How to Make A Career Switch

onventional wisdom says that an average worker has between 7 and 10 careers in a lifetime.  For the Millennial generation, that number is even higher.  Today’s workforce is mobile, global, and tech savvy.   With opportunities literally at our fingertips, it’s easier (and more acceptable) than ever to try one’s hand in a new field.  If you’ve been thinking about a career change, here are 8 tips to get started:

First, ask yourself three key questions:

1.    Why are you making a switch?  Are you bored or not challenged?  Itching to be part of the start-up, high tech revolution?  Do you need to move to a more lucrative field?  Whether you’re looking for more job satisfaction, a bigger paycheck, a more collaborative work environment, or a chance to put your natural talents and skills to use, you’ve got to know what’s driving you and then tailor your job search to meet your needs.    When Suzanne, a close friend, reached her limit as a corporate accountant, she was determined to put her interpersonal skills to use.  As she began to look for new jobs, she focused on organizations and roles that would emphasize and value her communication and leadership skills above all else, and thankfully ended up at a non-profit that did just that.

2.    What do you need to do to break into your new field? Do you need to go back to school to get there? Does it require an advanced degree (Ph.D., MBA, MFA, etc.)?  Are internships or apprenticeships a pre-requisite? If you’re headed to media or entertainment, you likely need to start in the mailroom or as a production assistant.  If journalism is your thing, blogging and/or freelancing are great ways to start.   Finance will likely require an advanced degree while high fashion is all about scoring the right internship.  A great way to learn about what the pathway to success looks like in your desired field is to network within LinkedIn Groups and search for 2nd and 3rd degree connections to ask for informational interviews.

3.    What are your transferrable skills and how will they help you? Chances are you’ve acquired some marketable, transferrable skills along the way.  What do you do well? Coding, graphic design, project management, creative writing?  We’ve all got natural talents and abilities—think about how to put yours to use in your desired field.  What skills will help you mange relationships with teammates, clients, customers or your boss and help you become a great sales rep, councilwoman or entrepreneur? What skills are most valued and how do your natural talents jive with what’s needed to excel in your new field?   Look at the profiles of people who have the positions you want and check out their skills—do yours match up?

Next, get organized

4.    Educate Yourself!  Follow industry trends on LinkedIn Today and sign up for Smart Brief newsletters to get smart about what you need to know in real estate, aerospace or advertising.  If you have specific companies you’re interested in, follow them on LinkedIn and set up Google alerts for up-to-date news on key transactions or key players in the business.  Join or follow your industry’s key professional associations (and if you don’t know which ones to join, check out Groups You May Like).  You’ll need to be able to speak with confidence and insight about your new industry so that people take you seriously and want to help you pave your way into their field.

5.    Create a set of short-term and long-term goals.  A career transition can take anywhere from months to years.  Create a plan with near and long-term goals and strategies to map out your course of action. 

6.    Market Yourself.  Update your LinkedIn profile to indicate your interest in your desired field. Make sure your Opportunity Preferences are set to welcome career opportunities.    Tell everyone you know—family, friends and acquaintances—that you’re transitioning into a new field so they can help your cause.  And make sure you’ve got your personal pitch ready in your back pocket so that you can easily explain your professional journey to others – where you’re heading and why, where you’ve been, and how the two are connected (i.e. why this career move makes perfect sense).

Work your network

7.    Who do you know?  Explore and expand your network.  Reconnect with classmates using LinkedIn Alumni.  Ask friends, classmates, or former colleagues about job openings in your desired field.  Do an Advanced People Search filtered by industry.  Can your connections share expertise, introduce you to others or sit down with you for informational interviews?  Ask key questions about how people broke into the field—what helped them become successful and what skills do they think are most valuable to new professionals in their industry today.

Reach Out.  Finally, stay on top of industry trends, news and events so that you’ve got a great reason to reach out to potential employers, friends or colleagues in your new industry.   Congratulate others on job moves or promotions, offer to help someone breaking into the field you’re leaving, and do your best to reciprocate for help you receive in your own career switch. Reaching out is a two-way street—the more you do for others, the more you’ll receive in terms of help moving forward on your own career path.

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Most Useful Tools for Job Hunting

The internet is definitely one of the most useful tools for job hunting, and it has changed the way people look for jobs and apply to jobs. More people choose to send their resume through the internet because it’s easier than mailing it or faxing it. In addition, the internet makes searching for work a lot easier. If you are searching for work online, then check out the awesome tips in this article.

1. Check job boards for older job listings: One of the most common mistakes job seekers make when they’re searching for work online is that they only look at the recent postings on the job board. However, this is a mistake because the jobs that are in older posts might still be open. In addition, older posts have less exposure from other job seekers, which means that you would have less competition.
2. Visit recruiter websites: Searching for jobs on a large job board is a great option, but you should also look atrecruiter websites. Recruiter websites are helpful tools for job seekers because they can help people find jobs in a particular industry. On top of that, these websites also help people by providing them with useful information and tips.
3. Surf the web: Job websites are useful tools for job seekers for several reasons. On top of helping job seekers find work, they can also help them connect with employers. If you find a listing where you’re overqualified, you can contact the employer and ask them if a position that fits your needs is available.
4. Proofread: If you are sending an application online, you must proofread it before sending it. Completing applications through the web is very convenient, yet if you are not careful, it can cause a problem. Makingspelling mistakes in your online application shows employers that you are not a reliable person who can be trusted; instead, it shows that you are careless or uneducated. Typos are also another problem that should be avoided, and they are just as bad in an online resume as they are in a paper resume. A lot of people think that spell-check software will solve any major grammar and spelling issues, but it can’t because it lets homonym mistakes slide.
5. Social media: Social media, like Facebook and Twitter, can help you find more job opportunities. In addition, social media can help you connect with employers and companies. There are plenty of social media websites that can help you connect with job opportunities; a great site to try is called Linkedln.com.
6. Set up email alerts: Email alerts are another useful tool for job seekers. These alerts are great because they notify you whenever a new opening pops up. The faster you react to a post, the more chances you have of landing the job.
7. Read the job description before you apply: Before you send your resume to an opening, read the description. There might be certain requirements for that specific position, and you should only send an application to a job you know you can do. The main reason why you should only apply to jobs you can do is because employers hate it when job seekers apply to work they aren’t qualified for.
8. Be specific in your search: A great way to find work is to search for a specific company.Targeting a company where you want to work is great because it will help you find the best position.
9. Try video resumes: Video resumes are a daring choice that will surely make you stand out. However, a video resume is not supposed to replace a standard resume; instead, it should complement your written resume. Video resumes are a fantastic way to highlight your personality and show employers what a great person you are.

The internet makes finding work a lot easier, and with the help of these tips, you’ll find a job in no time.

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