New Year, new job — 5 career change tips for 2019

For those of us who overindulge during New Year’s celebrations ...

17:24 10 December 2018

A 1^st of January hangover is accompanied by depressing thoughts of returning to a job we’d sooner see the back of.

And while the New Year job blues are a common affliction, if you’re starting to feel fed-up with work the whole year round, it’s time for a change.

But no matter how liberating it would feel to flounce into your office after the festive break, tell your boss to forget about setting eyes on you again, defenestrate your pc and wander off into the blue horizon, it’s probably not the best plan for migrating jobs.

With that in mind, here are five career change tips for 2019.

1.    Gardener

Gardeners regularly report high levels of job satisfaction and making a living by giving nature a helping hand sounds like a pretty sweet gig if you’ve been stuck in a cubicle farm for many years.

So if you’ve got green fingers and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, it might be worth having a go — study this career guide from The Gardener’s Guild if you want to move into garden maintenance.

2.    Business consultant

If you fundamentally enjoy the job you’ve done for years but are tired of earning your crust in a humdrum 9-5 office environment, becoming a home-based business consultant might be a brilliant move.

By marketing yourself the right way, you could end up working less and earning more than before — so network with contacts who are already self-employed to learn how to go solo.

3.    Bodyguard

If protecting a high-profile politician, businessperson or celebrity from violence or kidnapping sounds perfect, becoming a bodyguard (or close protection officer) is ideal.

Prior experience in the police or forces can be beneficial, but you’ll also need to register with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) — find more details from the National Careers Service.

4.    Volunteer

If you love your volunteering position more than your day job and receive good feedback from service users and colleagues, perhaps it’s possible to approach permanent staff for advice on how you might become a paid employee?

Or if you don’t volunteer presently, it’s a great way of giving something back to a worthy cause, boosting your CV and dipping your toes into different vocations. Learn more about unpaid opportunities at your local Volunteer Centre.

5.    Student

If you want to migrate to an entirely different sector or line yourself up for a promotion, bolstering your CV with a formal qualification like a bachelor’s or master’s degree can be a passport to success.

And thanks to the technology harnessed by distance learning, you can study while you work and take care of family duties too.

When you graduate with a university like Anglia Ruskin Distance Learning, you’ll emerge with all the skills necessary to start a new career chapter.

These five fab career change tips will make 2019 a year to remember.

How did you change career? Share your advice in the comments section.