There’s nothing wrong with changing careers; sometimes, things just feel a little stale, and changes are needed. You spend a huge fraction of your life working, so it’s only fair that it’s something that will make you feel fulfilled. Whether you just want to seek new challenges, are interested in pursuing your passion, or are even adapting to changing industries, transitioning to a new career path requires both careful planning and preparation. 

But where do you even start? What do you need to do to navigate this rocky terrain? Well, changing careers isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do, but here’s what you need to know to make it as smooth and successful as possible. 

Assess Your Motivation and Goals

To ensure that this is a good idea (because career changes can take a lot of time), you’ll need to assess your motivations and goals first. There are a couple of questions that you’ll want to ask yourself.

Why Do You Want to Change Careers?

So you’re going to want to start off by understanding the reason you want to do this. What’s the purpose of it? Just understanding your reasoning for seeking a career change will help you clarify and make more informed decisions whether you’re seeking greater fulfillment, better work-life balance, or a new opportunity for growth. But in general, you’ll just want to identify your motivations because this is exactly what will help guide you in the transition process.

What are Your Career Goals?

You’ll also need to think about your short-term and long-term career goals, as both of these will help you establish a clearer direction for your job search. You’ll want to think about some factors like salary, job responsibilities, the work environment, and what type of opportunities there are for advancement. While it might sound a little generic and overdone, doing some SMART goals will help you stay focused. 

Identify Transferable Skills and Experience

Transitioning into a new career doesn’t mean you always have to start from scratch. Instead, think of it this way: you’ll be able to transfer skills and experience. So, when it comes to this role and this industry, what exactly will you be able to transfer? For example, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and adaptability can be applied across all job sectors and are highly valued by employers anyway.

Conduct a Skills Inventory

You’ll want to make a list of your skills, experiences, and accomplishments from previous roles, education, and extracurricular activities. This can help you highlight transferable skills that demonstrate your ability to succeed in your desired career path.

Fill Skill Gaps

Another thing you’ll want to do is identify potential gaps in your skills or other areas. These could hinder your chances of a career change, which is why you need to look for areas of improvement. So go ahead and invest in professional development, such as online courses, workshops, or even certifications, as all of these are meant to enhance your skills and increase your marketability. 

Research Your Target Market and Industry

One thing you absolutely need is to have a comprehensive understanding of your target industry and the market itself so you can make informed decisions about your career change strategy. You may need to look into: 

Exploring Industry Trends and Opportunities

You’ll want to stay informed about current trends, developments, and emerging opportunities in your target industry. It may even help to subscribe to industry publications, attend networking events, and follow relevant organisations and thought leaders on social media. In general, just stay updated.

Identify In-Demand Skills and Qualification

What are the key skills, certifications, and qualifications that you’ll need for this? You’ll need to keep this in mind as you tailor your resume and cover letter to this. You’ll still need to highlight relevant experience and demonstrate your alignment with it and how it works with industry standards and expectations.

Network and Seek Mentorship

You’ve probably heard of this a lot, but it’s not only what you know, but it’s who you know, too. Honestly, networking is going to be incredibly valuable when it comes to this career change. It’s the best way to get some opportunities. But how can you start this up?

Connect with Industry Professionals

You’ll want to reach out to professionals in your target industry and try to seek advice and mentorship from them. Also, try to seek guidance and experience where possible. 

Attend Events and Workshops

Another good idea is to attend industry-related conferences, networking events, and maybe even some workshops. It just really helps to be around like-minded individuals.

Will It Be Easy?

Changing careers and pivoting into a different industry can be challenging and needs thorough research and forward planning. By identifying your career goals, defining your transferrable skills, researching the industry you want to move into, and taking time to network, you will not only ensure that this change is right for you but will set yourself up to succeed. Good luck!