This post is about the steps to consider and take before you make that life-altering decision of changing careers.
There are two possibilities of what has led you to this article, either you’ve had time to re-think about a career change and are trying to decide if it’s worth spending more time doing what you do. Or, life has thrown you a major curveball with a lay-off or you now need more work flexibility due to a life change. All real moments that so many people are faced with or have gone through.
A career change can be a very scary time of the unknown, but also a freeing time because whatever has lead you to this moment, is because something is not working, and it’s time to make a decision on what's next for your work life.
This post is going to take the scary unknown out of the equation and get you towards a path of feeling comfortable with your career change choice. These 5 practical, yet very effective steps will give you the clarity and confidence you need before you pull that trigger.
5 Steps Before Your Decide on a Career Change
1. Discovering Your Core Strengths
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Technically in the beginning, you will not have first-hand experience yet in your future role, so leaning into your core strengths will be your secret weapon to making your career change a success.
Finding out your core strengths will also help if you haven’t figured out what to change your career into yet, but know a change is needed.
Discovering your core strengths is a valuable first step in finding what comes naturally to you and what type of work makes you feel fulfilled when you tap into this strength.
NEXT STEPS: Check out these online core strengths and personality assessments. Some are free to take and will take less time than watching some Netflix shows!
- Sparketype Assessment - What is a Sparktype? Defined as a unique imprint of the essential nature of what you are here to do. The assessment will help you discover work that lights you up, sparks fulfillment. I have personally taken this test and was so happy after I took it. My results helped me discover my natural abilities are what make me unique, an asset. It gave me the clarity and focus to stick with the type of work that will continue to support and strengthen my Sparktype.
- Via Institute Character Strengths - Based on the belief that everyone possesses 24 character strengths and each strength is weighed differently for each person. The results make a unique constellation of your strongest character strength to the least. I took the test and it helped me reveal what I thought was a personality quark, was in fact a valuable character strength
- Gallup StrengthsFinder- I like the way they describe the assessment, discovering your “talent DNA”. Find out what motivates you, how you conquer your goals, and how you work with people. Individual assessment starts at $19.95
2. Research Your Future Role And Industry
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Not to sound dramatic, but a career change is a major commitment, like marriage. Let’s take some time and dig into the “get to know you” phase.
If you have completed step #1, then your choice of role/industry was driven by some inner digging. But if that is not the motivation of why you are leaning into this new role, then let’s get super clear on what is driving you to choose this new field.
Are you looking to make more money? Need more flexibility? These are solid reasons and you need to get a solid confirmation that you will make the money or get the flexibility of time before you make a big decision to change your life.
NEXT STEPS: Here are some research tips and leads to get you started on learning more about your future role and industry.
Glassdoor's Salaries Results Page
- Glassdoor - One of the world’s largest job sites that collect data from employees across all industries and companies. You will want to check out the “salaries” section, it will help provide you with a salary range of what to expect from entry-level to senior level. Glassdoor also has job postings, so you should not only check out how much the role can make but at what level.
- Better Business Bureau - See it from the side of a consumer. Glassdoor provides you with the view from inside, but how does your future company stack up to customers? It may be an eye-opening discovery that gives you the edge of being an outsider or disruptor of change towards improvement.
- LinkedIn Learning - LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a subdivision of LinkedIn. It is a learning platform with a very large catalog of tutorials, courses, and paths for certification (for some fields). Check out if your future role has informational video courses. You will need a LinkedIn account to gain access to this platform and the first 30 days are Free!
- City-data - What if being successful in your new role is not in your own backyard? Be open to the fact that your decision on a career change, could also mean a change of location. Citi-data provides stats on all US cities, from real estate to schools. The site also has forums for every city. You can find out what's on the mind of the community and even ask questions yourself.
3. Ask Someone, the Magic of an Informational Interview
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? An informational interview will help provide you with insight from a person with real-life experience of the role you are interested in doing. It is not a job interview. It is your opportunity to find out the highs and lows of the job /industry and how long will it take to reach the level of “success”.
Personal Note: I took a leap of faith and reached out to a very distant connection via LinkedIn. She accepted our connection and in the same week we were meeting over zoom with coffee. I wanted to find out about her experience as a project manager. During our conversation, I found out how long it took her to get certified, and if she thought it was worth the time and money. The meeting was so valuable because it painted a better picture of what to expect in timing and outcome. Plus, we continue to reach out to each other to this day. Turns out, I can help her with info from my manufacturing days in the fashion industry. Connection is real y'all.
NEXT STEPS: Here are some tips on how to land an informational interview and what to do on one.
- Reach out to your inner circle of family and friends- More than likely, you know someone, who knows someone. Ask them to help you make a connection via email or phone call. People love to help, you just need to ask.
- Direct message- This could be a stretch, but always worth a try. DM an influencer or tastemaker within this new world. You are an admirer of their success, and asked them if they would share their story with you. People love to talk about themselves and to give some advice. You might be one of the lucky ones that they share this with.
- Plan for a successful interview- Since this is not a job interview, but rather an informal conversation, then the anxiety level should be pretty low. However, it’s not just a regular casual conversation. Make sure you prepare with a list of questions and write down the top 3 pieces of information you want to walk away from.
4. Follow up with a handwritten thank you card- Time is so valuable and when someone takes time out of their workday to help you, it deserves a handwritten note of gratitude. This little personal touch will make a lasting impression on this person and hopefully will motivate them to follow up on your progress. Who knows, they could potentially be your future mentor.
4. Knowing your Financial Runway and Timeline
Why is this important? I hope at this point, you have found out how long it will take to achieve a level of “success” in your future role. With any career change, it takes time to master a job.
Does the road start with a higher level of education or a path to certification? All this time and money need to be factored in before you pull the trigger.
If you are fortunate to have a job while you are rethinking your career, it’s time to start putting some money away. Whether it’s to help pay for the education or even possibly hiring extra help to watch the kids or even walk the dog. For any new career, there is an upfront investment of time and money.
If you are in between jobs, then I know you are well aware of your current bank statement. So, before you make that decision to make a change, ask yourself if your current situation allows you to be without a job for “X” months. This is the part of the equation of figuring out how long your runway is.
Next Steps: Make sure you are financially covered to sustain this moment. Check out these helpful articles on how to budget and plan for your career change:
Example of Financial Budgeting App: MINT
- Lifehack - An article about 9 different apps that will help you get your household budget in line, right from the palm of your hands.
- The secret to Savings by Dave Ramsey - A great article of 20 money saving tips.
Pro Tip: Career change is a major deal, think about working with a career coach to help guide you through this process.
5. Is this a Career Change or Career Transition?
WHY IS THE IMPORTANT? Transitioning from one role to another in the same company you are currently with maybe the least life disruptive route. If you are fortunate enough to have a job and the future role is a part of the organization, then now we are talking about a career transition.
NEXT STEPS
- Get to know your colleagues- Next time there is a company event or happy hour, take that as an opportunity to network with the department people you want to potentially be a part of. Do not outwardly tell them you are looking for a new role in their department, but get to know them personally. A real-life connection is the best way to get ahead.
- Make an appointment with your Manager- Make it a point to schedule an appoint to carve out time to discuss your future with the company. Do not throw this idea out there at the end of your department touch base. By making an appointment, it will show your professionalism and respect to your manager. And when you are in the meeting make sure you make it very clear that you are asking to explore your career development, not changing roles or departments because of them.
- Ask for an informational interview or request to shadow- Ok, so we know what an informational interview is all about (ahem, step #3). Now it’s time to ask if you can shadow someone in the role you are interested in. This will be your opportunity to get up close and personal to find out what the day to day tasks look like.
If you take on these 5 steps before you make your final decision of a career change, you will no longer be afraid of the change, but hopefully excited for the future.
