5 Tips for a Successful Career Change

3 min read

Making a career change or switching industries is challenging because you have to match your existing skills into a whole new set of requirements in a different industry. But don’t lose hope though. Check out the five tips we listed that will help you succeed when changing careers.

Career Change Tips

1. Choose another industry you want to pursue.

Identify an emerging industry in your targeted area that’s similar to your current industry experience. If you’re not sure where to transfer, look for former colleagues who held a similar role to you and have moved to other firms. In what industries are they working? What firms have accepted their earlier experience? So, have a good start. Once you’ve identified what industry you want, immerse yourself in their lingo. Join professional groups online, subscribe to industry-specific blogs and online newsletters, and attend trade shows or networking events. Besides allowing yourself to learn more about your targeted industry, it will let you meet new people. 

2. Focus on the job requirements, your qualifications, and the results.

Focus your resume and elevator pitch on your ability to deliver results. Likewise, underplay the industry of your former positions in your application tool and play up other aspects of the firm that may be similar to the firms you’re now targeting. These may include the company’s revenue, the number of people, ranking, among others.

3. Pick one target, not ten, in your career change.

Did you notice we said “industry” and not “industries?” If you’re going to make a career change, you must do a lot of work to familiarize that industry. Do your market research and pick one main trade to pursue your switch. Likewise, if you’re changing industries, stay in the same role. For instance, if you’re in sales now, aim for a sales job in your targeted industry, not some other role such as corporate finance.

4. Show passion and patience.

Now that you’re making a career change, you must let your passion for this new industry sparkle. Why do you like this trade? Why is this firm appealing to you? How does it relate to your former work? Remember: this is your sales pitch. You must identify what’s interesting in your targeted company or industry and play that up in your elevator pitch and during interviews.

5. Don’t rely on applications alone.

Even with a tailored resume and excellent cover letter, you may have difficulty getting a call back if you’re only sending out applications online. Practice networking. You need people to vouch for your past work experience and get you past the doorkeepers. Your networks in the industry can help you learn about job openings not published anywhere.

A Man Wearing A Suit While Carrying His Bag And Pursue Career Change

Career change or transitioning to a new role can be a long process, especially in this tough job market. Thus, prepare yourself to be in the job hunt for several months. As what career experts claimed, it will take you at least eight months to find a new job these days, even when you’re not making major changes in your career. And that’s only the average. The greater the gap between your most recent experience and job goals, the more challenging your career change will be. You may need to compromise on the role and wage in your next job to get you on the right track towards your targeted role.

Do you know other techniques when making a career change? Share them with us! We’d love to hear from you. Meanwhile, if you need skilled resume writers, hire us! We’ll help you.

Sources: | theladders.com | theguardian.com | careershifters.org | livecareer.com | forbes.com | 

Image Source: Pxhere

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