With the rise in digitisation, changes in education, communication and the environment, we are no longer in conditions where we have one career for life. Due to the recent COVID-19 crisis, we expect many of these macro trends to further accelerate. We therefore, should consider ourselves as lifelong learners who must exercise adaptability. We are required to modify skill-sets to an ever-evolving job market, to filter information overload and rapidly come to terms with new concepts daily. No wonder it is widely cited that individuals now have between 5-7 careers in a lifetime.
Why the sudden need for change?
There might be several reasons why you are contemplating career change. Do you find yourself having a severe lack of motivation and interest in your current role? Did you fall into something after college and wonder why you are still there ten years later? Is your job in conflict with your own values? Do you have a yearning for more? Is there job insecurity due to the rise of tech in your sector or do you face redundancy and see this as an opportunity for change? All of these are good reasons to be considering a change of career. However, in such a competitive market it is not as simple as just clicking your fingers and finding yourself magically in a fulfilling role which pays all the bills!
Resilience
First and foremost, career change takes resilience. There will be many people around you who don't want you to change. This may not be because they want to hold you back but that they fear you are changing. Career change can be as daunting for family members who love you as it is for you. Indeed, colleagues and friends who you have a shared history and interest with may also find this change hard. You may even face envy from colleagues who see you bettering yourself and leaving them behind. Be prepared for this.
Narrative
It is incredibly important to have a strong narrative when you are changing career. This is as much for you as it is for a future employer. Narrative will help you stay strong when you face those difficult questions about why you are leaving the industry you are in. Narrative will reassure you and remind you why you are changing in the face of uncertainty. Most of all, it will give you confidence when sitting in front of an employer who is interviewing you for a role or an industry which is different to that which you have your main experience in.
Careers are not linear
It can be hard to come to terms with that you might need to take a sideways move or even step down in order to progress in a career that you love. This is a personal choice and something you must consider with the support of your closest family members. Arguably, if you are doing something which matches your skill-set and you are passionate about, the progression and salary increases should come more naturally to you.
If you are struggling to get past interview stage in a new sector, don't be afraid to gain experience through shadowing, mentoring or work experience. Taking a week annual leave and spending it gaining experience in a sector that you want to work in will give you invaluable skills and you will soak up the experience like a sponge. Build connections as people will usually want to help. Even if you have years of experience, don't be precious about the work you are given on a work experience, just go for the journey and do what you can to help. You will soon know if the people, work and experience is something you enjoy. You can build connections through networking events, university, LinkedIn and outreach to organisations you admire in order to set up these experiences.
Persistence
You might have several knock backs because you are trying to break into something new. The most important aspect of career change is to get the feedback from the interviews that you do have. Companies have an obligation to feedback and owe it to you especially if you have committed time and effort to go there or do a presentation. Getting feedback can be excruciating but it is one of the best ways to improve. You may even build a relationship with the hiring manager who gives you the feedback. Be persistent in getting the feedback as organisations can sometimes, sadly, neglect the feedback aspect of the hiring process.
Education
Doing a qualification in an area of the field you would like to progress in can be a great way to help transition yourself into a new career. Through education you will build a new network, meet like-minded people who may already work in the arena you are trying to get into and most importantly learn about something you are passionate about. Getting a qualification will support you in a new role and will also help show potential employers that you are serious about this change.
Believe in you otherwise no one else will
In conclusion, there are many tools which can help catapult you into the career that fulfils you from education to networking to work experience but the most powerful tool of all is self-belief and determination. By creating a narrative which holds you steadfast in your focus on change, this will give you the resilience needed to launch yourself into a new profession which models your values and skill-set.
Focus on your goals for the future by talking to Employability Adviser - Helen Kofler who specialises in coaching for change and careers.
Email us on busemployability@greenwich.ac.uk to book an appointment or book via InfoHub BSEO.
