5 Practical Steps towards switching job/Career

It was 2018 when I first decided to switch roles in my career. I had been working at the company (as an intern) for one year but my net salary was still below 50k.

This was a period in my life when quite a number of my classmates were already landing really interesting jobs at organizations many could only dream of.

Despite my level of self-awareness, I was a bit worried. I needed money too but the median salary for a social media manager at the time was even below what I was earning. So by implication, I was doing well (in macaroni’s voice) according to industry standards but in reality, everything is lori iro.

Today, I’d be resuming a new role in a different career. It’s going to be my second switch in my 5 years of professional work life. So, this piece is to serve as a guide to everyone (esp. Folks in their early career sojourn) looking to make a switch but unsure how best to go about it.

“Most times, you won't make progress until you are angry with your current situation”

1. Conviction: why do I need change?

As you can see, my reason was my intent to increase my income opportunity. For you, it might be an entirely different reason. I’ve met folks who simply switch for the sake of newly found interest. Some changed after figuring out how steep the progression of their current field is.

One thing is however common, everyone who switched jobs/careers first had that wait first..., or the I’m not sure I want to continue doing this moment. Therefore, you need that conviction to get started.

2. Pour yourself into learning:

The interesting thing about transitioning is that there’s most likely a form of education you can take (freely or paid) within a short or long period of time. However, to be able to get the best out of your transitioning efforts, it’s more advisable you go for the farthest shots. By this I mean, go for the most popular or most respected courses available in the field you’re interested in joining. Accounting for instance has ACCA and ICAN, Finance has, CFA, marketing has CIM. etc Ask people (on social media or public forums) about the best books they’ve read about the field you’re looking to join. Don’t just stop learning.

3. Join a community:

This works like magic. Many recruiters now trust candidates recommended through communities. Being a part of a community eases you into the field. It exposes you to every level of individual you’d need as a springboard- every community has rookies like you. They also have folks who know much better. Having this sense of belonging makes you feel a bit comfortable about your transition. However, I must warn that for you to get the best out of being a community member, you need to be an active one. Some communities require you to pay membership fees- pay. Since the majority do not, The best way to become an active member is to participate and engage. Don’t just be part of the number.

4. Internships and Working for free

The reason for this is to ensure you get to practice all you’ve studied, read, and watched about your new field. One of the benefits of joining a community is that it exposes you to opportunities like full-time jobs and internships. But since you’re just cutting your teeth in the field, you’d have to find every means to ensure you land your very first real experience. You can do this by constantly engaging with members of the team or by simply making it known to the community what kind of opportunities you’re looking for.

5. Always keep your mouth open

Don’t stop at the community level, talk to everyone you have the opportunity to talk to about your passion and your transition plan. Use your social media well for this purpose. The thing is, if these people won’t even help you land your next internship, they’d have it in their subconscious what you are interested in, hence pointing you to subsequent opportunities they see and hear of.

6. Take positions within current company

This is very practicable if you currently work in an organization where the position you’re transitioning into either needs your new skillset or is in short of it. You simply need to write to the necessary person(s). It could be HR or anyone from the management. Make them understand how passionate you are about the transitioning, and show them the deliberate steps you’ve been taking to ensure you succeed in the role.

7. Document your journey

Do not fall into the trap of not documenting enough. The truth is, there are a lot of people you don't know who is watching. Documenting your learning process, and experiences while looking to transition fixes you in a better position to land your next role. Recruiters are now more (than ever) interested in your digital presence and how you use it. Write threads on Twitter, post stuff on Linkedin, and write articles on Medium. The good news is, they don't have to be perfect or long. Just do it.

Have you ever transitioned from a role or career before? Kindly share any of your hacks below.

And if you’ve been trying to switch jobs or careers, I’d love to know what your major challenge has been.