If you’re thinking about making a career transition, you’re not alone. It’s a fantastic way to grow your skill set and explore new professional territories. There’s a growing number of people making career changes, for various reasons, including the fact that there are a number of emerging career paths in this newfound post-pandemic world. That said, a career change is a life-altering decision and, we won’t shy away from it, one that must be made with caution, research, and intention. Now that you know some reasons people choose to change the course of their professional life, let’s explore the three stages and steps of a successful career transition.
Table of Contents
When is it time for a career transition?
Anyone can make a career change, usually after a few years of working as a professional. There are a handful of circumstances that generally prompt people to make a career transition and they include
- Being laid off from an existing job
- Being unsatisfied with a current career path
- Wanting to explore a new career path
- Seeing a change in long-term career goals
- Seeing that an existing career no longer offers scope for growth
Some of these reasons may apply to you, while some may not (and perhaps we’ve left out the reason you want to transition to a new career). But ultimately a change in your career path is an intensely personal decision. And there’s no right or wrong here. It’s just a question of what your goals are and what’s going to work for you. After all, everyone’s professional timeline is unique and, rest assured, you’re just where you need to be!
The three stages of a successful career transition
Now that you know some reasons people choose to change the course of their professional life, let’s explore the 3 stages and steps of a successful career transition.
- Pre-transition
- The transition
- Post-transition
Stage 1: Pre-transition
Embarking on a career transition can be an invigorating journey filled with new opportunities and personal career growth. Before taking the leap, it is crucial to invest time and effort in the pre-transition stage to lay a solid foundation for a successful career switch. This stage involves reflection, research, and strategic planning to ensure a smooth and informed transition. Here are some essential steps to consider during Stage 1: Pre-transition.
- Reflect on why you want to make a transition (and where)
- Do extensive research about the industry
- Identify skills that are transferable
- Learn the skills needed for the job
- Make a game plan (and a plan B)
Reflect on why you want to make a transition (and where)
Changing your career is a big decision; we don’t have to tell you that. No matter how well-thought-out and meticulous you are about it, there are quite a few risks involved. This is why it’s important for you to gain clarity on why exactly you want to do this. Ask yourself if this is a passing phase or something that will help you grow in the long run. Examine the root of your ambition and what it ultimately means for your professional goals.
Having this clarity is immensely crucial: it will guide you throughout the change and it’s something you can fall back on in times of doubt.
Do extensive research about the industry
If you’re already clear about the industry (and role) you want to transition to, you’re already a step ahead! Now it’s time to research the industry of your choice. You can begin with a cursory search about the field and move on to more in-depth research. Identify roles and job profiles that are of interest to you (or ones where your existing skills will be useful). Take some time out to network with people in that field, so you can learn about what it’s like to work there. It’s even better if you have the opportunity to talk to people who’ve transitioned into that field! This will give you valuable insights on what they had to do to transition successfully.
If you haven’t figured out where you will transition just yet, don’t worry! For now, follow your instincts and do research about jobs you’re interested in.
Identify skills that are transferable
Over the few years that you have worked in the professional space, you will have developed some skills along the way. From your existing skill set, identify core skills that you can transfer to the new field. These could be hard skills (like coding and engineering) or soft skills (like communication, critical thinking, or management) that you find will be useful in your new job. Even if you come from a deeply specialised background, you might be able to identify skills that could help you advance in other industries, perhaps in ways you didn’t expect.
If you haven’t figured out what field you want to transition to by this point, making this list is a helpful start. Once you take stock of your existing skills and experience, begin exploring career options where you can apply them.
Learn the skills needed for the job
After you’ve found common skills applicable to your new job, you might still have to pick up new skills to qualify for even entry-level opportunities. This could happen if you’re making a career shift to a specialised discipline (say, a transition to the tech industry) or one that’s unrelated to or current industry (from marketing to social work, for instance). So now it’s time to put new skills in your arsenal and level up.
In the age of the internet, there are numerous platforms offering online courses and certification programs for virtually any skill under the sun. You can also take a sabbatical and enroll yourself in a college. If money is an issue, there are scores of free online resources on YouTube, Coursera, and other such spaces.
Pro tip: If you’re venturing into a creative profession, prepare a portfolio with sample pieces and projects. In the absence of a degree or certificate, this may not get you the highest paying gig, but it shows you’re proficient at the skill and is good enough to get you an entry-level position.
Make a game plan (and a plan B)
By now, you should have a basic idea of the industry you want to transition to. Create a list of things you need to do: learn about the new industry, acquire new skills, and identify potential job leads. Then make a timeline that will allow you to do all this alongside your current job. This may seem hectic (and daunting), but it’s always wise to ensure that you have a stable income as you’re making the transition. This also helps you adjust to the change gradually. Baby steps, rather than a leap of faith!
Pro tip: Create a backup plan. While you should certainly aim for success, life always has a way of throwing curveballs. As you’re working on your game plan, think of plan B. What will you do if you don’t get the gig you wanted to? Do you have savings to sustain yourself? Are you okay with getting a job that’s between your current job and the dream job? Think about these things.
Stage 2: The transition
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the pre-transition stage and are now ready to embark on your career transition journey. Stage 2, the transition stage, is where the real action begins. It involves taking concrete steps to make your career switch a reality. Here are some key elements to consider during Stage 2: The Transition.
- Update your resume
- Don’t leap, take it one step at a time
- Take support from peers, seniors, and loved ones
- Continue honing your skills
- Prepare to take a pay cut (or an entry-level job)
Update your resume
You’ve clarified your goal, you’ve begun to take steps to achieve them, and now it’s time to create a resume that reflects all that hard work.
Update your resume with new skills you’ve gained and certificates you’ve acquired. Rethink your resume summary as well: briefly state your current expertise and then go on to explain where you want to transition. Justify your reasons for the transition and emphasise the value you hope to provide in the new role. The goal here is that a resume should reflect that you’re capable of doing the new job well, even if you don’t have the experience to show for it.
Pro tip: It might also be a good time for you to rethink your resume’s format. Pick a template that puts focus on your newly acquired education and skills needed for the jobs you’ll be applying to.
Don’t leap, take it one step at a time
Career transitions come with their own risks, so work on minimising them. If you have a job at the moment, don’t quit it abruptly. The least risky time to make the leap of faith is when you have your desired job in hand or you know you’re in a position to get one in the new industry. Until you gain that stability, explore your new profession on a trial basis.
There are various ways to do this. Focus on honing your skills — keep practicing and learning more. Try out a side hustle or take a sabbatical to pick up a temporary job in the field. These little steps will help you gain the confidence to pursue your new profession without the pressures of being in-between jobs.
Take support from peers, seniors, and loved ones
Career transitions, as exciting as they are, can sometimes get quite taxing. When the going gets tough, know that you’re not alone. Moments of fatigue and doubt are completely natural during this state of flux. That’s why it’s important to ask for help when you need it.
If you find yourself stuck or overwhelmed by the new skills you’re exploring, reach out to peers or seniors. They can guide you through the issues you’re facing and lead you to relevant resources as well. If they know you’re making a transition, they’re probably also sympathetic to the fact that you’re just learning. And that’s okay because they were once beginners too!
On a personal note, if you get emotionally overwhelmed (also totally normal), reach out to friends, family, and loved ones. Take breaks when you need to, so you’re not burnt out by the time you actually make the switch.
Continue honing your skills
At this point, you have some basic knowledge of your new profession. You’ve probably become fairly adept in your new skills too! But the learning doesn’t stop there, especially if you haven’t had the chance to put your knowledge and skills to use in a professional setting. Now, it’s about practice, trial and error, and making this profession your own. Don’t hesitate to take risks and test yourself. Continue to take advice and guidance from people who are in the field — whether they’re fellow beginners or experts! Essentially, keep improving your knowledge about the industry.
We know this can be tougher than it sounds, especially if you’re used to being an expert in something else. But remember to ground yourself in your ambition and, ultimately, it’ll be worth it.
Pro-tip: Start keeping up with trends, debates, and news about your field so you can have a more holistic perspective about the domain.
Prepare to take a pay cut (or an entry-level job)
While you may have the necessary qualifications at this point, be realistic about the kinds of jobs you can get at this stage. Since you don’t have proven experience, you may not be qualified for roles above an entry-level position. You may even have to take a paycheck cut until you can work your way up to earn as much as you do now.
Don’t let this bring you down, because it’s just the beginning. If anything, the fact that you’ve come this far demonstrates that you know how to learn quickly and adapt to new situations. It shows resilience, determination, and ambition — all of which, regardless of occupation, are excellent traits for thriving in the workplace.
There’s a lot ahead of you and plenty of room to grow!
Stage 3: Post-transition
Congratulations on successfully navigating your career transition! You have now entered Stage 3, the post-transition phase. This stage focuses on settling into your new career, adapting to the changes, and ensuring long-term success. Here are some essential aspects to consider during Stage 3: Post-transition.
- Approach the new job with humility and an open mind
- Evaluate progress and make necessary improvements for growth
- Check in with your original plan and see where you’re at
- Keep building your skills in the new industry
- Don’t give up and keep going!
Approach the new job with humility and an open mind
You’ve got the job now, but your journey of transition is not over yet. In your new career, you will come across challenges and curveballs. Of course, there is excitement, vigour, and enthusiasm in doing your new job well. You’re also the new kid on the block, so it’s good to work with caution and observance.
Approach the journey with humility, curiosity, and an open mind. Listen to your colleagues and seniors: ask them for feedback, suggestions, and notes on where (and how) you can improve. Let humility guide you and ambition ground you.
Evaluate progress and make necessary improvements for growth
As you’re exploring your new career, you may find that things don’t go the way you expect them to — for better or worse. You may be doing better than you expected or you could get stuck because of some knowledge gaps or assumptions you need to clarify. Like we said earlier, keep an open mind.
Based on how you’ve been working so far, make observations about what’s going well and what you need to work on. This could be anything from understanding more about the organisation you work at to filling gaps in your skillset.
Check in with your original plan and see where you’re at
Once you’ve been working for a few weeks or months, take a step back to see where you are. These little (but very important pit stops) allow you to gain a more objective perspective on how the change has affected your career. Personal relationships, and finances. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see where you’re at.
- Do you have your dream job or are you somewhere in between?
- Have you met the goals you set?
- Did you reach them in the time frame you’d originally conceived?
Try to answer these questions and see if they match with the plan you’ve made. Reassess the plan you made and make necessary changes to reorient your workflow to your goals. (Or revamp your goals if you need to.)
Keep building your skills in the new industry
Yes, we’re saying it again! When you start applying yourself to your new profession, you’ll naturally start being exposed to the nuances and complexities of your field. Open yourself up to this exploration — it will allow you to challenge yourself and get better. It’s through these kinds of explorations that proficiency will become expertise.
Share your understanding of the field with your colleagues; understand and listen to what they have to say. At this point, you can also be more specific and focused in your conversations with them. Checking in with your coworkers is also an excellent way for them to know that you’ve been hard at work. Over time, they will see how much you’ve grown.
Don’t give up and keep going!
As our final words, we’ll leave you with a note of encouragement.
Things do go wrong sometimes, no matter how careful you have been through this process. But don’t let that stop you. They’re just pitfalls and you’ve worked far too hard to let go of it all!
Whatever steps you take through this period of transition are steps that work for you. If you made them with intention, you’re genuinely passionate about your new career, and you continue to learn at every step, you will eventually succeed.
We hope this short guide on career transitions helps you make the professional leap you desire. Best of luck!
