Are you contemplating a career change? Plenty of people change careers in their lifetime to find more fulfilment within their job, to make more money, or because they’ve found a new calling or passion—it happens a lot more often than we’d realise.

If you find yourself feeling this way (and you’ve decided what career direction you want to head in and have made sure it’s financially suitable), we suggest figuring out a plan so you can secure a job in your new career as quickly as possible—we can help you with that!

1.     Identify your transferable skills

• Recognise the skills you use in your everyday job and see if these correlate to your new potential career
• Add these to your CV and mention these skills in future interviews

If you’re contemplating a career change, recognising your transferrable skills will help clarify your best strengths and what you can bring to a new role. As employees, we have plenty of skills we use in our everyday jobs that we might not realise. For example, if you consistently speak to clients, you will have excellent communication skills, which can be used in almost any other role. Think about your current skill set and how this might translate to the role you’re seeking.

We recommend that once you identify all your transferable skills that you include them in your CV and discuss these in-depth at future job interviews to show what you’re capable of.

2.     Check if you need to up-skill

• Consider if you need to undertake additional study and make a detailed plan to follow
• If you’re still in your current role, find opportunities within this job that will allow you to gain new skills

While considering your skills, research to see if people in this job or field have completed additional study or training. This will give you an idea as to whether study is required or optional in this line of work, so you don’t waste any time or money on study that isn’t necessary.

If you need credentials for the role, does it require long-term study or can you undertake free online courses? Once you know the answer, you’ll have a clearer plan and timeline to follow.

If you’re already in a similar line of work that shares similar duties, you could ask for different tasks to gain the necessary skills, and then easily apply these to your CV.

3.     Learn about the industry

• Gain advice about the industry and learn knowledge from professionals in the field
• Ask questions to help you gain a thorough understanding of the career path

When heading into a new career, it’s ideal that you know the ins and outs of the industry, including the current industry trends, insights, and any opportunities.

If you run a quick LinkedIn search, you can find who is currently in that field—including people who could be in your network. Our advice? Form connections with these people to gain as much valuable first-hand information as possible about the current changes in the industry, which will be helpful to have for future interviews and for forming rapport with recruiters!

4.     Network, network, network

• Utilise your network for opportunities in the field
• Attend plenty of meetups and networking events and make a name for yourself

There’s nothing more valuable than having a network—it’s one of the most powerful tools to have when starting a new career. Once you’ve begun making connections in the industry and learning from their expertise and advice, utilise this network to find new opportunities for yourself.

If you begin networking, you might find new opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have found if it weren’t for your connections.

We recommend joining LinkedIn groups and attending online and face-to-face meetups, seminars, and conferences (we also organise meetups—stay tuned!) to learn not only valuable information but to make a name for yourself in the field and make new contacts.

5.     Contact a recruiter

• Finding a job in a new industry can be difficult, which is when a recruitment consultancy can help
• A consultant with a thorough understanding of the industry will have connections to help you secure a new role

If you’re contemplating a career change or seeking a new role and need assistance with your search, try contacting a recruiter in the industry. A recruitment consultancy has the expertise and networks that might help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Consultants have the right resources, connections, and know the ins and outs of the industries they specialise in, which can help you secure a fantastic role in a timely manner.

Is your new career in the fields of BI & Data Analytics, Project Services, Management, Business Support, IT Project Services, Infrastructure, Security, or IT Sales by any chance? If you’re contemplating a career change, we can help you find a new role in these industries—contact us at Humanised Group!