Research, Rebrand and Reach Out: 3 Steps to Changing Careers
I am not going to sugar coat it. It is tough to pursue a different career after already establishing another. It takes commitment, patience, strategic planning, and optimism to successfully make the change
To get your foot in the door for a new career, you will need to focus on past experience that demonstrates key skills and abilities for the new career. These are called transferable skills and focusing on them will help you to successfully make the leap from former career to new career. Here are steps for a successful change:
Research. The internet is a powerful tool. Find job descriptions for the role you want and highlight responsibilities and tasks that you can demonstrate your ability for with transferable skills. Take note of gaps, responsibilities and tasks that you do not have experience with. Find other people who have successfully transitioned careers on LinkedIn and note the steps they took to change. In addition to reading this article, read other articles that can provide guidance and insight.
Rebrand. Use the information that you collected from your research and rebuild a new resume. If you have a professional online presence on LinkedIn and in other places, make sure it matches your new resume. Earn certificates and certifications for gaps you noted in the first step. Make sure that you update your resume and online presence to reflect your new certificate or certification.
Reach out. Finally, you’ll want reach out to your network for feedback and insight. You can do this through a number of ways: contacting friends who work in your targeted industry, meeting with former colleagues, and finding relevant connections on LinkedIn. During initial contact, you will share what you have been up to, where you want to go and what you want to do. If communicating with a closer contact, ask for feedback on your rebranded resume. Also, ask if they know of any roles like the one you are searching for.
Taking these steps will definitely set you on the right path to making the change.
Do you have experience with changing careers? Share your experience by posting a comment below.