Career change is natural, and it happens more often than you would
think. Studies have shown that the average professional will change
careers (not just jobs) multiple times throughout the course of his or
her lifetime. Therefore, whether you're bored with your current
direction, have been laid off due to downsizing and budget cuts, or are
simply looking for a fresh start, a career change may be just what you
need to take your professional life to the next level.
While it
can be overwhelming and even scary to take the leap and try to change
careers, here are a number of steps you can take to ensure that you are
as effective as possible in your efforts and end up in a place that is
truly right for you:
Assess Your Strengths:
Identify and list your top 3 to 5 strengths, especially those that drive
and motivate you. Also, identify and list your transferable experience
and skills, such as leadership, project management, communication and
presentation, which you can leverage in the pursuit of your new career.
This exercise will show you what foundation and arsenal you have to
start with.
Assess Your Passions:
Throughout their careers, many professionals quickly learn what they
don't like about their jobs, their functional areas, their companies
and/or their industries. While it is good to know what you want to avoid
in your new career, it is more critical that you identify what you do
like to do. Ask yourself, "What do I really enjoy at work? When I'm at
home? For fun?" What gets you out of bed in the morning or could get you
out of bed in the morning if it's not happening right now? Try finding
out what your passion truly is. Your passion(s) may be strongly linked
to some of your strengths, so try to see where you can leverage both
your strengths AND your passions for a much stronger pitch to a new
career employer.
Research Your New Chosen Career Paths:
Once you've identified your passion(s) and strengths, invest some time
in researching related career paths. There are tons of sites and books
out there on every type of career and industry. Vault.com has many great
free and paid resources on career tracks, companies and employers that
you should check out. You might also check out ONET Online from the U.S.
Department of Labor and the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Seek Informational Interviews:
In addition to your research, don't forget that informational
interviews are a powerful way to gain firsthand insight into a specific
line of work, industry or company. Seek out contacts in your own network
or join LinkedIn (if you haven't already) and search for professionals
who hold careers in your newly chosen direction. Send them a brief email
or message asking for just a few minutes to learn more about their
careers and their companies. The more about them you make it, the more
likely they are to respond. Informational interviews are the time to
really understand your potential path from every angle. If you have more
questions, consider asking your contacts for names of other colleagues
who might have more experiences to share as you are working to better
understand their career paths.
Get Educated:
You may determine that you are missing some of the strengths or skills
necessary to take on your new career. Find out what it is you need,
whether it's a certification, a specific degree or other skills
training. If it's training you can get in your current job, it might be
wise to take it now to see if it's something you really want to do
before pursuing it full force. If the new career requires more
institutional education, make sure to check out all of your options
(full-time, part-time, etc.), and be sure that your program is
accredited and will be valued when you leverage it in your career
search.
Gain More Experience: Just like
education, experience in your chosen career path can be a great asset to
successfully pursuing opportunities. If your work-life balance and
schedule allow it, consider volunteering, taking on a part-time job or
freelancing in this area to help you better understand whether it truly
fits your passion as well as to help you build up your resume to present
to potential employers.
Find a Coach or Mentor:
A career change is natural, but it is a big decision that can be
overwhelming and even a little scary, especially for those who are more
adverse to risk taking. See if there is anyone out there who might be
able to serve as a mentor for you through this process. You might hire a
professional career coach or turn to a parent, a friend or even a close
colleague whom you trust to keep your career change pursuits
confidential. Don't forget to leverage, if possible, the network
contacts of your coach or mentor, as he or she may be in a better
position to link you to new opportunities.
Get Active and Network:
While you will have started to do this all along, be sure to get active
in building and maintaining a strong network of friends, family
members, current and past colleagues, fellow alumni, professors and
other career stakeholders. Networking can open doors to the hidden job
market and may be the door to your new career. You can meet new people
in your industry by joining industry associations and by attending
events. Find ways to learn more about the industry trends and how you
can contribute unique value to those whom you're meeting, as they might
turn out to be your next employers or partners.
Remember:
having patience and the willingness to make and renew network contacts
is a key to enacting a successful career change.
Chris Perry, MBA, is a Gen Y brand and marketing generator, brand marketing manager,
career search and personal branding expert, professional speaker,
entrepreneur and brand consultant. Chris is the founder of Career
Rocketeer, the Career Search and Personal Branding Network, MBA Highway,
the MBA Job Search and Career Network and multiple other ventures.
Learn more about Chris on his website: http://chrisperry.me
