Planning a career change: A survival guide

Whether you’re feeling burned out or just craving a role you’re better suited to, making the leap from one career to another can be immensely rewarding. But before you rush off to your manager to submit your resignation, you’re going to need a plan. Below are a few tips to help your career pivot go smoothly.

Focus on skills, not job titles

An under-appreciated fact about switching careers is you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch. Yes, you might need to upskill to be competitive, but chances are there’s already lots on your resume that makes you an attractive candidate. 

Look for jobs which overlap somewhat with yours. For example, if you’re a writer, you might find yourself at home in a marketing role. If you're a teacher, instructional design might be a natural fit. And if you’re a software developer, your technical knowledge might serve you well as a product manager.

Depending on the size of your company and the relationship you have with your manager, you might even be able to make a lateral career move. This is when you stay in the same organisation but change teams and title. 

If that sounds appealing, think about ways to broach the topic in your next performance review. Who knows, your manager might be able to get the ball rolling by assigning you to a multi-team project or arranging for you to shadow a colleague in a different department.

Connect with people in the fields you’re interested in

Being interested in a particular field is one thing, but as an outsider looking in there are going to be certain realities that you’re completely unaware of. That’s why it pays to talk to people with direct experience. 

If there’s someone in your network whose career matches what you’re after, drop them a line to see if they can paint you a picture of their field. Try to ask about things that aren’t easily discoverable online, like what the culture is like, whether there are any unspoken expectations, and if there are skills that are more sought after than others.

You might walk away with a completely different (and much more realistic) picture than the one you’d built up in your head. From here, you can decide if the job is still something you want to pursue or if there are other options that might be a better fit.

Look for volunteer or training opportunities

Sometimes you need a stepping stone between your current career and the one you’d rather be in. If your schedule allows it, or you’re willing to work part-time, internships and volunteer gigs can be great ways to build up your skills, make connections, and show future employers you’re not totally green.

There’s also no shortage of training opportunities — both online and in-person — available these days. Short courses or workshops can help you gain in-demand skills without saddling you with the debt of a full degree. And once again, many of these are flexible enough to fit around your current commitments.

Have a backup plan

Unless you have friends in high places holding the door open for you, career changes can be rife with uncertainty. One way to manage the risk is to make sure you’ve got a financial buffer large enough to cover your living expenses for a few months if things don’t go to plan.

Not only can these give you some breathing room, it can allow you to be bolder in your decisions — whether that’s taking a chance on a moonshot start-up or taking a salary cut for a role that truly aligns with your long-term goals.

Everyone’s career path looks different, and you’d be surprised how many unexpected turns the average person has taken to get where they are today. If you’re thinking about switching things up, you’re bound to face challenges, but staying positive and proactive can put you on track for success.