3 steps for a successful career change
As a career coach and serial entrepreneur who works with an increasing number of young people, I know that the number one thing on many young people’s wishlist is to work in an environment where they feel nurtured, where they get listened to, and where they can make a difference.
Most young people, myself included, are ambitious and hard-working, and we’re happy to put in that extra effort if our contribution is recognized. But the problem is that many workplaces are stuck in the past. Thus, if this scenario applies to you and the company you work in, then read on three steps of a successful career change.
Step 1: Making meaningful connections
Most people gain a lot more knowledge, ideas and connections through talking to other people, compared to just surfing the net. Plus it’s a lot more fun. Thus, take some time to think about these questions:
• Who do you know, who has a transformational story from doing something they disliked, to doing something they love? Would you love to hear more about it from them?
• Do you have a friend who has a connection with someone who works in a business or in a sector that sounds fascinating?
Be curious, friendly, and humble in your approach. And invite that person for a coffee or a 10 min phone call. A great opening question could be ‘What’s your story?’ or ‘How did you come to be here?’ which sets off the conversation in a very open-minded way.
Whenever you’re seeing your friends and family, be open and chatty about the fact that you’re on career exploration. Most people love to talk, especially about other people who are doing cool stuff, so have as many conversations as you can, and keep an open mind.
A big piece of advice: Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that at this stage you need to be able to see how these conversations will lead to a job. Remember you’re still on an early ‘inspiration and ideas’ stage. So aim to gather ideas and get connections.
“Opportunities do not float like clouds in the sky. They are attached to people. If you’re looking for an opportunity, you’re really looking for a person.” – Ben Casnocha
Step 2: Be open to experiences
Accept that your upcoming career change is going to be a journey, not a day trip. And definitely, don’t worry that you have to quit your job in order to get started. Also, when you look back at your career history, it’s likely that you are somewhat blind in your view of the world of work. Especially, if you have been in the same career for a couple of years.
You’ll only have limited visibility of some careers, and no visibility at all of the other careers.
There is a lot to learn, so try to be excited about the learning journey ahead of you. Especially if you’re a millennial, you’d probably love nothing more than a simple, direct line to that perfect position. But accept that this is likely not going to happen. And that’s okay because you can (and probably should) stay in your day job while you’re learning and creating connections.
Now, from the first stage ‘Making meaningful connections, you will have started reaching out to people, and gotten used to bringing up the topic of your career exploration at all social occasions. Through doing this you will likely have gotten a few ideas, and maybe a couple of small insights. (Don’t expect a major lightbulb moment just yet).
Now it’s time to act on these, and turn the learnings from the conversations into small experiments:
• Are there any evening events or courses that could be fun to attend?
• Did a friend connect you with someone interesting who is now able to connect you with someone else? Have you picked up on any other learnings that you want to see through?
You will get the drift. Follow where all these clues are leading you, and remember to have fun while doing it. In fact, you should only follow clues that intrigue you on some level. And don’t feel forced to accept introductions that don’t feel right.
Related: Career Guidance for Students – The Ultimate Manual
Step 3: Connect the clues with your skills
From my experience of working with young people, the time in stage two takes anything from a couple of months to six months. So, don’t rush this phase, and don’t worry about any of your learnings being wasted. A lot of the clues you follow will end up feeling like ‘dead ends, but that’s part of the process.
The point is not just to learn more about what you find interesting, it is also to be able to cross things off the list, that would have otherwise kept clogging your mind. You know you’re ready for stage three when you start having small insights as to how a newly discovered interest could potentially lead to a new career.
You should now start to connect the dots as to how a new exciting role or sector can build upon some of the skills you’re bringing with you from your previous roles. At this point, you will have learnt enough about yourself and your interests and strengths, to be open and even draw opportunities towards you, that would have gone straight past your nose before.
But to get to this stage, you have to go through the earlier stages first.
Conclusion:
If you work hard and act smart, you deserve to work in a role that makes you happy. By reaching out to people, embracing new experiences and connecting these to your skills and strengths, you’re well on your way to making a successful career change and landing yourself a role that has purpose and significance.
I wish you the best of luck.
Christine is a Career & Business Coach to professionals who feel stuck and want to have a career or run a business they’ll love. She is originally from Denmark, but has lived in seven countries and speaks five languages. Her coaching style is direct, pragmatic and action-oriented.
