Job transitions can happen due to a number of factors. You may need to look for a field that rewards you better in terms of remuneration, your company may have downsized, or you could just want to move on to something that interests you more.
Whatever the reason, starting a career in a new field is a practice that some people might find cumbersome while others might embrace, as a way of scaling the career ladder. This article will delve into some key ways to make your transition smooth and fruitful.
Network and Find a Mentor
The best strategy for an easy career change is finding people who will play a key role in your job transition. And these people or companies will be located through networking. Therefore, your networking abilities will help you identify leads and informational advice that will impact your new field.
Don’t think far. Think of colleagues, friends, family, your former college mates, and you will come up with an admirable network of people in the new field you want to join. Further, you can join organizations and groups that are centered on the new field.
Another way of broadening your network is to find a mentor. By working with a mentor, you will be able to tap into their network, enabling you to stay ahead in your new field. Remember, starting a new career is a lifelong decision that can have its own share of rough patches. A mentor will help you steer clear of this.
Research Exciting Careers
You will need to gather materials and do thorough research on the new career path you intend to take. You will discover that there are numerous resources that can help you understand your job shift more clearly and help you have a smooth transition. The more research you do, the more you will arm yourself and move into an exciting career. If you love teaching and have the desire to be an instructor in foreign countries, you can take a masters in tesol to learn the right skills you need to pursue that career. Doors of opportunities will be opened as you start a new career path with the right skills. One thing to take into consideration is whether your new field offers the opportunity for residual income. Residual income allows you to do a job once and get paid over and over. The classic example is a Life Insurance salesman. They get paid once when you buy a policy and then they get a small commission whenever you make another payment. So once they have a large enough portfolio of clients they can relax because they will continue getting paid whether they make any more sales or not. A high tech firm that has followed a similar model is AMP Security which provides smart home technology.
Learn Transferable Skills
The fact that you are job transitioning means that you have specific skill sets from your current position. Try to find ways to leverage these skills to your new career. There are many transferable skills such as planning, communication, team building, teamwork, salesmanship and leadership that you might find very applicable in your new field.
Furthermore, you might want to gain a new skill before jumping into the new field and might need to enroll for a specific course. You can do this even before leaving your former job so that you are able to transition easily into the new field.
Build a Brand
Once you are adequately armed with the right skill set, you will have to build your new professional brand, and make it obvious that you have transitioned into your new career field. People will not just automatically deduce that you transitioned unless you make it known.
You can do this on your resume, your LinkedIn profile, your cover letter—everywhere you feel is appropriate. Just make sure you brand yourself in a way that is logical and makes you stand out.
In conclusion, most people fail to succeed because they are terrified of making a career shift. Job transitions always sound like a tall order mostly because of the fear of failing to make it on the other side.
If you want to succeed in a job transition, you must make deliberate and measured steps, but taking it a step at a time. Do not be deterred by some unforeseeable inconveniences. With the right attitude and a passion for change, you can have a soft landing on the other side.
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