Career Crossroads: Navigating Your Way to Success - Tips for a Smooth Career Transition
Canada Career Counselling
Professional Career Counselling and Career Coaching
So, you’re fed up with your current job and you’ve decided you want to make a career transition. You’ve taken some time to consider what you really want and don’t want in a career. You’ve explored different career options, put time into career research, and conducted information interviews with people who are working in the roles you want. You’ve made the decision about the career you want to pivot to – congratulations!! Deciding on a career path is a big step!
Now you’re ready to start your transition. How do you make a career transition, especially when the career you want to pursue is completely different from your current role? Here are 4 recommendations for a successful career transition.
1. Consider your transferable skills
Transferable skills are abilities or strengths that can be used across different careers. Examples of transferable skills include interpersonal skills, customer service, critical thinking, verbal and written communication, and creativity. Take time to consider how your skills will align with your future career choice. If you’re having trouble identifying your transferable skills, try looking at job postings of the career you want to transition into. Make a list of the required skills and the responsibilities of the role. For each required skill write examples of how you’ve used that skill or had a similar responsibility. Being clear and confident you’ve got the transferable skills required for the career you want is a great first step!
2. Prepare your story
During networking and interviews, it’s important to talk about the transition you want to make. Telling the story of how you came to this point in your career and what you’re looking for provides clarity for your listener; it helps them understand your motivations and why. It also demonstrates insight and helps build genuine connection with the person you’re speaking with. When someone clearly understands what your goals are and feels connected to you, they’re more willing and able to help.
3. Update your personal branding materials
The term ‘personal branding materials’ can sound intimidating at first. What this is referring to, are the documents that represent you to potential employers. They showcase your experience (work, volunteer, education, etc.) and skills. Most commonly, they include your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. Depending on the field you’re in, they may also include a CV, portfolio, website, or other work samples.
When you’re making a career transition, you’ll need to update these documents to demonstrate to employers how your previous experience has equipped you with the transferrable skills required for?this?career.
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4. Leverage your network
Once your personal branding materials have been updated, it’s time to get out there and connect with your network! ‘Network’ is another word that tends to intimidate people. Your network is simply the people that you know, have met, or come into contact with throughout your life. You’ll know some of your networks well (friends, family, and coworkers) and others not so well (people you’ve met through the course of your work and some of your LinkedIn contacts).
At Canada Career Counselling, we see the majority of our clients land new roles with the support of their network, or their network’s network. Applying for roles you see posted online is one approach to job search. Use this approach, but leverage your network too!
Make sure to let people know about the role you’re looking for, whether that’s a call, a personalized email, or a post on LinkedIn. Can they make an introduction for you? Could they share information about their experience? Do they have recommendations for you? The more people know about what you’re looking for, the more they can help.
Meghan Reid
Managing Director, Ontario CCC