人到中年改行絕不是件容易的事，你不但要進行充分的調查研究，還要積累足夠的職場人脈，根據目標職位升級文憑、調整簡歷，而且最好不要裸辭。

Changing careers is never easy—but it is absolutely possible. Just because you're on a dedicated career path doesn't mean you have to stay on it forever.
換工作從來不是件容易事——但絕對是可能做到的。只是因為你一直以來都堅持某條職業道路,不意味著你永遠要做這個工作。

Sure, your family and friends may think you've lost your marbles when you announce plans for a midlife career change, but take heart: 59% of working adults say they're interested in taking the leap, according to a recent survey from the University of Phoenix School of Business.
誠然，在你宣布中年改變職業的計劃時，你的家人和朋友也許會認為你是失去理智了，但是不要失去信心：菲尼克斯大學商學院最近的調查顯示，59%的在職成年人表示有興趣挑戰一下自己，換一份工作。

Whether you're bored at work, burned out on a job, or simply want a fresh challenge, there are a number of considerations that go into a successful career change.
無論現在的工作是讓你感到無聊，還是筋疲力盡，或者僅僅是想要一個全新的挑戰，這里有幾個需要考慮的因素，幫助你成功改變職業。

1. Making a rash decision
錯誤一：草率做決定

Before changing occupations, you should do a deep dive to assess why you want to leave your current one. "You need to invest time to figure out why you're dissatisfied and what's going to make you more satisfied going forward," says Deborah Oronzio, a career-transition coach.
在換工作前，你應該深度分析一下為什么你想離開目前的工作。職業轉換教練黛博拉?歐倫齊歐說：“你需要花些時間，想明白為什么你對現在的工作不滿，接下來換什么樣的工作才能讓你更滿意。”

Ask yourself why you're unhappy—and answer honestly. You may simply be having a bad week or a bad month—or you may just hate your boss, not your industry.
問你自己為什么不開心——然后誠實地做出回答。你也許只是這一星期或一個月過得很糟糕——或者你只是討厭你的上司，而不是討厭這一行。

"We all go through phases of unhappiness with our jobs," says Randy Block, an executive coach and staffing consultant. "You should be running toward something, not running away from something."
執行教練、招聘顧問蘭迪?布洛克說：“我們在工作中都會經歷不開心的時期。你應該是朝著某個目標前進，而不是逃離某種東西。”

2. Choosing a new career based on salary
錯誤二：依據薪水來選新職業

You obviously need to be financially strategic when choosing your next career, but don't base your decision solely on earning potential.
在選擇下一個職業時，顯然你需要有經濟方面的考量，但是不要只依據收入來做決定。

"If you take a high-paying job that doesn't match your interests, values, or strengths, you're not going to be happy," says Holly Genser. Would you be happy being paid more money to do a job you aren't into? Maybe at first, but the novelty will likely wear off sooner than later.
霍利?根瑟說：“如果你選擇了一份和你的興趣、價值觀或優勢不相符的高收入工作，你不會快樂的。”做一份你不喜歡但薪水更高的工作，你會開心嗎？也許一開始會開心，但是這種新鮮感遲早會消退的。

It's not that you should disregard salary when evaluating your options, but you must consider other important factors—like work-life balance and room for growth—in addition to compensation.
這里不是說，你在衡量選擇的時候不應該考慮薪水，而是你在收入之外還必須考慮其他重要因素——比如工作和生活的平衡，還有發展空間。

3. Not researching the job market in your next field
錯誤三：不對目標行業的就業市場進行調查

Not sure what field you want to go into? Research industries and positions to find a good match for your skills and career goals, Genser says. Otherwise, you're throwing darts in the dark.
不確定自己想入哪一行？根瑟說，你必須調查各個行業和職位來找到適合你技能和職業目標的工作。否則，你只能摸黑碰運氣了。

4. Quitting without having another job lined up
錯誤四：裸辭

Research shows it's easier to get a job offer when you're still employed, which makes sense since gaps on a resume might make a hiring manager think twice about calling you in for an interview.
調查發現，在你仍在職的時候找工作更容易被聘用，這是因為簡歷上的空檔期可能會讓人力經理在決定是否給你面試機會時有所顧慮。

Consequently, it's in your best interest to stay at your current job until you have your next one set up.
所以，在找到下一份工作之前，最好是留在你目前的工作崗位上。

5. Neglecting your networking
錯誤五：忽略你的人際網絡

Even if everything you research about the field you're interested in sounds promising, until you actually talk with people who work within that field, you really don't know what you're in for. As such, you should be growing and refreshing your professional contacts constantly.
即使你在調查了你感興趣的行業之后發現它很有前途，但是如果沒有和那一行的人交談過，你真的不知道你選擇的是什么。正因為這樣，你應該不斷拓展和更新你的職場人脈。

One of the best ways to expand your circle is to go on informational interviews with people who currently work in the field you're pursuing. During these meetings, be sure to ask meaningful questions (e.g., "Where do you see the industry going?"). Pro tip: Target people who work at companies you'd like to work for. Not only will you learn the nuts and bolts, you'll also be more likely to hear about job openings and get internal referrals.
拓展職場人脈最好的一個方法就是請目前在你向往的行業里工作的人介紹情況。在這種會面中，一定要問有意義的問題（比如，“你覺得這個行業未來會如何發展？”）建議：把目標瞄準你想就職的公司的員工。你不但能了解到這一行的具體細節，你還更可能得到職位空缺的消息和內部推薦機會。

6. Going back to school prematurely
錯誤六：過早回學校進修

Depending on your new career choice, you may need to get another degree. Some fields have clear education requirements (e.g., obtaining a master's degree and licensing to be a nurse practitioner), but others don't require you to go back to school.
如果你的新職業有需要，你可能還需要再攻讀一個學位。一些行業有明確的學歷要求（比如，獲得碩士學位或護士執業資格證），但其他的行業不需要你重返校園。

"A lot of people think, 'I should get my MBA,' or, 'I should go to grad school,' but they don't always need to," Block says.
布洛克說：“許多人認為，‘我應該拿個工商管理學碩士學位’或者‘我應該去讀研究生’，但是他們并不總需要這么做。”

You have to research whether getting another degree will, in fact, improve your job prospects or increase how much money you can make. (Networking is especially helpful in determining these answers.) If it won't, you'd just be wasting money—or taking on student loan debt—to get a degree you don't need.
你必須去調查，攻讀另一個學位是否真的會改善你的就業前景，或增加你的收入。（在尋找這些問題的答案時，人際網絡的幫助特別大）。如果這個學位對事業無益，你只會浪費錢——或者背上助學貸款——來得到一個你不需要的學位。

7. Not adjusting your resume for a career change
錯誤七：在尋求職業改變時沒有相應調整簡歷

While it's great that you have 15 years of experience in public relations, if you want to switch careers to human resources, your old resume won't cut it.
盡管在公共關系這一行有15年的經驗很不錯，但是如果你要改行做人力資源，你的舊簡歷將不會幫到你。

Your resume needs to be tailored to the new industry you're pursing. Check out some of the job descriptions in your desired field and note what skills and credentials are valued. Which of your skills are transferable?
你的簡歷需要根據你想入的新行業來進行相應調整。查看你的目標行業中的一些職位描述，注意這個職位所看重的技能和文憑。你的哪些技能是可遷移的呢？

For career changers, a functional resume is more likely to promote your qualifications than a chronological resume. Put in the time and effort to update and polish your credentials, regardless of how many years you have in the workforce.
對于要改變職業的人來說，一份功能型履歷比一份時序型履歷更能提升你的資質。不論你在職場干了多少年，都要花時間精力更新和潤色你的簡歷。

英文來源：商業內幕網
翻譯&編輯：丹妮