Going through a major life change in your career can be scary. Whether you quit medical school to pursue your dream or relocated to a different country, these periods feel unsettling. However, this is the perfect time to take a brave leap of faith that opens doors to your new career. Wondering how to transition into a new career? Keep reading for a better understanding of navigating career transitions, as well as helpful pieces of advice for making a successful career transition.
What Is a Career Transition?
A career transition is a change from one job to another or from one career field to another. It could be a voluntary change, such as when someone decides to pursue a new profession, or an involuntary change due to job loss, downsizing, or relocation. A successful career transition requires careful thought and planning as well as dedication and hard work. Researching different options, developing skills in that particular field, networking with professionals in the new industry, and considering courses of study may all play roles in making such transitions smoother and more successful.
How Difficult Is A Career Transition?
A career transition is often difficult, due to the need to develop new skills, networks, and potential sources of work. It requires a lot of research and preparation to make sure you find the right fit for your long-term objectives. Not only do you have to network with people in the industry that you are transitioning into, but you also have to update your professional credentials and portfolio. Additionally, since beginning a new career usually involves building up an entirely different skillset from scratch, it can take a considerable amount of time and effort for one to become successful in their new job role.
To help make your career transition easier, we’ve come up with the following helpful tips and advice.
10 Tips For A Successful Career Transition
1. Embrace Your Unique Background
If you want a midlife career change in a new field, you may not have the same credentials as others in the same position. However, you should not apologize to prospective employers for not having a formal education.
Instead, you should be confident during interviews and show off the skills you do possess. This will help you stand out from other applicants.
If you are passionate about a specific subject and it fulfills you, just go for it. Becoming your number one fan instead of a critic will create more positive results. Remember to always tell your colleagues how your unique background makes you especially qualified in your new field.
2. Figure Out Why You Want to Change Career Fields
When deciding to make a career transition, figure out what is behind your desire. These are some common reasons:
- You do not like your employer
- You’re unsatisfied with the pay
- You’d like to use different skills
- You’re looking for something new
By deciding what’s driving your desire, you can figure out what type of change you need to make. Sometimes, it’s associated with your workplace rather than the career field.
To better figure out your desire, consider different careers. Let’s say you’re a teacher looking to get out of the classroom but would like to utilize your expertise and experience as a teacher as an Education Consultant. You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of each career. This can help you decide whether to stick with your current job or make the switch.
3. Make New Business Connections During Your Career Transition
When starting a new business or entering a new career field, it can be easy to rely on old connections. However, if these individuals don’t have the experience or qualifications you’re looking for, you’ll need to build new connections.
Focus on building new connections with people that can open doors for you in your career. When starting a new company, your immediate professional networking contacts may not always be the best source of information.
4. Start With Low-Hanging Fruit
To open the doors you need to in your new career field, you should be ready to take some leaps of faith. However, these steps don’t have to be as significant as leaving the country or investing your entire life savings into your business.
Sometimes, it’s about starting with low-hanging fruit. This might mean attending a small local seminar or workshop. Doing so will help you develop the skills needed to change careers successfully.
Perhaps starting with low-hanging fruit means having brainstorming sessions with your team. Start with the easiest tasks to help build momentum. Before you know it, you’ll be nailing the more daunting tasks too!
5. Set Realistic Career Transition Goals
When you’re venturing down a new career path, try not to set huge goals for yourself. We aren’t saying you shouldn’t dream big. We are just saying you want to be realistic when setting your goals.
Often, when goals are unrealistic, individuals will get discouraged and want to quit. This could mean that you won’t quit your job right away to explore your passions. These smaller, attainable goals will take you a long way in your career transition journey.
6. Create Your New Narrative
When making a career transition into a completely different field, your resume may not match the new job. This might be the time to craft your new narrative and decide how to tell prospective employers about your background.
When transitioning from a field like the allied health field into something like digital marketing, it could be difficult to relate the two. Invest time into figuring out your profile and how you would like to prevent yourself from other professionals.
Even if you have no experience in a particular industry, your prior jobs could still help you position yourself as a more attractive candidate. By making yourself look as if you are a good fit for the job, the opportunities will come easier.
You may want to consider contacting a resume writing service to help you update your resume. These professionals have experience making connections between skill sets and careers.
Or if paying for a resume writing service is not in the cards right now, you should check out our 10 tips to improve your resume. These crucial tips can help you get the ball rolling in your next career.
7. Prepare for a Marathon, Not a Sprint
When you want to build success or a business in a new career field, it does not happen overnight. Whenever you switch professions, you must accept the fact that it could take longer than expected. It could take years of confusion, reflection, and self-exploration before you realize what your true passions are. Though shortcuts can be handy, they rarely exist when making a career transition.
8. Look at the Data
When looking into a midlife career change, look at the data for your prospective career field. Be sure to research average salaries and benefits for each. Sometimes, your dream career field may not have a salary that can support your lifestyle, These are important decisions you have to make when looking into switching your profession.
9. Consider Talking To a Career Counselor
Deciding to change careers and following through with that decision can be overwhelming. Luckily, you don’t have to go through the process by yourself. Career counseling is a great option for those who may need some additional guidance. Career counselors help guide you through the career transition process and can help you better understand your goals and desires. They can help you create short and long-term strategies that will keep you focused during your transition.
10. Research Programs That Will Help Make Your Career Transition Easier
Entering a new career field at any point in your life can be intimidating. If you find yourself thinking ‘I need a career change but don’t know what to do,’ try researching available online courses and programs that closely meet your goals. You should also look into different industries and the types of jobs available. This will help you easily transition into your new career.
Getting an advanced degree is not always necessary. There are so many different education pathways that you can take to change careers without the high costs. Consider job training programs, bootcamps and certificate programs. These programs are typically more affordable, less time-intensive and will provide you with hands-on training to help you become job-ready by the time you complete the program.
Conclusion
Though a midlife career change can be daunting, there are many realistic first steps you can take. Whether you make a few new business connections or start selling some products to friends, these activities will help you explore your passions. By opening the right door, you can experience more opportunities and happiness than ever before.
