Deciding to make a career change creates an exciting impact on your professional life. However, the decision can still be a difficult one.
One of the first questions people tend to ask themselves in deciding to make a major career change is whether or not they have the skills and experience necessary to make the transition. That question can lead to a parade of terribles. What if I don’t have enough experience? What if the transition takes too much time? Do I need to go back to school to prove that I have the skills necessary for the career that I want? Can I afford more education? These questions create doubt.
Often a career change does mean learning new skills or knowledge. In today’s technology-driven world, learning new information is easy. If you want to learn how to code, you can do so for free. If you want to learn how to cook, recipes and tutorials are everywhere. The depth of online learning materials at our fingertips for free is endless. Couple that with the numerous outlets available for building a personal brand and expertise, preparing yourself for a career change online is easier than it has ever been.
Here are 9 tips to change careers & pre-screen yourself publicly
1. Decide what you want to do
Many career changers have an idea that they want to work for a certain type of company, or have heard that a particular position sounds “fun.” It’s a fleeting thought, often the result of a“grass-is-greener” mentality. Take some time to get into the nitty gritty and learn exactly what the job entails. This way, when speaking to someone about a particular position, you can relate to the job and suggest opportunities for improvement. No job is 100% perfect and without understanding the pain points of any position, you risk coming off as unrealistic.
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2. Ask for advice
Information ubiquity includes access to people. More than ever, people are open to networking. Find professionals in the discipline you are pursuing and reach out. You will be surprised what a humble request for advice can turn into.
Paid services, such as Evisors, give you access to industry experts around the world. An hour of someone’s dedicated time to help you understand what you are looking to do is invaluable. Turn these people into followers of your content. If you make a good impression, they will become your biggest advocates.
3. Stay in-the-know
Researching and creating content is a great way to stay current on the discipline you are interested in. By creating content and engaging actively with other thought leaders, you start building credibility as an expert in this field. Credibility peaks the interest of hiring managers who want their team to function on the cutting edge.
4. Be Passionate
Nothing shows dedication to a goal like putting yourself out there for the world to dissect your thoughts. Be honest with where you start and show consistent progress in your knowledge base. This type of commitment shows passionate dedication. Work ethic and enthusiasm are invaluable traits to any employer and the right ones will know it when they see it.
5. Do
There is no substitute for experience. Researching and learning will get you started, but share practical applications where you have used what you are learning. For example, if you are looking to be a digital marketing strategist, prove your ability to find creative ways to reach people and gain followers. Likewise, if you are interested in capital markets, be bold and make predictions based on real research. Metrics of success will be what hiring managers use to pre-screen applicants.
6. Create a conversation
Forums like Reddit, Mashable and Quora allow you to create a conversation and have opinions on important subject matter. If you can turn heads with strong substantiated opinions, people that matter will start to pay attention.
7. Treat your content like a resume
LinkedIn not only allows you to list your experience, but your content as well. Your content should show a progression in knowledge and application. An employer should be able to see your professional history and content in once place when they go to pre-screen you before an interview.
8. Let people find you
As people read and follow your blogs, you gain credibility. Treat your followers as “warm leads.” Follow up with people who have shown interest in the topics you are writing about and ask for a quick introduction. Remember, all you need is a foot in the door.
9. Create your universe
The universe is physical. If you want something bad enough and concentrate your energy towards it – it will happen. Make your thoughts physical by writing them down. I’ll leave you with this quote:
“When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your full attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time. Thus a pencil and paper make excellent concentration tools.”