Making a career transition can be intimidating and overwhelming. Whether you’ve recently quit a job or been laid off from a previous position, it can be daunting to think of how to move forward. Fortunately, you aren’t alone. A recent survey from Amazon and Workplace Intelligence found that 74% of Gen Z and Millennial professionals are contemplating a career change in the next 12 months due to a lack of career mobility and skills development options. In these uncertain times, the best way to find a new job is to be prepared and open to potential opportunities while continually working on your growth and personal development.
In this article, we’ll look at four things you should know when making a career transition:
Marketing your transferable skills
The key to a successful career transition is ensuring you can use your learned skillsets in your new position. Insights on transferable skills from Fortune indicate employers and recruiters specifically seek these skills. Depending on your previous work and the unique role you plan to shift to, you may feel confident in your job-specific technical skills, such as web and software development, which are needed across industries today. Other transferable skills are ‘soft skills’, focused on workplace interpersonal interactions, such as leadership and problem-solving. Identifying your transferable skills and marketing them to potential employers can lead you to career opportunities where you can put those skills to good use.
Availing of career transition services
Being laid off can make you feel like you’ve been blindsided. Meanwhile, many leaving their jobs (especially under duress) can feel lost. During such times, outplacement services can help guide professionals at various levels of their careers by offering services such as training and coaching. LHH’s piece on outplacement emphasizes how such services have become optimized to cater to the individual’s current needs. For professionals and managers, highly-trained outplacement coaches can help you explore full-time employment, entrepreneurism, active retirement, or a portfolio career. Additionally, top outplacement services can empower you with relevant tools like upskilling courses, an SEO-optimized CV or portfolio, and even a personalized roadmap. With the right service provider, surveys show that placement time can be reduced by up to 65%.
You are financially preparing for your career transition.
Landing a new job immediately after leaving your previous work can take time, and you may be met with rejections along the way. In these situations, you must be financially prepared to handle expenses when you don’t yet have a reliable source of income. Our previous post titled “How To Financially Prepare To Make A Career Change” discussed the importance of starting your savings as early as possible in your career. This includes making more frugal lifestyle choices and even working longer if you’re able. Even if you aren’t out of work due to being laid off, pursuing new career opportunities such as entrepreneurship can cost you, and you may make less money at earlier stages. Financial experts also recommend having at least three months of emergency savings ready for such moments. Being financially prepared helps you control your career decisions without the external stress of living costs.
Networking online and offline
Finally, it’s important not to overlook the significance of professional networking. The professional network you build in your career may help open doors to future opportunities, so it’s important not to limit yourself, especially if you plan on making a career transition sometime down the line. Chron’s feature on networking for employment highlights the importance of managing your offline and online professional networks. In an increasingly digital world of work, maintaining your social media presence as a professional can help connect you with like-minded professionals and employers who may be interested in your skills or services. These connections can streamline your career transition and afford you perks only those in certain circles can access.
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