Aah. November. Crisp and refreshing. I love autumn for just that reason. Even the San Francisco Bay Area has its pops of color and brisk air. November is also a great time to refresh from the inside—and maybe think about refreshing your career. This could be anything from learning a new skill so you can grow in place, to redirecting your path altogether.
If you’re considering a transition to a new role, read on.
As with any strategy, if you’re contemplating a career move, it’s critical to figure out where you want to go before you begin your journey.
Below, I’ll share the 6 most important steps for making a career change, but first let’s talk about…
The 3 main types of Career Transitions
Industry Change Only
This is the easiest type of change, since you’re just carrying your current title to a new environment. For example, if you want to continue on as a Controller in a new industry, you really only need to learn the job in the context of the new company and sector.
Just make sure your career search portfolio (including your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter…) speaks about your current role in terms that will be understood by the person hiring. If you’re an account manager moving from clothing sales to consumer packaged goods, for example, there are different ways to negotiate with retailers, and the language will change a bit, but your sales results will still matter.
Functional Change Within the Same Industry
If you’re thinking of making a move to a different function, the easiest path is to research opportunities within your current industry. This way, you only need to focus on learning the job, rather than an entirely new business sector.
Say you’re in sales but you’re interested in moving to a role in channel marketing. If you enjoy the industry you’re already in, and you have experience working cross-functionally with others in your target role, this may be an easy transition. If there’s an opening in your company for that role, the adjustment will be that much easier.
The preparation and training for this type of transition will largely depend on the extent of the change.
Functional Change + Industry Change
This is where you’ll need to work the hardest in terms of inner reflection, up-skilling, career profile updates, and networking.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking about changing to a role that’s in a field where you have a lot of experience—for example, you’re a nurse who wants to move to pharmaceutical sales in the therapeutic area you’re experienced in—a company may be willing to train you on the sales side.
Now that we’ve clarified the 3 main types of change, let’s move on to the 6 steps for making the transition:
1. Get Clarity on What You can Offer and on the Lifestyle You Want
Start by asking yourself a few questions:
What’s my “why”? What’s my purpose?
What are my non-negotiables? What do I value the most in a role? Do I want to make enough money to take luxurious vacations without considering my budget? Is flexibility for family most important? Do I want to leave a legacy of helping others?
Once you have clarity regarding your values and purpose, you have the framework to…
2. Define the Work that Fits You Best
Start with a self-assessment like StrengthsFinder (through your local employment office, a university, a private career coach, etc.).
Then ask, What can I offer that helps solve a company’s pain points?
Once you have a general idea of what you want to do and what you can offer, and before you make the leap, ask yourself: Is this a role that already exists within my current company? If you like your company—you’re just not crazy about your current job—you may be able to transition in place, which would be much easier than looking outside. Check your company’s job boards.
Talk to your supervisor about taking on projects outside your department. Invite your colleagues, who have roles similar to your interests, out for coffee. If you’re in sales but want to move to digital marketing, get involved in helping the marketing team on one of their projects. They’re behind a lot of what drives your sales, so they might appreciate the help.
If the role doesn’t exist (and you can’t create it) in your current company, start exploring outside opportunities—and don’t forget to do some research on their corporate culture, while you’re at it. Is the culture fast-paced or more relaxed? What type of social causes do they support? Do you prefer to work at a Fortune 500 that has structure or would you feel more energized at a startup?
It’s worth the investment to think about what kind of environment you’d like to work in, and what kind of people you’d like to work with.
Once you’ve figured out what you want to do…
3. Home in On Target Roles
Create a list of opportunities to pursue and do a search for those roles. This exercise will help you focus your job search and identify which keywords and skills you need to highlight—and which you need to develop.
Think about what skills you used in previous roles that translate well to the new one and get training to address your skills gaps.
Test the waters by doing volunteer work and nurturing connections with those on the board and in the field. Besides building skills for your target role, you’ll forge relationships with people in the world you want to be in.
Once you’ve focused in on the roles that you want, you’re ready to…
4. Ask for Help
Knowing what you want to do makes it easier for others to help you, so be specific when you reach out for advice.
Conduct research calls. Find people who have made a similar switch. What steps did they take toward the transition? How did they overcome self-doubt?
Get a mentor. This doesn’t have to be someone with a formal title of mentor. And recognize that one person alone won’t have all the answers to your questions. So maybe this means getting multiple mentors.
Caveat: avoid asking for an “informational interview.” This just sends up red flags to the person you’re asking, as it tends to have baggage: your connection may think you’re angling for a job.
Be honest. Simply tell your contact you’re thinking about changing careers and you’re asking a few people about their own experiences in that role or organization. Send a list of specific questions, so your contact can review them beforehand. They’ll feel more comfortable because they’ll know what to expect, and that you’ll come prepared.
5. Start Working on Your Stories and Career Profile
Crafting a resume with a clear focus is critical to communicating to your audience exactly who you are and why you’re the best candidate.
Ask a friend or family member (with an objective eye!) for feedback on your resume. You may find you need to hire someone to help you.
Have a few stories that translate well to the new industry or target role, and be prepared to address questions from hiring managers and recruiters about why you changed roles.
Were you an engineer who was able to unify large teams across the globe? Did you train those offshore teams? If you achieved those things, they translate well to any role that requires you to pull together diverse groups around a common goal or message.
Were you a channel marketing leader who wants to move into sales? Talk about the projects you worked on with sales teams, such as digital marketing storytelling that led to sales growth, to show that you’ve already embedded yourself in their projects and understand their vision and goals.
You’ll also have the advantage of understanding the perspective of someone who works in marketing, which is a real plus if you’re joining a sales team that’s looking for a liaison with marketing teams.
6. Put Yourself Out There
Make yourself known as someone who is staying on top of the industry and its trends. Follow not just industry leaders, but others who write about the sector.
Engage with those articles, either by commenting or—if you’re not feeling quite confident enough to do that—by liking them. Those who have a smaller following are more likely to notice your thoughtful comment.
Attend networking events and let people know what roles you’re interested in. Don’t get hung up on being the expert. This is the time to ask a lot of questions.
As you gain confidence and skills, start posting articles about the field you’re Interested In. When you share, be sure to add your own thoughts, as well. Maybe 3-4 bullets that capture the essence of the article, or your own ideas related to the topic. This way, you’re more likely to get your readers engaged. Readers scroll quickly, so if you just share an article, it will likely get skipped over. If you include your own thoughts, readers are more likely to pause and engage.
Look at this process as a long-term investment. Start with a good foundation (see step 1!), and continue building on that. Before you know it, you’ll be transitioned organically into your new role!
Enjoy the journey and your own season of change.