But challenges can be fun, often push you out of your comfort zone and can enhance your life by bringing you new and unexpected experiences.

Career Change Ideas

Let’s take a look at some of the options open to you if you have lost your job and don’t have much hope of getting something similar anytime soon. Or if you are tired of what you’re doing and want something new and different.

Retraining for a New Career

If there is nothing available in your current field or you aren’t interested in what is on offer, one option is to retrain. The idea has probably crossed your mind and there is a chance you have dismissed it because going back to college is too expensive or just too scary.

So start small – take a few short classes in the evenings, at weekends or online and gain a few new skills or upgrade existing ones.  If you have no idea what you’d like your new career to be, this is a chance to experiment with new skills and activities – things you have always wanted to do or think might be fun. You could try several different things – a new computer program, photography, massage, creative writing – whatever interests you. Many colleges offer taster days or weekends and this is a great way to try something out without committing to a long and potentially expensive course.

Move to Find a Job

There may be more jobs for someone with your skills in another part of the country or abroad. Obviously this isn’t as tpe to be taken lightly, especially if you have a family who would have to move with you, but it is worth considering in some circumstances.

Move Abroad for New Career Opportunities

Even more drastic, but potentially very rewarding and not too difficult if you don’t have too many ties at home. Teaching English is traditionally one of the ways to pay your way while you travel, but there are other options, especially in areas with a large English speaking community.

You will gain plenty of new skills and have worthwhile experiences, many of which will look good on your CV if and when you decide to come home.

 Set Up Your Own Business

For many people this is the most promising possibility, especially for those who are a bit older and find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a job.  It’s a real dilemma for employers and governments –  people need to work longer, but young people also need jobs.

However, the good news is that with 20, 30 or more years’ experience under your belt, you have many of the skills and attributes needed in a small business. You could end up employing some of those younger job seekers or, if you prefer a one-man or one-woman operation, you could do well as a consultant, using knowledge gained whilst in employment.

Alternatively, you might decide to start a business based on a hobby, long time interest or something completely different and new.

Portfolio Careers – More than One Occupation

It’s important to change the way you think about careers. Most people will not have a job for life and will move around, having several possibly very different careers during their working life. This is a good thing, especially for those of you who are bored at work.

You’ll probably work in different ways at different stages of your career – the 9-5 job is becoming less the norm and a variety of other possibilities are on offer these days. You might have more than one way in which you earn your living – having a part time job, a small business and some freelance work is one way this could develop.

Or you might keep your job, but work at home for all or part of the week. Or you might leave your job but do the same work as a freelance – in some cases for the same company.  Read more about career change on our main site: http://www.coolercareers.com