A Change of Pace: How to Switch Careers and Find New Jobs

Changing jobs can feel scary, especially when you are not sure what comes next. But it does not have to feel impossible.

With the right plan, resources, and support, you can find job opportunities that better match your skills, interests, values, and long-term goals.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to change jobs and find a better one, including how to assess your skills, research the job market, build a transition plan, and prepare your resume for the next step.

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, offers career exploration tools that can help you compare jobs, skills, training, wages, and career paths. Explore careers with CareerOneStop.

Assess Your Skills Before Making a Career Change

Before changing careers, start by assessing your skills. Some of your current skills may transfer into your next role better than you think.

You can do this by reviewing your past accomplishments, reading job descriptions, taking career interest assessments, and asking trusted coworkers, managers, mentors, or friends for feedback.

Look at both hard skills and soft skills.

• Hard skills include technical abilities, software tools, certifications, languages, industry knowledge, writing, data analysis, sales, bookkeeping, or project management.
• Soft skills include communication, leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and customer service.

Identifying these skills will help you focus your job search and build a stronger plan for your career transition.

If you are not sure what career direction fits you, start with your interests. Related: examples of interests leading to career choices.

Research Your Options Before Changing Jobs

One of the most important steps in changing jobs is researching your options before you leap.

Look at job postings, industry reports, salary ranges, career outlooks, and job requirements. Pay attention to which roles are growing, which skills keep appearing, and which jobs match your current experience.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook is a helpful source for researching job duties, pay, education requirements, and job outlook. Search careers with the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

When reviewing job descriptions, look closely at the qualifications. Ask yourself:

• Which requirements do I already meet?
• Which skills can I learn quickly?
• Which certifications or training might be worth it?
• Which jobs look realistic within the next 3 to 6 months?
• Which jobs may take longer to reach?

Create a short list of possible jobs that interest you, then rank them by fit, pay, training required, flexibility, and long-term opportunity.

Consider Going Back to School or Getting Training

If you are making a career change, school or training may help you gain the skills needed for your next role. But it is important to choose carefully.

You do not always need a degree. Sometimes a certificate, short course, apprenticeship, portfolio, volunteer project, or entry-level role can help you move faster and spend less money.

Before enrolling in a program, ask:

• Does this program match real job requirements?
• Will employers recognize this training?
• How much does it cost?
• How long will it take?
• Does it offer job placement help?
• Can I get financial aid or employer support?

If the program qualifies, Federal Student Aid can help you understand grants, loans, and work-study options. Review federal student aid types.

Training can be valuable, but do not go into debt without a clear reason. Your goal is not just to “go back to school.” Your goal is to move closer to a better career.

Network Before You Need a New Job

Networking is important in any job search, but it can be especially helpful during a career change.

When you are moving into a new field, people can help you understand what the job is really like, which skills matter most, and what hiring managers actually look for.

Start by reaching out to people you already know. Ask friends, family members, former coworkers, classmates, and professional contacts if they know anyone in your target industry.

You can also join professional groups, attend events, comment thoughtfully on LinkedIn, and ask people for short informational conversations.

If networking feels awkward, start small. Related: 10 ways to build professional relationships that help your career grow.

Get Creative With Your Job Search

Finding a better job is not always about applying to hundreds of postings. Sometimes you need to be more creative.

Look for roles where your current experience gives you an advantage. For example, if you worked in customer service, you may be able to move into client success, operations, sales support, healthcare support, HR coordination, or remote support roles.

If you are moving into tech, you may not need to start as a software engineer. You may be able to start with IT support, QA testing, technical writing, cybersecurity support, project coordination, or data entry roles.

Use job boards, company career pages, LinkedIn, professional communities, and direct outreach. You can also build small projects, volunteer, freelance, or create a portfolio to prove your skills.

If you are looking for remote flexibility, review our remote and flexible work tips.

Prepare for a Possible Pay Cut

When changing careers, it is important to be realistic about pay. Sometimes you may need to accept a lower starting salary to gain experience in a new field.

That does not mean you should accept unfair pay. It means you should plan ahead. Compare salary ranges, build savings if possible, reduce unnecessary expenses, and look for benefits like remote work, flexible scheduling, training, tuition support, or career growth.

You can also consider part-time work, freelancing, consulting, or a side project while you transition.

Before accepting an offer, compare the full picture: pay, benefits, growth potential, commute, schedule, stress, and future opportunities.

Do Not Be Afraid to Take a Smart Risk

A career change can feel risky. But staying in the wrong job forever can also be risky.

The goal is not to jump blindly. The goal is to take a smart risk: research the field, talk to people, test the work, build skills, update your resume, and apply with a plan.

If you feel stuck, a mentor can help you think through your next move. Related: how a mentor can help you reach your dream job.

Update Your Resume for the New Career

Your resume should not look like a list of old tasks. It should show why your past experience makes sense for your next job.

Focus on transferable skills, measurable results, tools you used, problems you solved, and achievements that connect to your target role.

Before applying, use the DamnJobs Resume and Job Description Comparison Tool to compare your resume against the job description.

If you want help rewriting your resume for a career change, check out the DamnJobs Resume Writing Service.

Changing jobs takes planning, patience, and courage. But with the right research, relationships, training, and resume strategy, you can move toward work that fits your life better.