What are the most common mistakes when rebranding for a career change?

After working professionally for 32 years in the same industry, I was laid off for the first time in my life. And, yes, if you do the math, I was 50+ when that happened. Instead of looking at possible strikes against me, I focused on three basic things: 1. Remain positive 2. Highlight transferable skills 3. Rely on my network Within a few months, I was employed in a completely different industry with a reputable firm. I look back at the past seven+ years (yes, seven+ years) and all the highlights in my online profiles are still very much inline with what I focused on during my employment transition. The fact that careers are often not straight lines rings true. What's most important is focus and repurpose. I am living proof.

Career pivot or reinvention? You got fired, laid off, downsized, furloughed, hate your boss or job, have a personal issue, or seek passion areas of interest and wonder what is next! Maybe you want a W-2 job, or maybe you want to become an entrepreneur. I have had clients that went from entrepreneur to W-2, W-2 to W-2, W-2 to entrepreneur, or a combination thereof. So, what do you do if you don’t want to keep doing what you used to do and you need to rebrand? Focus on your positioning statement, keywords, and USP for your future-forward role on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Even if you have no prior experience, perhaps you have volunteered or have a passion for the role. Tell that story on LinkedIn since no one has ESP!

One of the biggest mistakes while rebranding is inconsistency. Be consistent, follow a schedule, align your personal brand and job search materials. They need to talk the same language. Do not be all over the place. Define your USP, your audience. It needs to be consistent. Talk what you display.

When making a career change, leverage your past experience, but don’t make it your baggage. Don’t assume that whatever has worked in your previous career will also work in your next career move. Be open to learning and experimenting new things When rebranding for career change, highlight stories, achievements and skillsets from your past experience which maybe relevant for your new role. The key word here is relevant, as not everything you have learnt previous might be relevant in the new environment Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks when making a career change. Sometimes, the fear of failure or the fear of uncertainty holds us back from taking up on new challenges

Building effective relationships with individuals of diverse personality types requires adaptability and empathy. Start by actively listening to understand their perspective and preferences. Recognize and respect their unique traits and communication styles. Adjust your approach, whether it's more direct or accommodating, based on their personality. Show genuine interest in their ideas and needs. Find common ground and shared interests to foster connections. Be patient, flexible, and open to compromise. Building relationships across personality types is about valuing differences and creating a harmonious environment based on mutual respect and understanding.

Your network is your network is the title of a book. I agree that your network can be the key to career success, which means it is not just about collecting connections on LinkedIn or in your contact list. It is important to build relationships so people remember you when the right opportunities appear in their network. If they don't think of you, they can't share what roles or opportunities they hear about. These days over 60% of roles are filled through networking. Your brand is "what others say about you when you are not in the room". So make a good impression, be helpful and keep reconnecting with your current network. Ask how you can help them and show up for others. Then others will show up for you.

Never ignore your network! If anything, the key to a pivot is to audit your existing network. You never know, someone you already have a connection with may have made that journey and can add value to your own journey. When I was moving to the Middle East for the first time, I thought I didn't know anyone who had made the move, so I conducted an audit and realised that one gentleman had two years previously. We met up for coffee and that conversation helped change my life! Your network is your net worth.

A rebrand can take over a year, and that's mainly because your current network already has branded you. You probably will get more value if you focus on a new network first, while slowly rebranding yourself to your current network.

Use your network. Making a career transition can be tough, and to be honest, might not always be possible (sometimes just at that time, sometimes ever). Your current network will be a good source of referrals and testimonials, and introductions to potential new employers! Whilst I wouldn't recommend that you neglect your "old" network, I'd suggest using time to build your new network is the best use of your time.

Power of Networking: Often, people concentrate on the visible aspects of rebranding such as updating their resume or LinkedIn profile, but they neglect networking. Building relationships in your new field can provide invaluable insights and opportunities that a resume alone cannot.

The biggest blind spot for career changers? Undervaluing transferable skills. Think communication, problem-solving, leadership, and creativity – those gems shine across industries. So, stop being modest, make a list of both your soft and hard skills, and identify which ones are transferable. Spoiler alert: Most, if not all, of them will be. Then, flaunt them everywhere – resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and interviews. Don't just list, tell compelling stories! Show how you wielded those skills in past roles. Prove they're not just dusty relics, but versatile assets for your new career.

Looking for or upskilling yourself so that you possess transferable skills is a must-have. Being a one-trick-pony in the professional world simply won't open many doors and possibly close the ones you have open. We are living in uncertain times that require agility, resilience and high levels of EQ. Working on skills to foster and enhance these areas should be your main focus.

Changing industries or functions is a lot easier when you use the FLIVS framework (Function, Level, Industry, Vertical and Stage of Company). The strategy to change one of these variables requires that you have deep specialization in at least 2 of the other variables. For example, you want to move from Project Management to Product Management. You also happen to have deep experience in Healthcare, specifically with IoT / wearables. You have also worked on a lot of mobile app development projects. You have a much higher chance of landing a Product Management role if you target wearable Healthcare companies with mobile products than you are if you apply for a generalist PM role at a software / SaaS company.

Nobody is going to believe your skills are transferable UNTIL YOU DO. Show those skills by: -Volunteering -Starting your own thing -Sharing insights on LinkedIn, on blogs, and in white papers Create your own body of work that shows you know your stuff and now you have beefy examples to put in a portfolio or highlight on your resume.

The word transferable skills is overused. Basically you just need to prove your credible. Remember that work is work no matter the industry and all you need to do is change some terms that are common in your previous industry to the new one. Don't lose sight of how experienced you are just because the title might be different.

I often remind people to treat their online presence like they would their physical one. How you show up in real life should align to your online world. When there are inconsistencies it can easily cause doubt in the eyes of your viewers leaving them less certain about who you are and your overall qualifications.

I'd recommend going hard core with showing up online - for most of the people I work with that's LinkedIn - and be showing up online a LOT. Contribute to articles like this; like, comment and share posts; connect - this will go a lot further than worrying about removing those photos on Facebook from your lads trip to Ibiza last summer.

Everything you post about needs to align with your new brand. That also means you might have to delete old posts (even things you really like) in order to complete your rebrand.

You online reputation can be a huge building block for your career success - or it can be a stumbling block. One of my favorite features of LinkedIn is the "Recommendations" section. Having feedback from other career professionals who have worked with you and can speak to your performance, skills, knowledge and character is invaluable. Therefore, make sure to have at least three recommendations on your profile and continue to get more throughout your career. Also remember to give recommendation, as this will demonstrate your writing skills, character and values as well.

Branding or rebranding takes time. It may not click the first time. Do not give up. You have to stay patient, be resilient and remain confident. Correct if it needs changes. Accept setbacks, learn from your mistakes, take them as opportunities to grow. Be confident in your skills and yourself and pursue it. Be realistic, seek feedback. It takes time but with consistency, you will achieve what you desire.

Changing industries and changing your value proposition is incredibly hard. You must have a clear vision. You must have reasonable expectations. You must have a relentless thirst for being able to absorb setbacks, and you must have the right supporting cast that cheers you along the way! The only thing that is guaranteed by giving up too soon is that you will not achieve your ambitions. Careers is like a game of snakes and ladders. There's unlimited rolls of the dice, and if you keep rolling, you will get to your target eventually. But if you stop, it is guaranteed that you are out of the game.

Patience is a crucial attribute to possess when you are contemplating or in the process of a career change. This transition can be complex and time-consuming, often involving many steps, from self-assessment to learning new skills and networking. Understanding your own motivations, strengths, and weaknesses takes time and introspection. Patience allows you to thoroughly evaluate what you want out of a new career without rushing into a decision that might not fit your long-term goals.

It took me 1.5 years to rebrand, and then 3 to really become a professional in a space. Rebranding takes time but so does a career. Actually, a career takes as long as you choose to work. So be patient and have some fun!

If it was easy, we would all have that dream job but the reality is that simply isn't the case. The early bird may get the worm but the last one standing will get the whole meal. Don't give up, being persistent but professional, confident but not arrogant and most importantly be hungry for it because if you aren't, then get out of the way for the person behind you.

When rebranding, it is also important to consider "parallel expertise" you have held all along. The book "Range" by David Epstein highlights the ways that generalists thrive and accelerate their career over time by considering parallel expertise. What areas do you excel in that weren't necessarily part of your core job function that you can now begin to highlight.