Getting Your Start In Change Management As A New Professional

Abstract: Young professionals and emerging Change Practitioners are an important part of the future of Leading Change. Yet, how do they get started in a field that is growing and is advancing? This is the target audience for this article; it is also for tenured stakeholders to contribute your ideas and suggestions to the dialogue

Recently, my 16 year old daughter achieved a milestone by getting her driver's license <insert Olivia Rodrigo song lyrics and picture here>. As part of her preparation, she did many things to be successful:

• studied the state handbook from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• practiced for many hours with me as her father
• passed a written exam
• completed a driver's education course
• demonstrated proficiency in a live driving test with a qualified examiner
• waited to receive her license for ever* (*measured in teenage time)

Now, she is excited to help with family errands and any opportunity she can find to drive. Although she has an officially issued license, does this equate to practical driving experience? There are still elements such as weather, mountain passes, rush-hour traffic, and other driving norms to understand while driving in them.

Why am I sharing this story? The field and industry of Change Management is growing by leaps-n-bounds in recent years. This includes practitioners and leaders of change/transformation who are newly certified or curious about change as a career.

One of the questions that I am commonly asked is, "What can I do to help get my first career opportunity with minimal experience?"

I love to engage and learn with other change practitioners regardless of their tenure or experience. This is one of the privileges that I have the opportunity to engage globally as a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP). One of my tenets is to help others on their way as I wish that I could have when I was starting my career. Despite my current qualifications, I did not grow up telling family and friends that I wanted to be a 'Change Manager' when I grow up. PS - I wanted to work in sports medicine; what does that have to do with change?! However, that is another story.

Here are 10 suggestions to help start your journey.

*Note that the directional guidance below includes a theme, a descriptor, and an outcome (=).

1. Get Involved - there are many global, regional, and local professional organizations dedicated to the art and science of Change Management; ACMP is an example of one of them. Do your research to find one that meets your interests and needs. = Join one of these entities and add them to your LinkedIn (LI) profile/resume. You need a customized LinkedIn URL with your name included for your profile to be in the game.
2. Network, Network, Network - Did I mention 'network' as a key factor? :) Now that you have a social media presence coupled with companies/institutions/universities, start making connections. This is part of the reason that LinkedIn exists and it is normal to extend a message to connect with others - regardless if you actually know them or would like to know them. Networking is also a very viable resource in finding jobs and learning about the culture of the employers. = Your LI profile is an asset that should continually be updated and utilized to establish your presence and brand with people around the world.
3. Volunteer - now that you are in one of these organizations, leverage their resources and participate in their activities. Volunteering to help is 1 great way of doing this. They will more than likely receive you with open arms as there is much to do. = Volunteer work equates to experience that you can include on your application and demonstrate your early skillsets.
4. Attend Conferences and Webinars - drawing on the resources of these same professional organizations provides a wealth of opportunity to keep growing. Typically, they facilitate or attend a series of ongoing conferences or webinars throughout the year. Thought leaders from around the world will share their ideas, experiences, and knowledge that we can all consider for our toolkit. This will help you stay current, but also reinforce your body of knowledge as you build this competency. = Follow their events calendar and social media posts for added chances to learn. It can also be a great chance to extend your network.
5. Professional Certifications - many of these same companies or associations offer various opportunities to become certified in fields related to Change Management. Admittedly, they may come with a financial cost, but they can go a long way to getting your foot in the door. It is now common to include these certifications either as a requirement or a nice to have in career postings. Yes, it is an investment, but one that will pay short and long term dividends. A few of the more common ones often seen in job postings: 1) CCMP by ACMP, 2)ADKAR by Prosci, or 3) Kotter. = Listing this credential on your profile and as a competency on the application will help distinguish you in the applicant pool. It may even lead to ad-hoc recruiter connections on job openings!
6. Democratized Learning - There are many educational opportunities, such as formal universities and Learning & Development companies. In today's modern workforce, there is also the chance to learn via social media platforms that focus on knowledge content and sharing with audiences. You can enroll in these courses to complete them at your pace and comfort level. 'LinkedIn Learning', 'Pluralsight', and 'Coursera' are a few examples. They include the option to earn certificates of completion. These can be added to your profile as 'Courses' with an accompanying link to the certificate of completion. = There is a diner-menu of options to select from and search for that can provide you a wide range of growth in fields connected to Change Management.
7. Internships and Student Organizations - Recently, I attended an event where an association in Canada sponsored a remote activity that captured my interest. Do you know whose idea and leadership this was due to? A current graduate student pursuing her university degree with a specialization in Organization Development and Leadership Management. It was engaging, fresh, brilliant, and innovative. Not only did this student achieve success, but there were also many of her cohort there to learn and experience it as well. All of this is due to the fact that she found a student membership to be engaged. = Understand your areas of possibility while pursuing your academic goals and leverage those options such as summer internships, student organizations, and more.
8. Mentors/Coaches/Professors - Regardless of your experience and historical achievements, everyone should have someone that they can model as an example. It stimulates your ideation of who you want to become, how to mimic certain traits, and to have a meaningful dialogue that moves both of you forward. Additionally, by learning from their experiences and conversations, it can help you prepare to level up as you strive to navigate the company lattice. Yes, I meant 'lattice' and not a 'ladder'. = We work in a historical period of time with 5 generations in the workforce. Building connections and a succession plan can benefit all involved. Where are these relationships available to you?
9. Start where you are - Your current/initial role may or may not include the words 'Change Management'. That is ok! Based on my conversations in the field, not many people have truly started their first real job in 'Change Management'. They were lead to find their own Ikagai. You may be working currently in Project Management, Communications, Training, User Experience, or any other field. As you progress in time, you can leverage these dexterities to augment your future contributions as a Change Leader. Change Management has a multitude of disciplines that it draws upon to be a transferable skill for your future career. = As a practitioner of change, you often have to meet your audience where they are to start a transformation. In the same fashion, you have to meet yourself where you are to initiate the first steps to recognize your own sense of purpose.
10. Have a Growth Mindset - This is one of the most valuable traits that can benefit you as a change leader and in your career. The antithesis of having a 'Growth Mindset' is that of a 'Fixed Mindset'. How is this defined and what attributes make the difference? A Growth Mindset "views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort". This HBS article, from March 2022, highlights the value and distinctions of this spectrum. In addition to the criterion in the article, I also suggest that this style of working and a learning culture will include and reflect continuous development of new ways to solve for solutions and growth. = To drive change, you need to wear many hats to support people/organizations to achieve success. A Growth Mindset will benefit you in this role and is also an identified skill for future employee success.
11. Bonus - As you begin to network, job search, and become more familiar, you will most likely see a variety of job titles. As a new graduate, certified professional, or even for those doing a career transition, take note of these titles, but especially pay attention to the 'Experience Level'. These are often notated as: internship, entry level, associate, principal, mid-level, director, or executive. = Your job search should reflect your current state to optimize your chances.

Is this list complete and perfect? No.

Is this a sequential order to follow steps 1-10 to achieve success? No.

It is intended as a compass; we all have to start somewhere and our journey begins where we are with the first step. Your journey may not be the same as mine or others, but that is part of the experience of becoming a qualified candidate to lead change.

• To the reader: I look forward to hearing from you and if you find this helpful. How does it support you to achieve your first job? What do you think should be considered on the list?
• To my professional network: reflect on your personal story. What additional guidance and suggestions helped you get your first job in Change Management? What would you add to the list? Let's share knowledge to help the future leaders of change??
• I look forward to learning from all of you.