ALT-1 Tips on how to Choose a second Career
If you’re concerned with choosing a second career, you’re probably doing that because you want to earn a second income or take up a voluntary activity which will be emotionally fulfilling or help to stimulate your creative powers, special skills and capabilities. Whatever the reasons, there are certain things to consider when it comes to choosing a second career.
1. First of all, be qualified
Some careers you may be weighing will require certain qualifications and know-how. If you’re truly bent on a second career, go in for such qualifications. There are even careers that allow on-the-work training. And you can take advantage of them.
You should also make it a point to read widely and be informed on the sector in which you’re thinking about choosing and starting a second career.
2. Know your strengths and weaknesses
You know yourself better than anybody else and should know your strengths and weakness. If you’re someone who doesn’t like talking a lot and inherently find it difficult to avoid getting angry or annoyed by other people’s behaviors, you’ll be more at home working as a software engineer instead of, say, a teacher .
Any possible second career involving frequent interactions with people may not be good for you. Choosing a job that’s a bit secluded may be perfect for you (not applicable to everybody, though).
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses also has to do with your likes and dislikes. If you’re someone who don’t like being bossed around, you’ll be better off managing a private business as a second career rather than working for someone.
3. Know how much time you have
Managing two careers may be stressing, hence the need to do all the research needed to choose a second career that won’t combine with your first career to overburden you.
You need to rest, sleep and have time for recreational activities like enjoying yourself at the beach, exercising and hanging out with loved ones. Choose a second career that won’t overburden or stress you.
4. Consider both mind and heart
Of course, any second career you choose must or will be one that’ll require the use of your brains and in a sense, be creatively fulfilling. You get the chance to use your brain and inherent abilities and know-how. But what about your heart?
Any second career you settle on must also be pleasing to your heart—it must be emotionally fulfilling. If you choose a career you have no love for, you’ll definitely and inevitably fall out of love in the near future.
5. Choose a career requiring diverse activities
Any job or career which involves doing one thing in one particular way all the time may become boring and monotonously mundane overtime, hence the need to choose a career requiring different activities.
You’ll be more excited and motivated in such a career.
6. Zero in on that perfect second career
Hopefully, you have by now made up your mind on a second career. Go in for it and start earning that second income or get the necessary experience you want as volunteer.
To conclude, it’s important to note that things may not turn out as you expect in your second career, but there’s the need to have patience; things may get better. And no matter the situations, you always have a control over your career destiny. If the career you choose isn’t going well, you can ditch it and move on to find a more suitable one.
