Mid-Career Change 9 Steps You Cant Afford to Miss

Mid-Career Change 9 Steps You Cant Afford to Miss Pulling off a career change, at any stage in life, can feel like an intimidating prospect. Pulling one off when youve already accumulated significant experience in your field may feel even mora daunting.Maybe youve finally begun to feel burnt out by your industry after spending years or decades in it, or youve recently discovered a career path you werent aware of when first entering the workforce. Regardless of your specific situation, the challenge you face as you stand on the brink of a mid-career change is the saatkorn. How do you enter a completely new field when you dont have any experience in it, and without sacrificing the accomplishments youve accumulated in your present field?1. For starters remind yourself that you ARENT back at square one, even if it feels like you are.More than likely, there are skills youve been using in your current field that will translate to your next one, if indirectly. Say youve been working in a s ales capacity and want to make the switch to a communications role your experience drafting and presenting pitches will undoubtedly aid you in crafting compelling, persuasive written communication.Even if there isnt such a concrete connection between your two fields, as someone who is mid-career, dont undermine the value of all the soft skills youve accumulated. Today, soft skills are being increasingly emphasized 92 percent of talent professionals and hiring managers ranked them as very important in LinkedIns 2019 Global Talent Trends report.Read more Read more 2. If you know you want to change careers, but are less aya about what that new field will be, its time to get a better feel for your options.A low-commitment (and fun) way to gather up ideas for where your career pivot can take you is taking personality-based career assessment quizzes online. Theres no shortage of them out there, and an afternoon of forcing yourself (but, again, in a fun way) to answer questions about who y ou are and what you truly care about may help you sharpen ideas around what your next move should be.Take Take Take Take Take 3. Take a class.If there is a definite hard skills gap between the job you have now and the job you want to have, help bring your career change into fruition by taking a class. Many universities will allow you to take a class for free in exchange for auditing it, and theres no shortage of classes you can sign up for online, many of them for no or little cost. In most cases, a completely new degree wont be necessary. Taking a relevant class or two, though, will demonstrate your dedicated interest to hiring managers, not to mention help set you up for a smoother transition. And if a special certification or more structured schooling is needed for your career change, be sure to investigate any scholarships you might qualify for.Read Read 4. Work with a career coach.They exist for a reason. A career coach can build your confidence, hold you accountable, and provi de valuable insight into what makes for a competitive candidate in your new field. During a moment of major transition like this, it only helps to know theres someone with expertise in your corner. Similarly, a recruiter may also be of particular use at this time. There are two kinds, corporate recruiters and contingency recruiters read up on both.Read Read 5. Give your resume a little TLC.Especially if its been awhile since youve applied to a new company, make sure that youre updated on todays best practices for resumes before casting any nets. Hiring managers in your new field, too, may be looking for the presence of certain resume keywords that, as someone new to the industry, you wouldnt be aware of. LinkedIn can help you with this what language do you see others in your intended field using about their experience? Can you pinpoint any patterns?Read Read Read Read 6. Make LinkedIn your new best friend.If its been awhile since youve updated your LinkedIn account change that. Ma ke sure your profile is as built out as possible, with a professional headshot (yes, you need one), and highlight your skills and experience in a way that will best translate to your new industry. The same applies for endorsements, too. Is there a former colleague or boss youve been meaning to ask for a LinkedIn recommendation? Ask them now, and dont be shy about including a couple of pointers as to what specific skills or anecdotes youd most value having highlighted. Most people will appreciate the specificityRead Read Read Read7. Branch out at your current job.A simple way to get some of the experience you feel you may be lacking? Adding to your job description at your current company. Is there a stretch assignment you can pitch thatll position you closer to the direction youre ultimately looking to head, or maybe a relevant department you can figure out a way of working more closely with? This could make a major difference in the cover letter you go on to write for your new role instead of grasping at draws, youll have an applicable story to tell.ReadRead 8. Amp up your networking game.A huge percentage of job opportunities today are the product of a personal connection. If your current network is comprised mostly of people who work in the field youre trying to exit, its time to switch things up. Look online for meetups (which are oftentimes free) that are related to your new industry. Show up. And, above all, follow up. You never know which new connection could lead to your dream job, and as a mid-career changer, these connections matter even more.Read Read Read9. Look for new roles in the right places.This last step is the most inevitable if youre serious about making a career change, its time to start pounding the metaphorical pavement. Luckily, you dont have to do it alone. Browse Fairygodboss for open jobs in your new industry, and read what women have to say about working at those companies. Already on the hunt and feel like you could benefit from so me words of encouragement? Pop over and make a post in the FGB Feed, where millions of women in the Fairygodboss Community are rooting for you.