You’ve been at the same job for over 10 years. You like it, but you don’t love it. You don’t see any room for growth, and let’s face it, you haven’t had a raise since you started. You want to look around for another job, but you want to do something really different! You want to reinvent yourself using the skills you have, so how do you do it?
If you are working as an administrative assistant now, it’s a sure bet that doesn’t mean you are only greeting people and answering phones. You are probably helping each department with their work, perhaps some accounting, some data input, some marketing…write down the tasks you most enjoy helping with and what skills you have in that area.
Now is the time to really figure out how you want your life to look in the future. What salary would make you very comfortable in your lifestyle and even help you save more money for retirement? Set the bar high for yourself, knowing that maybe you will have to come down a bit. If you are going to try something new, you may as well shoot for the stars!
What skills can you build upon? Do you sort of know Excel, but now really well? Find a class or workshop that you could attend, or for that matter someone who knows how to use it. Buy them dinner and sit down and have them show you. Learning an extra skill and being able to showcase that on a resume is always a plus.
Think about the people in your life you admire. Make a list, and see if a few of them will mentor you in your job search and in your career moves in general. The mentor should be someone who is real with you, lifts you up, and helps you to advance in your work and personal life.
A recruiter will evaluate your resume, help you find the positions that most interest you, fine tune your interview skills, and work with you to find a great position! They are experts at what they do, and remember that it does not cost you to use a recruiter! The companies pay them when you are placed.
Reinventing yourself is a great way to keep life interesting and help you to not grow stale in your career. Some people say they reinvent themselves every 5 years, which may be too much for you, but reinventing yourself in your career at least once could mean getting the job of a lifetime!