Your 5-Step Transition Plan from Government to Corporate Roles

It's only the first quarter of the year and already 2025 has been a rollercoaster in more ways than one. The public sector has seen a series of surprise (are we really?) and chaotic (yes, definitely) upheavals in the last few weeks. It's been back-to-back shake-ups, from the return to in-person work orders to the layoffs of over?10,000 federal workers?to the deferred resignation program accepted by 75,000 more.?

If a career change wasn't on your agenda before, it's likely a hot topic now if you hold a government role. Maybe you were even on the cusp of joining the public sector only to be affected by the federal hiring freeze.? For you right now, a career change is a necessity and not just a "good idea".

But after working years and perhaps decades in federal roles, how do you transition to one in the private sector? Do you just start sending out your pages-long resume to open roles you see on job boards?? If so, what type of jobs do you qualify for with your impressive experience that doesn't necessarily translate well to the corporate world?

Move from Public to Private in 5 Steps

Perhaps you came to this point in your career willingly. Maybe the events of the past few weeks have forced you to this stage in your career. Whatever the reason is, you're now contemplating what truly feels like a drastic transition. Whether early in your private sector career or after many years, you likely feel ill-prepared and ill-equipped for the switch.?

Let's be perfectly honest, things work a little differently in the corporate world than what you're used to. But with a bit (or a lot) of preparation, you can meet any challenge that comes your way with the skills you developed in the private sector. By following these five steps, your transition into a corporate role will be more straightforward and less chaotic than you expect.

1.Know Thy Self

You already know the roles you’ve held and the experience you’ve gained in the federal government doesn't necessarily translate into the corporate world. While you may have been a mover and a shaker in the upper echelon of government, affected policies that impacted the lives of millions, and hobnobbed with foreign and local diplomats and politicians, it doesn't mean much in the corporate world.?

As such, the first step in your career change is to know thy self.

●????? What are your strengths, weaknesses, areas of expertise and skills?

●????? During your public sector career, what experiences did you enjoy the most and why?

●????? What interests you??

Now, looking at everything you've listed, identify a target industry that could benefit from your very particular set of skills. Some industries you could start looking at are those that are heavily regulated, such as healthcare, finance, or investments. Your federal government experience would be an asset there.

Other industries you could look into are those that do business with the government. Think defense and aerospace, IT and cybersecurity, transportation and infrastructure or tax and budget management.? Your experience working in the government would come as a huge benefit to companies in these industries. It can certainly help you to stand out from other applicants.??For more suggestions, you can view a listing here of more industries you can consider.

2.? Update Your Resume for the Private Sector

One of the biggest hurdles to cross when transitioning to the private sector is understanding that the corporate world is a more competitive, results-driven environment. Efficiency, innovation, and above all profitability are key metrics for success.?

With this in mind, tailor your resume, and how you present your work experience accordingly. Instead of listing all the activities you performed in your role, frame your skills and experience in ways that appeal to the business world.?

●????? Use corporate or industry terminology

Review a few job descriptions for your target industry or role and identify common terms and priorities. Adopt the same in your resume, as appropriate.

Many job titles reflect rank structures or hierarchical positions that don't always translate directly into corporate roles.? Consider using terms like 'team leader' or 'operations manager' if you've worked in roles where titles such as Supervisory Agent, Logistics or Administrative Officer, 'sergeant,' or 'lieutenant,' were used. Click here for a listing of Corporate Equivalent Roles to help you tailor your resume better with the terminology.

●????? Remove details that aren't relevant to the role you're applying for

Business moves quickly in the corporate world. No one has time to spend poring over pages of anything. Type less irrelevant or old information on a resume. Give only the information asked for or needed, current and achievement focused.

●????? Leverage your transferable skills

Your transferable skills need to be front and center on your resume. A good way to identify what those are is by looking through job descriptions or talking with people who already work in your target industry or role.

●????? Quantify your accomplishments

On your resume, use fewer words and more numbers and metrics. Whether it's dollars, people, or percentage increases/reductions, quantify your accomplishments as much as possible.?

3.? Upskill

Now is a great opportunity for you to upskill. It'll allow you to learn the latest technology in your target industry or role and help you get (or stay) up to date on the latest trends. These are things you can talk about during interviews or highlight on your resume. It makes it easier to hire you if you're already familiar with the technology and trends of your target role.

Investing in skills training also helps you to unlearn the federal jargon you're so used to speaking in. It's a great way to learn and practice the corporate-speak of your new industry. And as you're doing this, you're also growing your network.?

Where can you upskill? LinkedIn Learning is a great place to start. Your local library system most likely has access for you to use the platform, if you hold an up-to-date library card.? A free and easy way to access hours of training and development for your next role.

4.? Network, network, NETWORK!

This is the one step most people love to skip. Unfortunately, it's also the one step that's most critical for your career change success. You've got to network. There's just no way around it.?

Networking is a long-game strategy. So, start early and do it consistently.

Two key ways to network include:

a.? Leveraging LinkedIn

In the corporate world, there's no better place to grow your professional network than on LinkedIn. Don't have a profile? Create one. Companies that are recruiting will often look at your resume AND your LinkedIn profile. So make it shine.?

Note: While LinkedIn is technically a social media platform, it should not be treated as one. So, keep your profile pic and posts looking professional.??

Fill out as much information on your profile as possible. Many people don't do this, so you'll easily stand out if you do.?

Next, identify the companies you want to work for and see if you have any 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd-level connections with employees there. If you do, great! Start chatting them up. Re-establish your relationship and work up to asking them for an intro.?

If you don't, these next tips will come in handy:

●????? Comment on their LinkedIn posts

This helps you get on their radar. It's especially helpful if they're active on LinkedIn. However, don't spam their posts with irrelevant comments. Leave well-thought-out, but to the point comments that will encourage them to reply or at least get you some visibility.

●????? Send a connection request

If you've been commenting on their posts, the success rate of your connection request being accepted goes up. You can also add a note to your request explaining that you've enjoyed their content and would love to connect. Maybe asking more about what they do, what’s the challenge they face, or even if you’re in the same region, attended the same school, or know some of the same folks. Point out the connection and dive in! Improve your chances of getting your connection request accepted. ?

●????? Ask to Chat

If you send a note with your connection request, some people will reply and naturally a conversation will start up. Depending on the vibe of your chat, you may proceed to ask a quick question on their career if it’s something your interested in, or your career transition. But proceed with caution. It’s early in your connection, people are busy, and long asks require brainpower and time to respond.?

In all other scenarios, continue engaging with their content for a bit. Leave comments that start a conversation. After you're more familiar with one another, THEN send the request to chat.?

●????? Connect with former colleagues

Some of them might have ideal 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level connections. Others may have left the public sector like you want to do and can provide advice or talk about their experience. A few might even have some leads for you.?There’s no harm in reaching out, especially if your relationship was a positive one.

b.? Attending industry events

If you prefer (and even if you don't) in-person networking events, attending industry events such as leading industry associations and conferences is a gold mine of opportunities. Some of these programs serve a dual function of training and networking. As you're learning at a seminar in the morning, you're having lunch with an employee from a target industry at midday. And sitting next to a senior executive during the afternoon symposium.?

Industry events are often well worth the discomfort of having to attend in person.?

Before attending, you could do a little research to get an idea of who might attend. Is anyone from your target company going to be there? If so, make a point of introducing yourself to them at the event.?

5.? Job Search

Searching for a full-time job IS a full-time job. Treat your job search like it's your second job. You can't be too tired to do it. There's no putting it off. It's pivotal to your future success.?So, work on it consistently.?

Also, look at avenues you may not have considered before for job opportunities. One could be your vendor relationships. If it's not prohibited for people in your federal role, they could be a great source of job opportunities. They can certainly benefit from your government work experience.?

This year may have brought some unanticipated changes to your career. While it's normal to feel anxious and uncertain, know that you are not alone in what you're experiencing and there is a way out. Don't let feelings of panic overwhelm you.?

But also, don't assume time is on your side or job insecurity can never happen to you. A lot of these tips take time to work. Use them now before you need them to work for you.

Article Resources:

Government-to-Corporate Title Conversion Guide

Government Adjacent Industries

LinkedIn Learning Access via Your Library Card

My Next Move

Career One Stop

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