You have recently looked at your career trajectory and it’s not that commendable. You took your first job with hopes that it will be a stepping stone for a better one, only that the better job never really came around, now you feel stuck working a job you don’t really love. Whereas you’re now thinking about taking the plunge and going for another career, you don’t really know where to start from. While changing jobs may seem like a bold step, there is need for careful thinking to ensure that you’re making the right decision. Switching careers regardless of the reason behind calls for careful discernment, says Robert Tumwebaze, an industry liaison and job placement specialist. He says there are a few things to consider before switching to a new career field such as relevance of the labour market, noting that this can be used to forecast what jobs will possibly be available in the future, and also which people will be available to do those jobs. “When you carefully discern the labour market, you can use the information to help you make informed decisions on what areas to focus on or establish your interest in. This also helps you to be able to trace trends and opportunities that are available for you,” he says. Tumwebaze also emphasises the need to consider personal growth and availability of more opportunities. “I would suggest switching to another career if it is offering more opportunities in terms of growth and advancement in one’s career,” he says, adding that side-lining one’s passion and interest would be a mistake on the other hand. “If you have a chance to switch careers, look out for the field you will enjoy working in, this factor is very crucial,” he says. According to Vestine Uwamahoro, a procurement officer, for someone having goals in life, working hard to achieve them is the main cause of switching careers. “When someone decides to switch to a new career, he or she should be professionally skilled for the new career, and by this I mean having the academic qualifications needed,” she says. “But if you lack the necessary skills, then sometimes going back to school or doing professional courses to acquire the knowledge about what and how things are done is important,” she adds. Uwamahoro points out that being mentally prepared for that career and knowing its requirements and meeting those requirements is the key to any successful career.
