Making a career transition can be an exciting opportunity to do new things and accomplish bigger goals. Before you make the leap, however, it’s important that you prepare yourself for this important change in your life.  Murray Resources—one of the leading Houston staffing agencies—has assembled 7 tips to help you make a successful career transition.

1) Do Your Homework

Prepare yourself for your new career by doing as much research as you can. A new career path may require you to develop new skills or learn new technology, so start researching and following industry publications, blogs, and thought leaders. The more you read, the more comfortable you will be with industry specific news and jargon. If there are particularly companies you’re interested in following, set up a Google alert to notify you when those companies are in the news.

2) Discuss the New Career With Other People

Start talking to friends and acquaintances in your target industry to learn as much as you can about the business. Ask for introductions to contacts who are on similar career paths and offer to take them to lunch. Learn about their day-to-day life and the pros and cons of their position. The more data you have about the industry and your potential career path, the more likely you are to make an informed decision.

3) Prepare yourself mentally

Most Houston staffing agencies advise their clients to prepare mentally before attempting a career transition. Have a clear idea of the steps you need to take to move seamlessly into your new role. A new position may require more responsibilities than your last one, added pressure, and an steep learning curve. Be prepared with an effective strategy for tackling the additional workload.

4) Be Prepared for Uncertainty

Even the most successful career transitions come with a period of uncertainty. Your new company may do things quite differently than the last one you worked for and it takes time to learn new policies and procedures. If you prepare yourself for uncertainty, you’ll be more likely to adapt to unfamiliar situations.

5) Have a Clear Idea of Where You Want to Go

Another way to ensure you will have a successful career transition is to map out your desired career path. If you are moving on to a different career track entirely, you should have a good idea of what that work entails. Sitting down to work out a 1, 3 and 5 year plan for yourself is a great way to be sure you are working towards your long-term goals.

6) Make Sure Your Finances Are in Order

Before you make a big change in your professional life, it’s always a good idea to make sure you have your financial situation under control. As soon as you can, build a savings fund that you can rely on during this transition period. Keep any debt under control as well. If you keep your finances in order, it’s one less thing to worry about during your transition.

7) Stay on Good Terms With Your Former Coworkers and Employer

In addition to just being the “right thing to do”, it makes good business sense to stay on good terms with your former employer. You’ll likely find yourself in need of a professional reference at some point in your career and you want your future employers to hear glowing testimonials about your performance.

Making a career transition can be the start of an exciting new phase of your life and the more prepared you are for this change, the less stressed and happier you’re likely to be. Whether or not you’re working with one of the leading Houston staffing agencies, following the above 7 steps will help ensure a more successful career transition.

Are you a talented professional looking for your next career move?

Turn to one of the top Houston staffing agencies – Murray Resources – for help in exploring your next career opportunity. Contact Murray Resources today to get started.

Also, if you’re in the Houston area, be sure to attend the  Murray Resources “Resume and Cover Letter Tips and Techniques” workshop November 8! Receive individualized feedback and advice on how to craft an effective cover letter and resume that will successfully convey your interest to prospective employers.

Advance tickets are being sold for $25 through November 7th, and tickets purchased on the day of the event will be $35. Purchase your tickets online with a friend and receive a 20% discount for the both of you!