Thinking of a Career Change? Start here.

I graduated college in 2008, as the housing collapse tanked the US economy. Finding a job was beyond demoralizing, you basically had to have every single qualification in a job description to get a call back. Attorneys were applying to receptionist jobs. People flocked to grad school because no one knew what else to do. It was a wild time.

Here we are in 2023, and that 2008 experience is feeling eerily familiar. Many of you reading this may be facing the difficult challenge of looking for your next opportunity. It can feel bleak and overwhelming.

So where do you start? What could you do next? How the heck do you figure it all out? Well, I am no therapist...but I am a person that went from a career in veterinary medicine to recruiting, during a down economy no less. I am also a person that has coached a lot of people in your current position.

Here is a quick list of things you can do to prepare you for my next article on resume writing:

1. Look at your immediate social circle for ideas. I became a recruiter because one of my best friends and I used to commute together. I got to listen to him closing candidates on the ride over the Bay Bridge in the morning. It seemed exhilarating, and the high tech space he worked in seemed like a challenging match for my science brain.

Who in your group is happy in their job? Is there someone that answers the routine question, "how's work going?" with an answer that has you wanting more? Start leveraging your people to gain a deeper understanding of other career options. Ask meaningful questions to understand what their work life is like. What makes someone successful in their field? How do they measure success? Is it realistic for you to consider moving into this type of role? What could that path look like?

Pro tip: if you ask someone for their time, be sure to work with their schedule. If you are able to, buy them coffee or lunch!

Goal for this stage: Speak to at least 3 people that you know personally to understand their work life.

2. Start to do some serious soul searching.

Spend significant time alone (+1 for doing so outside), thinking about what is important to you personally. Write out lists of what nourishes your soul, and what you want in your life long term.

For example, I knew that I love helping people and animals. Veterinary medicine gave me that opportunity in spades, and I felt my impact...but something was missing. I was privileged to grow up in a financially stable home, and it was imperative that I provide that same quality of life for myself as an adult...without family help. Veterinary medicine involves crushing student debt and low salaries without specializing (aka more school). Recruiting gives me the honor of literally changing the trajectory of someone's life, while also allowing me the financial freedom to care for myself and others. What a rush!

What type of jobs incorporate your values? What types of jobs provide for your basic needs...and your dream life? When, in your working life, do you feel most alive? What parts of work do you loathe? What companies do you admire? What people in the fields you are interested in inspire you? Write it all down!

Goal for this stage: Dedicate 3 one hour sessions to self-discovery.

3. Once you have a clear-ish picture of what you want, as well as some ideas around companies that could be a match...time to do research.

What type of companies align to your values? I have been following Croatian car maker Rimac from afar because I LOVE that the founder has committed to building electric cars in Croatia (where my family is from), a country that is notoriously difficult to manufacture in. He is creating real economic growth in a country that hasn't seen that type of investment from new companies in a long time. I may never work for Rimac, or I may be their Global Head of Recruiting in 2030. You never know!

While researching companies check out their careers pages to see what types of roles they hire for, and check out their teams pages and anything that could give you a picture of their company culture. Leverage Linkedin, Twitter, and Glassdoor for the next layer, reading reviews and company pages. Set news alerts on Google to follow company news. This exercise will help you start to understand what type of company and culture resonate with you.

For me it is mission-driven companies that are focused on the same things I love - helping others, winning in competitive markets, and innovation.

Goal for this stage: ID & research 5 companies that align with you.

4. Hopefully by this stage you have an idea of a few careers and companies that get your motor running, and have spoken to people in your network that do said jobs. If your new career requires further education or training, you can begin researching what that would look like and if you could feasibly take that commitment on. If you could transition without continuing education, begin to understand what this role looks like at various companies using job boards like Indeed to review several job descriptions at various levels in your area (or remotely).

Begin gathering job descriptions so you can understand common themes that sum up the role, and begin brainstorming on how your own experience could map to this new opportunity.

Think veterinary medicine and recruiting have nothing in common? Think again! Instead of selling people on opportunities, I was leveraging my knowledge base to effectively encourage pet owners to take the best course of action for their pets' welfare using creative solutions. Personal finance discussions are emotional, and I still leverage the skills I learned in my old career today when negotiating offers. I can't think of one situation in which there is at least one common link or theme.

Goal for this stage: Save 5 job descriptions for each career you are interested in. Make a list of at least 3 common themes that are displayed in all 5 descriptions. Beneath each theme, list 2-3 areas of your current work that are similar.

5. Begin to list people in your larger circle that are in your new chosen field, or companies you have shortlisted.

You'll want to be certain your resume is polished before reaching out to these people, as your ask will be a bit more formal...you have a limited number of this type of arrow and so your aim will need to be much sharper when you leverage these folks.

Goal for this stage: Find 10 people in your outer circle that could help you on your path. Plan on how you will connect with each.

Now that you have leveraged your close friends and family, done some soul searching, as well as some research and planning, you are ready for the next phase...of refreshing that resume!