Here's how you can successfully navigate a career change as a mid-career professional.

Your Goals: Identify your career goals and what you want to achieve with the change. Understand your strengths, interests, and any gaps in skills or experience that need addressing. Reflect on what aspects of your current career are unsatisfactory and what new opportunities excite you. Plan Your Transition: Develop a clear plan that includes acquiring necessary skills, updating your resume, and targeting roles or industries aligned with your goals. Set short-term and long-term objectives to guide your transition, and research potential employers and roles that align with your career aspirations. Leverage Your Network: Utilize your professional network to gain insights into new industries, seek advice, and find potential job opportunities.

1. Assess Your Strengths: Identify transferable skills and experiences that are valuable in your new field. 2. Research and Plan: Understand industry trends, required skills, and potential roles. Develop a clear action plan to bridge any skill gaps. 3. Network Actively: Connect with professionals in your desired field, seek advice, and explore job shadowing or mentorship opportunities. 4. Upskill: Pursue relevant courses, certifications, or training to make yourself competitive in the new industry. 5. Start Small: Consider side projects, freelance work, or consulting to gain experience and build credibility before making the full transition.

No bones about it- if your current job is no longer a good fit, it's not a good fit. You must accept that as unemotionally as you can. That's business. The sooner you can do that, the sooner you can move forward to planning with a clear head and steady-handed courage.

Clarify Your Why. Before making any move, deeply understand your motivations for changing careers. Whether it’s pursuing a passion, seeking more meaningful work, or adapting to industry shifts, having a clear purpose will guide your decisions and keep you focused during the transition.

#1: Try not to wait until you MUST have these new skills. Waiting until your situation is dire and you're desperate is putting yourself at an immediate "capacity disadvantage." #2: Start to gain these new skills by self-assigning a project. Pretend you've already been hired by x company to do y thing. DO IT as if your job depends on it. You'll get a great feel for the type of research and execution expected for that job AND end up with a project to showcase in your repertoire (or portfolio is you're keeping one).

Commit to Lifelong Learning. Invest in upskilling or reskilling through courses, certifications, or mentorships that align with your new career path. Demonstrating a commitment to growth will make you a more competitive candidate.

Network with Intention. Build connections in your target industry through networking events, LinkedIn, and professional groups. Conversations with industry insiders can provide valuable insights, open doors to opportunities, and help you make informed decisions.

When I transitioned from teaching to a new career, I used every avenue available to brand myself as an expert. I didn't wait for someone to "give me a chance." I shored up my writing, my ability to confidently speak to my abilities, and made sure anything that someone else could see (see: resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, social media, etc) was top notch. My rule was that if someone could see it, it had better be worthy of their time.