Are you feeling stuck in your current job? You may find yourself feeling this way for many reasons, maybe you are wanting to work in a different location, needing different hours to fit in with your busy lifestyle, or simply feeling unfulfilled in your current role.

To avoid career stagnation, it’s always best to figure out the career that will suit you best by exploring career opportunities that align with your interests, needs, and passions, so that you can begin planning how to get there. 

In this article we will share helpful insights on how to navigate the process of identifying and pursuing your new career, including how to find job opportunities that are more fitting for your goals and schedule, and how to use Sundance College as a catalyst for changing your career and leading a happier life. Let’s begin! 

Finding Motivation for a Career Change

Changing careers first requires motivation – this is the foundation layer upon which you can build your future. Identifying specific aspects that you love and within your current role and what aspects you wish to be present in your new role is essential. This recognition provides a strategic roadmap for the transition. Time, location, and financial considerations are often major factors at this point.

Evaluating your current situation in a comprehensive self-assessment can help you find the balance between personal and professional goals and can provide you with the motivation you need to begin your career change.

Let’s take a closer look at these factors. 

Increase In Earning Potential 

Sustaining a livelihood on a minimum wage is daunting. Many people choose to tackle this by increasing their working hours in a low-paying job, or picking up multiple part-time roles at once, which tend to result mental and emotional burn-out along with a feeling of their not being enough hours in the day to make financial ends meet.

The most sustainable solution lies in a strategic shift towards a career that can not only provide financial stability for life’s necessities, but also offers a lifestyle beyond simply staying afloat. By exploring avenues that offer an increase in income, workers can feel more fulfilled in both their personal life and in their career, leading to a higher quality of life

Engaging In More Meaningful Work

For some people, a career means more than a way to pay their bills and put food on the table. It serves as a driver for both professional growth and personal development. Individuals looking for job roles that resonate with their values are often searching for a sense of purpose and fulfillment in conjunction with their professional endeavors. When immersed in work that reflects their sensibilities, individuals perform at their optimal capacity and satisfy their personal needs, as well as the professional needs of their employers.

Flexibility With Work Time And Location 

Among professional considerations, time and location stand as factors. The initial considerations often revolve around the ability to balance work commitments with personal responsibilities. Many people have family obligations or other substantial commitments that they must navigate along with their work schedule.

Working from home, or from a location closer to home, as well as having a flexible or reliable schedule can be the perfect solution for people who want a work-life balance. Being able to go beyond the usual limits and find the right balance between work and personal life is seen as a key factor for being happy in a modern career.

Explore Career Opportunities with your Interests and Passions

A truly rewarding career can be characterized by the joy and enthusiasm individuals derive from their daily tasks. Continued engagement and motivation in their job and, consequently, their entire career, involves a deliberate alignment of personal interests, hobbies, and passions with professional pursuits. It’s the only way to stay motivated and fulfilled.

Most people have multiple interests, so it’s best to list and explore them all using online tools to identify viable career pathways that will work for you. For instance, someone interested in working with numbers might explore opportunities in accounting, tax, and payroll, transforming their passions into a fulfilling career that is also financially rewarding

How to Start a Career Transition 

After reviewing your skills and interests, the next step to paving the way to a new career path requires looking at the current job market. This analysis of current and ongoing trends, in-demand skills, burgeoning industries, and optimal positioning for success can be extremely beneficial when looking into the right role in an industry you enjoy. 

Exploring the job market allows individuals to align their aspirations with the current employment landscape and gives them the opportunity to cross-reference their ideal career scenario with the opportunities currently available. This comparison gives individuals a chance to tailor their approach to career development, allowing them to increase their chances of success in a dynamic and ever-evolving professional environment.

Account For All Existing Transferable Skills 

Prudent career management involves recognizing and acknowledging every transferable skill and experience that you have gained in your current or previous workplace. You might have developed strong communication skills by dealing with customers daily or have a knack for organization after previously helping to plan schedules and procedures.

The more transferable skills you have, the better your job market adaptability will be. You may already possess the relevant interpersonal and communication skills needed for career mobility and will be able to hit the ground running in your new job after you’ve gained the right qualification.

Existing workplace skills, whether interpersonal or technical, can be refined and expanded upon to increase competitiveness in the job market. A college diploma can provide essential training for skill enhancement that ultimately prepare individuals for success in their future careers.

Obtain A Career College Diploma 

While you may have a handful of transferable skills, you may need to address gaps in skill development before you can be successful at making a career change.  The job market is highly competitive, favoring those who possess relevant skills and experience in any given field. The value of a career college diploma comes when providing students with a blend of in-class lessons and training with practical work experience.  

A career college diploma can also come in handy when looking to refine your current talents and position yourself competitively in the search for your new career. For example, you may need help meeting others in your new industry, learning about day-to-day tasks in your new role, or developing the technical knowledge required to succeed. A student could start with zero industry knowledge in their desired field and come out with a competitive skill set and work experience in roughly a year while earning a diploma.

Some career college programs include practicums, providing invaluable opportunities to establish industry contacts and gain real-world experience in the chosen field. This educational investment is the perfect opportunity to gain an advantage during a career transition.

Why Diplomas Matter

Diplomas are generally considered a high-quality level of education, distinguishing themselves through the fast-tracked, immersive, and comprehensive nature of their course programs. 

The courses are designed to be shorter than a degree program, typically ranging from a few months to just over two years, because they specifically focus on developing the skills that are essential to succeed in a student’s intended career. 

Career college diploma programs are tailored for adult education, accommodating those who are busy navigating busy work and home lives, as well as other commitments. Career colleges offer a thriving learning environment for adults, characterized by small class sizes that facilitate personalized instruction and one-on-one support from instructors, allowing students to feel supported and guided throughout their course. 

This dedicated support extends to working with the students through resume building and interview preparation with career advisors to help them position themselves well when it comes to changing careers. This is an advantage only found in career colleges.

Diplomas remain one of the most viable options for getting new education and training while adding credibility to a resume, making diploma graduates a more competitive candidate in the job market, and positioning them for success in their new role. 

FAQs About Pursuing a Diploma

Choosing to go to college is a major life decision. Here are three of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) people have when deciding to pursue a diploma: 

• Can I afford to pursue a diploma program? – Yes, a diploma program can be afforded because of the existing financial aid programs students can access. Government student loans are easily accessible and are flexible with repayment. Diploma programs are also shorter in length than degree programs making it significantly more affordable for students. 
• Can I work while pursuing a diploma? – Yes, many students pursuing a diploma do so concurrently with a full-time or part-time job especially in colleges that have policies and practices in place that recognize the flexibility required. 
• What career opportunities are available after completing a diploma? – Due to a very focused curriculum, career opportunities available for career college diploma holders will highly depend on the program in which they’ve enrolled. Specific professions align with a corresponding program and, sometimes, certain transferrable skills are developed as well.

Explore Sundance College’s Offered Programs

After considering your motivation for a career change, your interests and passions, and the transferable skills you already possess, you should be ready to make the leap and switch careers. Great! You should also have decided to enhance your skills with new knowledge and experience by earning a diploma to get you started on your journey.

Choosing the best career college for your situation is key when beginning your career transition.  Sundance College’s diploma programs offer aspiring professionals a swift path to a new in-demand career within about a year. 

The practical knowledge of industry-experienced instructors combined with our small class sizes foster a focused learning environment where students can choose between online learning or in-class formats to fit around their own schedules. 

Many students maintain their busy family schedules, as well as part-time or full-times jobs during their studies, due to the flexible nature of our diploma programs.

Sundance College student, Chin O. says, “Sundance gave me hope that I can have a diploma while working at the same time. The flexibility of the schedule is one of the best parts for me as several colleges I’ve found within Manitoba and Alberta don’t work with my work schedule.”

Pursuing higher education through one of our programs could not be easier, with all of our courses being eligible for government student aid funding. Our financial administrators can go through additional options including scholarships, bursaries and grants to assist students in achieving their educational and career goals.

Visit our website and explore our programs in: 

• Business and Legal
• Health and Social Services
• Technology

to find out which path you can take on your new career journey. Connect with an admissions advisor to get started.