The career path is not a straight line that constantly goes up. It is a horizontal movement through different areas and professions. Even though one faces a lot of changes throughout this journey, many do not know where and how to start the retraining process. Experts exclude six steps which can help discover new career directions and gain the required knowledge.

Step 1 – build your professional network

General manager at “CVO Recruitment | Simplika” group of recruitment companies Akvile Kazliene suggests starting from searching for useful contacts. “It is important to gain as much knowledge about your dream job as possible. People who work in the field of interest are the ones who can share their experience and knowledge. By communicating with specialists, becoming part of their community, one can receive information regarding subtleties of the position and employment opportunities”, says A. Kazliene.

For professional networking Akvile recommends using social platforms like “LinkedIn” or “Qoorio”. It is also useful to participate in professional events or community meetings, contact fairs. Often various seminars, lectures and training are organized by associations connecting experts of a specific field, therefore, it is advisable to follow their news feed and attend their events.

Step 2 – get a clear image

Marketing manager of the human knowledge sharing app “Qoorio” Nerija Skvernelyte says, that this platform gives the opportunity to share knowledge on different subjects and most of the community uses it to gain professional tips and improvement.

“Business, marketing and technology subjects are the most popular areas for exchanging knowledge, drawing special attention to topics covering IT and startups. Registered community members really have a lot of experience and know-how. Without any doubt, it is very beneficial to receive tips and get your questions answered by field professionals”, says N. Skvernelyte.

According to HR expert A. Kazliene, communication with people experienced in specific industries is a great way to evaluate your possibilities and check whether your soft skills meet the requirements for the job. “For instance, individuals that are interested in IT field often have unrealistic ideas about job specifics. Many think that working in IT grants flexible working hours or that social, team-work skills are unimportant. However, this is not true. After communicating with IT specialists one can get a better view on the potential job”, ensures A. Kazliene.

Step 3 – gain needed skills

“Of course, in order to retrain, networking with specialists is not enough. Knowledge can be gained by participating in additional courses, training, conferences and lectures. They should help evaluate in which direction one wants to move on. If you do not have the skills for the field that is interesting, do not give up. This only means new opportunities for self-improvement”, says A. Kazliene.

According to a recruitment expert, nowadays there are plenty of ways to gain competence. One of them is online learning. Today one can choose courses of various levels and durations almost in every area of expertise.

“Nonetheless, success is heavily determined not only by the content of training but also by a person’s motivation and determination to learn. Therefore, it is especially important to want to gain new knowledge and make a firm commitment”, says Akvile Kazliene.

Step 4 – training with a possibility to get employed

“Training and courses organized by specialized schools usually give the opportunity to broaden the knowledge of a subject and get answers to all the questions by talking to teachers, mentors and specialists. What is more, training organizers often collaborate with various companies, which can give positions for internships or opportunities to get employed”, marks HR expert.

Head of Sales and Business Development at “Vilnius Coding School” programming schools in Vilnius, Kaunas and Riga Jevgenij Abdulajev states that for those who want to retrain, high-quality courses can help radically change the professional area in 1-2 months.

“Good result depends on a properly prepared training program, methods used and motivation of the person who is seeking to retrain.  A prevailing opinion is that the longer the training takes, the better it is. This is not necessarily true. If a person is determined to learn, trying hard, the process will be effective, requiring less time. Consequently, it is very important for a person not only to enrol in a training program but also to actively acquire knowledge. In such case, retraining can happen in a short period”, says J. Abdulajev.

Step 5 – seeking new opportunities at work

According to A. Kazliene, often there is a belief that career change is linked to changing workplace. Nowadays companies are interested in their employees’ improvement, development of new competencies. Due to this fact, firms can offer retraining and opportunities to change the area of expertise for motivated staff. “Those who want to try themselves in new areas should not be afraid to talk to their manager about it. Companies often promote horizontal movement of employees within the organization and invest in their retraining, providing necessary training or reimbursing its costs. However, the employee usually has to commit not to leave the company for some period of time”, notes Akvile.

Step 6 – consultation with a career specialist

Finally, HR specialist marks, that every employee’s situation is different, therefore, in order to evaluate it and make the right decision, a career consultant or personnel selection specialist can help.

“These professionals analyze each individual case and share specific tips, insights and helpful resources, which in turn can help achieve the desired career change. During the times that are a bit confusing for a person doubting in their further career steps, individual attention is definitely very valuable”, says A. Kazliene.