interesting to you, but scary to start. Consider the rest.

3. Think about what you would do if you inherited a billion euros? Schedule your life for one year (twenty important things that you would do) after receiving this money. And what would you spend your time on if you no longer had to work for money?

4. Write what your parents programmed you for (about money, education, career, people around you).

5. Who are your real teachers (name three people who, albeit harshly, albeit involuntarily, taught you something in life).

6. Remember what feats you accomplished (in which you overcame yourself and circumstances). How has it changed you?

7. Remember your risky actions (physical risk, social, financial), what did it lead to and what did these situations teach you?

8. Who are your parents and parents of parents by profession? What did they do outstanding in their work?

9. Have you ever organized something or someone to do something? How did you feel in this capacity as an organizer? Or did you prefer to be an ordinary participant?

10. Remember your dreams, which symbolically tell you about your dissatisfaction with life. Or those that show the way.

About the expertx

Elmira Davydova - psychologist, founder and head of the career guidance center "ProfGid"

Natalia Tumashkova - existential psychotherapist, coach, business coach

The decision to change a profession can come at any age - at 25, and at 35, and at 45. How to find a job in a new specialty if the experience does not match the desired position? How not to become a hostage of your own successful resume and reserve the right to choose your professional destiny?

Some statistics
According to research center recruiting portal website, 39% of economically active Russians are ready to radically change their profession, another 26% are not against learning specialties related to their main profession. At the same time, experts from high income express their readiness to change their profession much less frequently than Russians with low and middle incomes. However, financial difficulties are not the only reason to change their lives dramatically: according to the study, Russians often want to gain new knowledge, broaden their horizons, make new friends and make their lives less monotonous.

“I am an accountant, I have achieved a lot in my work, but recently I realized that I want to change my profession. Advise what to do? — similar questions are regularly discussed at various forums. Participants in the discussion in such cases give a variety of advice: from information in which related specialties accounting skills can be useful, to calls not to tempt fate and not break a successful career. Whom to listen to?

Difficult road of change
Those who nevertheless decided to change and were going, for example, to change their laptop to a showman's microphone, will need to be careful. To carry out such a transformation in one day is not easy for many reasons. Firstly, finding a job in a profession in which you have no experience is quite difficult, especially for people of mature age. You will have to put in a lot of effort to convince the recruiter of your high motivation. Second, changing professions will almost certainly mean lower incomes, at least initially. Thirdly, you will have to forget for some period that you are an established professional and remember how you felt when you were a beginner. You will have to learn, perhaps from younger colleagues.

So before you make the final decision to change your profession, soberly assess your ability to adapt to new conditions. Can you feed a family accustomed to the income of a successful sales manager on the small salary of an aspiring interior designer? Are you ready to listen to a dozen rejections before you get a job? Finally, can you consciously lower your professional self-esteem?

Related professions
If you are aware of all the risks, but still crave change, think about how to implement them with the least loss to status and income. Career consultants and experts agree that best option is looking for a job in a field related to the one in which you worked before. In this case, both the skills gained over the years and useful connections in the professional community will be partially useful to you. At the same time, your life will change, perhaps new career horizons will open.

So, many quite successful journalists, tired of "scandals, intrigues and investigations", find themselves in the field of PR, which requires active, sociable people who are friendly with the Russian language. IT-specialist involved in the implementation of new software into business processes, he may well engage in sales of the same software: knowing the nuances of working with them will undoubtedly help him. Teacher foreign language may well work as a translator - and there is a demand, and knowledge will come in handy.

There are many such examples. The scope for professional maneuvers is laid in almost every specialty. It is important to outline for yourself all possible ways of retraining and evaluate career prospects then make a decision and take action.

From a teacher to a TV presenter?
But what if, in your opinion, your dream job is extremely far from the position you occupy now? Is it worth the risk and turn from a design engineer into a web designer, and from a teacher kindergarten- a TV presenter?

On the one hand, history knows many examples of a radical change in profession. For example, who would know today about the doctors Mikhail Bulgakov or Anton Chekhov, if they had not relegated their original profession to the background? On the other hand, there is a certain risk of not taking place in new profession. Perhaps you are looking at new job through rose-colored glasses and your ideas about the desired position are too idealistic.

Try to assess your capabilities and before making a decision, consult with loved ones and friends, with a psychologist or career consultant. And having accepted it, be prepared for the fact that at first your path will not be strewn with rose petals.

Education, resumes, interviews…
If you decide to retrain or radically change your profession, start with education. Think about what skills you lack to start, choose the appropriate courses or workshop - find necessary information the internet will help. Three or four nights a week, perhaps in parallel with your current job, and in a few months you will feel much more confident in your new profession. It is possible that later you will also decide to get a second higher education, but for a start you can be content with little.

Job search, of course, should begin with a resume. And here you have to be smart: the resume of the applicant for the position of PR manager, which describes only the experience of working as a history teacher, will immediately go to the trash. Therefore, make your resume so that it is clear why it is beneficial for the employer to hire you. Maybe, while working at school as a history teacher, you organized some kind of event that interested not only schoolchildren, but also the press? Have you already tried your hand as a volunteer for a charity event, or maybe you completed a three-month PR-specialist course at a major university? That is what should be emphasized.

At the interview, be prepared to answer the “slippery” questions of recruiters about the reasons for your leaving your previous profession. Be frank, do not be afraid to look like a loser: if you were invited for an interview, then they are considering you as a potential employee. The mere fact that you have found the strength in yourself to change your profession already characterizes you as an active person with high internal motivation. However, get ready to lower your salary claims: while you are a beginner, you will have to be content with little. However, after a year of work, you can count on a completely market salary.

The site believes in your potential and wishes you good luck in acquiring a new profession!

To master a new specialization and even more so to change a profession, you need to have at least determination and courage. After all, in new position you have to start over, from the very beginning. And this means - to overcome the fear of the unknown, to be as a beginner, to master new work algorithms. What to do if the circumstances of life require such changes? Where to start and where to find strength? What to do if a new profession requires a change in approach to work? Will tell about it Olga Gurevskaya, Deputy Head of the Human Resources Department of Sigma LLC, Omni Group of Companies (Angarsk, Irkutsk Region).

How to become a personnel manager?

Let's say you are a personnel officer, but due to life circumstances (for example, layoffs in the personnel department), you are looking for a new job that is close to your specialty. Finally, there is such a vacancy. Only the position sounds not a specialist (or inspector) on personnel office work, as a personnel manager, and assumes new responsibilities. For example, recruitment, motivation schemes, etc. Is it worth changing your specialization and trying your hand at a different capacity? The answer is "yes" if you dream:

• about the career of the HR director (knowledge, experience in the development and implementation of personnel strategies will be required);
• get a job in a Western company (for this you need to know all aspects of the work of an HR-generalist * - both legal and managerial);
• increase your salary (traditionally, it is higher for a HR manager).

If you agree with at least one of the statements above, then you are quite ready to change your specialization. In order to do this and try your hand at a different capacity in a new position, use our recommendations.

Tip 1. Analyze your past experience, remember all the cases when you had to work with personnel. For example, give advice on finding a job or employees, advise colleagues on how to extinguish industrial conflicts, organize professional competitions etc. Add these responsibilities to your resume. This will make it easier for you to convince a future employer to hire you as an HR manager.

Tip 2. Get an education in the direction of "". Select via the Internet or advertising booklets seminars on employee motivation, setting up a selection system, etc. Study professional literature, for example, how to draw up an HR budget, organize training. Search in HR magazines practical advice for the development of personnel strategies.

Tip 3. Gain experience in solving HR tasks. To do this, discuss on professional forums on the Internet what to do in a given situation, offer your own methods, read the opinions of other members of the forum about your answers**.

Portrait of a professional

Olga GUREVSKY

The first time she changed her profession in 1999, when she had to leave her teaching job. At first she became a secretary-clerk. Then in 2001 she moved to the position of HR specialist. She independently mastered the basics of this profession. Then she moved to the position of Human Resources Manager. Now he is Deputy Head of the Human Resources Department. For about two years he subscribes to the magazine "Personnel Business" and participates in the competition for the "Personnel Officer of the Year" Award.

Firsthand

“I was very lucky: wherever I worked, there were always wonderful mentors next to me. It was to them that I often had to turn for advice. They generously shared their experience and knowledge, actively supervised my Professional Development. This not only gave me confidence in my abilities, but also increased my motivation. Now I myself am a mentor of young professionals. I also share my experience with others."

From HR to HR

Is it difficult to retrain from an HR manager to a HR specialist? Yes, it's difficult enough. After all, the personnel officer must comply with the letter of the law. And this involves the study of legislative and legal acts, guidelines on maintaining documentation, on accounting and movement of personnel, the procedure for registration, maintenance and storage work books and personal cards of employees, the procedure for preparing documents after the expiration of the current storage period for archiving, and much more.

The legislation is constantly changing and it is very important not to miss them. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly study methodical literature, professional magazines to avoid various paperwork problems. Therefore, you should switch to a specialization in HR records management when:

• this is a chance for you to keep your job (for example, when laying off staff);
• you realized that you are more attracted to work not with people, but with documents (writing reports, preparing and filling out standard forms);
• you are pedantic and attentive to details, like to support your ideas with quotes, thoughts of theorists.

You can change your specialization and find a job as a personnel officer if you have the appropriate education. For example, received at retraining courses, in universities in the specialty "Personnel Management", "Jurisprudence". Of course, it is possible to master in practice without getting a "crust". It just takes more time and effort from you. Therefore, if possible, try to get an education. In addition, many companies now maintain automated personnel records using special computer programs. This also speaks in favor of systematic training, if there is a desire to retrain as personnel officers.

How useful are professional competitions?

Participation in competitions for HR specialists, for example, in the competition "HR Officer of the Year" (kadrovik-goda.ru), allows newcomers to the profession to try their hand and hone their knowledge. In each test task, situations on labor legislation, personnel records management and personnel management are proposed for analysis. Practicing in solving them, the specialist forms himself as a professional, an expert in all aspects of personnel work.

And back to the profession

It may also happen that in search of work you will be forced to change your specialization more than once and move from personnel officers to HR and back to personnel officers. How to activate forgotten skills?

Step 1. Assess your knowledge. Decide for yourself whether you remember the basic work algorithms. For example, what documents to draw up when hiring or dismissing an employee. If you don't remember, you'll need training. If everything is in order with knowledge, then pay attention to your social adaptation. Set a work schedule for yourself that helps you not only get the job done, but also find time for self-study. Say, for half an hour in the morning and afternoon, read professional literature. At the same time, do not forget about the internal regulations in the company.

Step 2 Relearn Labor Code(especially the sections on employment contract, working hours, guarantees and compensations, rest time, labor discipline), Rules for maintaining and storing work books, Instructions for filling out work books.

Step 3 Attend courses or seminars on HR and labor law. Choose the ones that fill your gaps in knowledge and give you an idea of ​​new trends. For example, design workshops are now popular labor relations with foreign employees, on conducting personnel records management in separate subdivisions etc. If you need a complete picture of how a personnel officer works, look for courses with the names “Labor Law”, “ Legal issues in work with personnel”, “HR records management”, etc.

Success Secrets

What is your advice to those who want to return to the profession or change it?

Firstly, weigh all the pros and cons of such a transition. That is, to assess what skills will be required in a new position, what to learn, whether there is enough patience and endurance for this. Remember that at first, when you switch to a new specialization, you will not be able to claim a higher salary.

Secondly, determine whether you are ready to move from one type of work (say, communication with people, to which the activities of HR are more devoted) to another (documentation). This must be done in order not to be disappointed later and not to feel regret from the time spent.

Third, understand whether you have enough patience and whether you have a strong incentive to learn new things, overcome the difficulties that will arise in the early stages. Without this, it will be very difficult to get used to a new specialization for yourself.

Fourth, find an experienced colleague who will share the secrets of mastery, help solve a difficult professional problem, support in difficult situations. If there is no such specialist in your environment, make professional acquaintances - say, at exhibitions, conferences.

Express test "Are you ready to change your profession?"

If you agree with the statement, give 1 point:

• my profession gives me no pleasure;
• I cannot force myself to do the work that is required of me;
• I regret that I chose a profession under the influence of friends / parents;
• I will be able to realize my potential only in another specialty;
• I am ready for the difficulties that I will face when changing my profession.

Analysis of answers: 4-5 points - you urgently need to change your profession, you have long matured before this decision; 2-3 points - you are thinking about mastering a new specialty, but are still in doubt whether to take decisive action; 0-1 - you are not yet ready for change.

We wish you good luck in achieving your goals!

* From English. - specialist in the field of personnel management and labor law, the title of such a position is often found in large Western companies.

** On the forum of the Kadrovoe Delo magazine, you can always discuss pressing issues in HR and personnel management.

Many people think about changing their profession after 30 years. At this time, many understand that the choice of their specialty was not entirely correct, and they are drawn in a completely different direction. You should not be afraid of change either at 30 or at 50 years old. But before changing your specialty, it is better to weigh everything well and think it over carefully - perhaps your desire is associated with professional difficulties and failures. You can read more about how to change jobs and get a new profession in this article.

Why do people want to change their specialty?

The first third of a person's life is eventful. Until the age of 30, many women and men receive a specialty, create a family, raise children. Often there is no time left for reflection and reflection on whether the right professional path was chosen during his student years. In the meantime, many go to get an education not out of their sincere desire, but on the advice of their parents, the example of friends, or simply because the circumstances have developed. It is not surprising that at the age of 30, when a person has already formed as a person, he has thoughts like this: “I want to change my profession.”

If you're thinking about changing careers after 30, don't worry, you're not alone. Polls show that many at this age start looking for a job with a radically new profile. Many turn to the services of career guidance tests that help identify abilities in some areas. Around the age of 30, people develop a clear picture of their lives: they are aware of their personal qualities, the effectiveness of their work, a sense of recognition and pleasure from it. If the desired sensations do not match the real ones, a person may decide to leave his specialty. It often happens that a person is satisfied with everything in his work, except wages. No matter how beloved the profession is, if it does not bring a proper response in the form of money, then a person can quickly experience burnout and disappointment in his work. Less often, the “glass ceiling” becomes the reason for changing professions. It does not allow a person to grow as a professional, and no one wants to spend their whole life in the same position. Often a person has some kind of hobby that he has been doing for many years and wants to monetize his income.

Signs it's time to change jobs

Many people are afraid to change their profession, because the unknown is ahead, and people do not understand whether they will be able to realize themselves in new sphere. The financial factor also stops - after all, for some time it will be necessary to live without a constant salary. There are several criteria that will help you decide whether to change your profession.

• If the current job is the first place of work after the university, it is likely that you got there not of your own free will, but on the recommendation of friends or because they hired employees without experience only there.
• Do you feel the need for further development, but there is nowhere to grow in your profession: neither in this company, nor in another.
• Your specialty implies a lot of work, which prevents you from seeing your family and children.
• The scope of your profession is gradually shrinking, and earning is becoming increasingly difficult.
• You literally force yourself to go to work every day and hardly sit out the allotted time.
• There are age limits in your profession, and you are approaching their threshold.
• Do you have a hobby that brings you income.

Instructions for changing profession

The attractiveness of a profession for a person depends on several factors: material reward, pleasure from work and the availability of benefits that a person brings through his work. If at least one of these factors is absent, a person may decide to change jobs. How to change profession? Experts advise to follow next instruction:

1. Weigh the pros and cons. Changing a profession is a very responsible step, so you need to make sure that your desire does not come from personal circumstances or a life crisis. If you have the opportunity to visit a psychologist, it is better to go to him for a consultation.
2. Before you quit, get yourself a notebook in which you will write down the pros and cons of your job. Write in it your impressions of the company's culture, relationships with your boss, the most interesting and tedious stages of your work.
3. Start saving money for the "unemployed" period. In order for you to have time to calmly choose your favorite profession, you will need money. Experts recommend saving the amount that will last you for a year without additional sources income.
4. Assess your skills and interests and start making a list of careers you might want to pursue. In this list, you can include everything that you did in life, perhaps even a few years ago. Think about what your bosses praised you for, what things you managed to do best.
5. Start studying at the same time. Once you have decided on the desired area of ​​employment, you can begin to get an education. In each field, the training period will be different - from several months to several years.
6. Start an internship. At first, most likely, you will have to work for a small fee. If you have accumulated enough money, then this stage will pass painless for you.
7. Get ready for the interview. Many employers don't trust people who change jobs at age 30 or later. Your task is to convince them that you are a good specialist who will quickly get used to a new place. When changing profession covering letter, which will indicate your achievements on previous place work would be very helpful. Additional recommendations should be included.

Pros and cons of changing jobs

Many people who start their career path anew are tormented by fears. Is it reasonable? Can you succeed in your new profession? Many fear financial ruin and unfulfilled hopes. To make the choice easier, you can write out for yourself the pros and cons of a new profession. The advantages include:

• new opportunities;
• more prestigious place of work;
• pleasure from their activities;
• rich and interesting life.

There are also many cons:

• the severity of the transition period, during which you will be tormented by doubts and fears associated with decision;
• falling living standards;
• a radical change in the circle of communication;
• the need to spend a lot of time and effort on mastering a new profession, as a result of which your relationships with family or friends may suffer.

Yes, changing careers after 30 is fraught with many risks. Most likely, many of your friends and relatives will discourage you from taking this step. But you can get a lot if you do right choice. You will live with the confidence that only you control your life, and not at all random circumstances, and you are able to make it interesting and rich.

How to change profession after 30 years? Experts advise listening to your desires and in no case cut off the shoulder.

• Don't blame yourself for working in a profession that you didn't like. This is not a mistake, but a life experience that is an integral part of you. When dismissing, it is desirable to maintain friendly relations with colleagues, because working relationships can bring a lot of benefits in a new area.
• Careful consideration of each step will save you from unforgivable mistakes. But psychologists do not advise to delay too long. If you have been thinking about changing your profession for more than a year, then, most likely, everything suits you at your current place of work.
• Be optimistic. Even if no one supports you, remember that only you can make decisions related to your life. A person spends most of his life at work, so it is very important how he spends it - with pleasure or not. Remember that in case of failure, you can always return to the profession back.
• Think back to your positive life experiences. You've probably already started something from scratch. You were scared at the time, too, but you did it.
• Examples can help you find inspiration famous people who changed their profession in adulthood and achieved success. For example, the biography of Jack London, who began to write his stories only in adulthood, and before that he managed to visit a sailor and a gold digger.

How to decide on a new profession

Many people ask, thinking about changing their profession: "What to choose at 30?" For some, answering this question is not difficult - they have long known what they want. But for others, this stage becomes an insurmountable obstacle. In this case, career guidance from an experienced psychologist can be of great help. Often, only 60% of people guess about their desires, and the rest do not even represent the area in which they would like to work. A psychologist will not only identify the profession that is right for you, but will also help you find out your strengths and weak sides as a specialist.

Before visiting a specialist, it is better to do a kind of “homework”, which in some cases can replace the consultation itself. To “inventory” your skills, write them out on a separate sheet and rate each on a 10-point scale. So you can clearly see which aspects of your work were best for you. For example, someone manages to handle technology or numbers better, while others manage to negotiate with employees. Very often, people simply do not notice the opportunities that are next to them, but rush into the pool with their heads, choosing a radically different direction, wasting a lot of resources and time. Therefore, in the search for a new profession, as in any other business, the preparatory stage is the most important stage.

Starting a career from scratch: books to help

If you do not have the opportunity to visit a specialist, then books can help, which, in fact, are short course by changing specialty.

1. "Profession - illustrator" is suitable not only for artists, but for all creative individuals. It contains numerous techniques that allow you to learn to think creatively and see the unusual in the most ordinary things.
2. The Roadmap book helps you understand what you want, not the people around you. Knowing the true interests and values ​​​​of your personality means improving the quality of life. The book is written in the form of a novel and is read in one breath.
3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone by Brian Tracy is a life-affirming book that contains 21 methods to increase personal effectiveness.
4. "To hell with all of it! Take it and do it, even if it does not give you the secrets of a career change, but it will charge you with the motivation and determination necessary for change.

What is the age limit?

You can start doing something new at any age - psychologists say so. But still, as we age, it becomes more difficult for us to learn, and the cognitive abilities of the brain decline. What age is considered critical for self-determination? At the moment, experts consider the period from 40 to 50 years as the middle of life and argue that this is the most favorable age for big changes. The reason for this are several factors. After 40, most people already have a certain balance in life: children become independent, and incomes are at a sufficient level. high level. At the same time, there is still a lot of strength and energy for the implementation of any plans. The "middle age" crisis that many are experiencing at this time pushes people to look for something new in their lives. Changing careers after 40 is normal. This is a favorable time for the realization of those needs and desires that you previously did not pay due attention to. The proof of this is the example of many people. Of course, changing a profession at 40 is more difficult than at 20, but then you will approach your choice more consciously. You already have necessary knowledge and experience that will help you quickly master any field. Moreover, scientists say that studying after 40 helps to avoid degenerative brain diseases and delay aging.

Communication with relatives

Changing careers at 50 can throw your family and loved ones into the deepest amazement. After all, not everyone at this age decides on significant changes. People are used to judging everyone by themselves, so do not be surprised that everyone will take the news of a change of specialty with hostility. In this situation, it is important to gently but persistently explain your position and try to minimize all conflicts about this. It is important not to be led by someone else's opinion, but at the same time to conduct a dialogue, bringing convincing arguments and arguments. Most often, it is enough to simply explain to relatives that former job does not bring you joy, and you remain unhappy, continuing to work on it.

All doubts and negative statements of your acquaintances will disappear immediately after you get the first results. But thorough preparation for change will help you make others more loyal to you. If your husband or wife is resistant to change, take the first place as a part-time job and let the situation stabilize.

Results

People change careers for various reasons. One wants to solve problems in life in this way, while others dream of fulfilling their long-standing desires. 30 years is considered a kind of milestone, after which it is already necessary to settle down and do "serious things". Therefore, many have a negative attitude towards the idea of ​​changing a profession and finding oneself at this age. But the experience of many people suggests that more often only at this time you can start doing what you really like. What to choose for a career change at 30? Determine the area in which you want to develop and act - get an education, get an internship and gain experience. Change of profession is not a cure for all problems, but it can significantly improve the quality of your life with the right approach.