You’re not alone if your current career isn’t fulfilling your dreams and you’re thinking about taking a risk to seek a different career path. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 53% of working adults who say goodbye to their jobs in 2021 changed their line of work.
If you’re lacking inspiration, it could be time to rebuild your profession in their wake. Here are concrete actions you can take to improve your job, regardless of your age or professional stage.
For Young Professionals
As a young professional anxious to leave their mark on the world, starting a new career can feel both exciting and confusing. These three actions can help you move seamlessly.
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To start earning money and getting experience, look for a job : Feeling unfulfilled in your present position and eager to shake it up? The easiest approach to get that shift going as a young professional is to get started right away by getting a job in your chosen industry. After all, watching from the sidelines won’t help you obtain the necessary experience. Apply for jobs that catch your attention and will help you advance in your chosen profession.
Look for a job or business that will allow you to advance : When changing careers, look for roles or businesses that place a strong emphasis on professional development. Search for businesses that offer training sessions, skill development, and mentorship programs as a means to spot growth-focused ones. Ask about career opportunities within the organization during the interview for the position you want. For instance:
- What formal or informal mentorship opportunities does the company offer?
- Does the company provide tuition reimbursement to take classes outside of work?
- What are the measurable goals employees must achieve to qualify for a promotion?
Get to know people who work at the company you want to work for : It’s completely typical for a young professional to not begin working at their ideal company right away. When you gain expertise in your profession, network with those who currently work there to make the shift to your preferred organization. With these relationships, you can get firsthand information about the workplace atmosphere and regular business activities; you might even receive recommendations for upcoming employment openings. Use networking sites like LinkedIn to establish these connections, or go to events where people from your ideal employer will be present.
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For professionals in their mid-career
You may have advanced in your job as a mid-career professional and discover that your current course does not thrill you any longer. Here’s how to alter your work life by stepping outside of your comfort zone.
Make use of your current network : Within your network is the untapped job market. Many positions are filled through networking rather than posting on job search websites. It’s time to use your network as you are a professional in the middle of your career and are probably well-connected both inside and outside of your sector.
Kim Carpenter, a leadership expert and executive coach, advises you to start on LinkedIn. “Practice your elevator pitch and let as many people know as you can that you’re looking for your next move,” she advises. For instance, if you are connected to recruiters or other professionals in the field you wish to enter, get in touch with them for a quick coffee talk and ask about any openings.
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Resolve any knowledge gaps : You might need to pick up new skills and fill in some knowledge gaps if you’re switching to a whole new industry in the middle of your career. Start by examining the employment requirements for the role you want and contrasting them with your current skill set.
For instance, if you work as a UX designer at Spotify and want to switch to backend development, check out the position’s qualifications on your employer’s website. You’ll probably need to learn backend programming languages and have a thorough understanding of data structures and algorithms in order to be qualified for the position. Once you’ve determined where your knowledge is lacking, upskill yourself by utilizing free internet resources or spending money on a course, such as enrolling in a coding boot camp.
Change to your desired position : You don’t have to start over at a new job if you appreciate your current job but wish to change careers in the middle of your career. Alternatively, think about switching responsibilities inside your organization.
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Consider that you are a UX designer at Spotify who wants to transition to being a backend engineer. To learn if internal transfers are an option, start by talking to your boss. If it’s possible, look at ways to immerse oneself in the new position, such as shadowing backend developers to understand the specifics of their daily duties. You’ll gain an advantage over other candidates when it comes time to interview for your ideal position with the organization.
For Senior Professionals
Age is just a number, as they say, and it’s never too late to think about changing careers. Your professional career’s wealth of experiences and priceless abilities can open doors and present one-of-a-kind chances as you explore new areas. Here are three measures you can take to fulfill your career goals in older age.
Examine your values, objectives, and priorities : As a senior professional with years of experience, you probably have a clear idea of what you value in a job and what your long-term career objectives are. Consider your core values and whether your chosen new career path are compatible with them before changing careers. Consider what actually matters to you, what makes you happy, and what you want to accomplish before retiring.
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Establish your unique selling offer and transferable abilities : Career change coach and host of the Career Relaunch podcast Joseph Liu advises you to “take the varied skills you’ve acquired over the years and highlight only those specific skills directly relevant to your target position” in order to come across as a more focused and appealing candidate for your next position. Then, update your web profile to reflect your capacity to succeed in the new industry on your resume.
Don’t worry if you’re changing to a career that has nothing to do with your current one. Liu advises you to “lean into your past experiences and communicate exactly how your unorthodox background positions you to provide distinctive value compared to other more traditional applicants,” rather than stressing that your prior professional skills are useless for your desired job.
Develop a reputation as a knowledgeable and influential person : While changing careers as a senior professional can be intimidating, it also presents an opportunity to position yourself as a thought leader and authority in your new industry. Although it might take some time to accumulate the knowledge and expertise required to establish yourself as an authority on the subject, by making an investment in your education and networking with professionals in the field, you can finally establish your authority.
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By “identifying prominent leaders in your field on LinkedIn and reposting their postings with your point of view and comments,” advises Carpenter, you may get started. When individuals seek assistance on your area of expertise, she claims that by remaining active on the site, “you’ll be promoted naturally to your network’s LinkedIn feed – pushing you to the top of people’s minds.”
You Can Change Your Career Path at Any Age
Never forget that changing your job path is never too late or too early; nothing is set in stone. Before entering the fashion industry at age 40 and rising to become the top wedding dress designer in the world, Vera Wang competed as a figure skater. Ronald Reagan was a rising Hollywood star in television for many years before he was elected president of the United States in his late 60s.
Don’t let your age or your existing circumstances prevent you from succeeding, therefore. Accept life’s constant change and push yourself to advance and succeed in new areas.
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