Changing careers mid-way can be daunting. What is one piece of advice you would give to others contemplating such a change?
These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.
1. Leverage Experience in Career Pivot
Making a career change midlife can feel daunting. Rather than completely starting over, consider if you can make a pivot that allows you to leverage your experience and skills while bringing you closer to alignment with what you seek in your career and life. It’s much easier, and you’ll make more money, if you pursue a job that builds upon your background and knowledge.
– Dr. Kyle Elliott, CaffeinatedKyle.com
2. Bridge Skills and Network for Transition
One piece of advice for those contemplating a mid-career transition is to leverage your existing skills and experiences to bridge into your new field. Start by identifying transferable skills and recognizing those relevant across industries, such as project management, communication, and leadership. Invest in continuous learning through online courses, certifications, or formal education to gain knowledge relevant to your new career.
Networking is also crucial; connect with professionals in your desired field by attending industry events, joining relevant online forums, and engaging on platforms like LinkedIn. Seeking mentorship from someone experienced in your new field can provide valuable insights and help you avoid common pitfalls.
Additionally, gaining experience through internships, part-time work, or volunteer opportunities in your new field is incredibly valuable and can lead to full-time opportunities. Remember, career transitions take time and effort, so be patient with yourself and stay persistent in pursuing your new career path.
– Vanessa Nalus, Practice Aptitude Tests
3. Highlight Notable Achievements
Always remember that you are an alumnus of more than your college; reach out to people you worked with in other places to share with them your new role or aspirations for a new role.
Networking is so important, and having a strong network becomes even more important when making a mid-career transition. Your peers from prior roles can be so useful for moral support, guidance, introductions, and possibly even new business.
I have found that what has made a mid-career transition easier for others is realizing that selling your achievements or memorable moments is so important. Start your resume with a 4-6 sentence summary, followed by a 5-7 bullet-point list of measurable or memorable results that show you get the job done.
– Robert Braathe, Career Service Station
4. Educate Yourself and Share Your Expertise
I made a career pivot myself, and my advice is to educate yourself and share your knowledge. When I decided to transition into finance, I immersed myself in learning everything I could about stocks and investing. I read books, took online courses, and attended webinars to build my expertise.
As I gained knowledge, I started sharing it with others through blog posts and social media, which helped me build credibility in my new field. This process of learning and sharing not only prepared me for my new career but also helped me build a network in the industry. Remember, your unique perspective from your previous career can be a valuable asset in your new field, so don’t be afraid to leverage it.
5. Build Relationships in the Desired Field
Networking is one of the most effective tactics that can help you during a career change. Building relationships with professionals or experts representing your desired field can help you with the transition. These individuals are familiar with the new career that piques your interest, so they can help you get familiar with how things work. They can create a roadmap for you and inform you of upcoming challenges.
You can also ask them about the skills that you may need to succeed and how long it would take for you to complete the transition. This helps you set clear goals and realistic expectations, which prevent burnout and increase your chances of success.
6. Create a Roadmap
Being someone who transitioned into a different career mid-way myself, I’d advise a strategy that worked for me, and that is to be open to learning. A career change may demand a completely different skill set and expertise that you didn’t even know existed in the past. So, the first step is to make a list of skills that you may need to acquire to be the best at what you intend to do now. Create a roadmap, as it will be a linear progression for you. Don’t expect overnight success.
Next, start learning by enrolling in different courses and leveraging useful learning material online. Put what you’ve learned into practice, and just keep moving forward. You should also surround yourself with positive people, as you will need their support amidst the moments of self-doubt. The transition may take some time, but if you’re consistent, you’ll be able to make it to the other side.
– Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
7. Plan Thoroughly for Career Transition
To successfully transition from one career to another, you need to come up with a well-thought-out plan. It’s not something that you decide to do on a whim. You need to think things through and make the necessary preparations.
You should start with a careful assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, along with an evaluation of your skill set. This helps you explore the skill gap and identify areas for improvement. Next, you need to set clear goals and establish a timeline for achieving them. You need to be realistic here and give yourself enough time to move from one stage to the next.
Then, you make a list of resources that you may need to make the transition; they can be learning materials readily available online or courses that you should consider enrolling in. Careful planning makes the transition easier for you and increases your chances of success.
– Chris Klosowski, Easy Digital Downloads
8. Assess, Strategize, and Rebrand for New Career
Most of us get a job after college with one goal in mind: finally making our own money! Well, a second may be to pay off student loans. However, during the process of working, we begin to grow in our career journey and learn that we actually don’t like what we are doing, or we feel that we are meant for more. Trust me, I know the feeling, and so have many of my clients.
The first thing I recommend doing is taking a career/job assessment to uncover potential jobs that align with your talents and passion.
Second, once discovered, create a strategy to move towards it. It could include going back to school for a degree or certification, taking a step down from your current role, job shadowing, or a combination of all those. The ideal is to sit down and think it through.
Last, rebrand yourself by creating career marketing and branding documents that speak to your new career goals. Your old resume is not going to cut it. You need a career document overhaul, and making the investment to do just that will pay you back not only financially but also mentally as you are finally doing a job that makes you and your heart leap out of bed on Monday morning.
– Nickquolette Barrett, iRock Development Solutions, LLC
9. Combine Curiosity and Passion
Change is tough, but it’s also an opportunity. I transitioned from being a rabbi to running a successful marketing agency, and my advice is simple: Embrace your fears, leverage your transferable skills, and always be curious. The key is to keep learning and stay passionate about your new path.
10. Seek Support and Accountability
I changed careers midway. One piece of advice that I would give others contemplating this change is not to do this alone. When I began working with a coach and understood the connection between my mindset and my success, I achieved more goals efficiently than when I tried to do it alone.
The same is true for my clients. We can’t do everything alone, especially in some of these difficult transitions where we don’t know everything. Also, accountability can be key to maintaining progress, so in doing it alone, you may be tempted to quit at times.