What do you do if you want to switch careers and impress potential employers?

Clarify Your Career Goals: Take the time to clarify your career goals, interests, and motivations for making a career switch. Identify the industries, roles, and organizations that align with your skills, values, and long-term objectives. Research Your Target Industry: Conduct thorough research on your target industry to understand its trends, challenges, key players, and opportunities. Stay informed about industry developments, emerging technologies, and skill requirements to position yourself as a knowledgeable candidate. Your Transferable Skills: Identify the transferable skills and experiences from your current or previous roles that are relevant to your desired career path. Highlight these skills in your resume and cover letter.

It's extremely important to reflect on your previous experience deeply. When pursuing a new career trajectory, research the skills needed for the intended position, and try to remember the particular situations you had encountered in the past, where you may used these skills to over come obstacles. This can be in terms of people management, team playing, learning to new systems or skills. Be sure to highlight experiences or projects where you gained these skills, and list the responsibilities. The interviewers will broach this question, so its a great time to relay such experiences to display your competencies. Additionally, practice this heavily and think about how these stories or experiences portray you as an individual and leader.

When making a pivot in your career don't change too many factors at once. Change the type of work you’re doing but stay within the same industry or make a lateral move but to a different discipline. A pivot can be gradual and the first position you take my not be the full change but a step in the right direction. My own pivot 3 years ago is a great example. I came from a Sales and Business Development background and managed large teams. Moving into recruiting I knew the Sales/BD element and I understood the hiring challenges and working with people. My pivot was becoming an IC and focusing on a different area Marketing and Creative. This made it easier from my new manager to see me in the role and easier for me to make the transition.

When exploring a new career path, it's essential to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your existing skill set. Start by identifying the skills you've acquired throughout your education, work experience, and personal pursuits. Consider both hard skills, such as technical abilities or proficiency with software tools, and soft skills, like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Evaluate how these skills align with the requirements and expectations of your desired role or industry. This assessment will help you identify areas of strength to leverage and areas for further development to address.

There are so many options for courses both paid and free out there. They can give you the opportunity to position yourself for the role you want not just the role you have. Also consider that your current employer may be willing to cover training courses or certifications as they can be a benefit to not only you but your team and the company. This is a great way to show growth in a role without a change in title.

When transitioning to a new career, embrace the opportunity to learn new skills and knowledge relevant to your chosen field. Seek out educational resources such as online courses, workshops, or bootcamps that cover key concepts and practices in your desired industry. Be proactive in expanding your understanding of industry trends, tools, and technologies that are essential for success in your new role. Demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and professional development showcases your dedication and adaptability to potential employers.

Focus on your transferable skills and on highlighting experiences where you were able to adapt quickly and add value. Remove any unrelated roles or volunteer experience. If it doesn't help to showcase your skillset and how it aligns with the career you're after, it isn't needed and just clutters your resume.

Ensure your resume reflects your career transition effectively by highlighting relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that align with your new career path. Tailor your resume to emphasize transferable skills and accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to excel in your target role. Use a clear and concise format, focusing on key sections such as a professional summary, skills section, and relevant experience. Incorporate any new certifications, training, or coursework that enhances your qualifications for the new role. Additionally, proofread carefully to ensure your resume is error-free and presents you as a compelling candidate for potential employers.

Your resume should be the catalyst that gets you the interview. It doesn’t have to have every single thing about you but it should tell your professional story. Make sure its balanced; show the arc of your career with a good focus on what you have been doing most recently without sacrificing how you got there. Making it "ATS Friendly" is great but never forget a human being is going to read this at some point! Check the formatting and try emailing it to yourself and a friend to ensure how it actually looks both on a phone and a computer. Check for spelling and grammar errors as well as bullets not lining up and change in fonts etc...

I believe that crafting a great narrative is essential in today's market. Hiring managers want to be convinced that the job seeker has a well-thought plan and that the applicant isn't reaching for straws.

Crafting a compelling career transition narrative involves outlining your motivations for the switch, showcasing key experiences that led to this decision, and emphasizing relevant skills and qualities. Tailor your story to resonate with potential employers in various interactions, such as cover letters, networking, and interviews, to demonstrate your passion and readiness for the new career path.

The biggest mistake I see with networking is candidates only targeting hiring managers or people who would be decision makers in the hiring process. You definitely want to reach out to those people but some of my best networking when I made a career change was connecting with potential peers at different organizations. They were able to give me a real world view of what the job entailed, were able to tell me which of my skills would be the most transferable and gave a good overall view of working in that role, with that team or with that company. I was also able to get referred in to hiring managers that way. Make sure to pay it forward by being someone potential new team mates can reach out to once you have made that move.

Network smartly by strategically reaching out to professionals in your desired industry for informational interviews. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with individuals who have experience or insights relevant to your career switch. Attend industry events and join online forums or professional groups to engage with like-minded individuals and expand your network. When networking, focus on building genuine relationships and seeking advice rather than directly asking for a job. These connections can lead to valuable insights, referrals, and potential job opportunities as you navigate your career transition.

Interview prep is always a key piece of the puzzle. Every interview is different and there is no magic formula to “win" the interview. For me the best way to prepare is to think about what that hiring manager might be thinking about you. For example: Been in your current role for a long or short time? Be ready with a good explanation for your motivation; keep it positive and don't bad mouth your past company. But you can speak about challenges. Be ready with examples of things you have done professionally; if you have a good selection they will cover a lot of answers. Most important for me; be yourself. If they are interviewing you they can see you have the basic skills and experience but they are going to hire the person not the resume.

When you look at a potential role ask yourself two questions. First; Can I do this job? Do you have at least 75-80% of the skills and experience needed? Are there any MUST haves that you fall short on? Are the areas you are lacking things you could ramp up on or learn in the role? Second; Would I want to do this job? Maybe the pay and benefits are amazing but is it an industry you want to work in? Do you like the size and structure? Is the location/commute doable and sustainable? In the long run you should apply to jobs you could do and would want to do. Spending time on applications that don’t align will result in rejections from the company or you interviewing and eventually backing out because you don't want to take it.

Talent is transferable. Period. Be clear on why you are pivoting your career, the tangible benefits you will bring to your next employer and any examples of previous career pivots. Good luck!

If you're looking to switch careers, you need to understand that it's not the new potential employer's job to see the potential in you. It's your job as a job seeker to showcase your value and how your previous experience is going to add immediate value to their organization, both short-term and long-term. Furthermore, you need to overcome objections and concerns, such as the reason why you're looking to make this change in the first place, and why the same issues that created your desire to change aren't going to negatively impact them when you make the same choice with their organization. Ultimately, it's on you to overcome all objections and showcase massive value to help them clearly see why you would be a fit for the organization.

Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize how your skills and accomplishments align with the requirements of the new role. Invest time in gaining new skills or certifications related to the desired field through online courses or workshops. Network with professionals in the industry to gain insights and build connections. During interviews, showcase your passion for the new field, demonstrate a willingness to learn, and convey how your unique background can bring value to the organization. Be proactive and persistent in your job search, and don't be discouraged by setbacks. With determination and preparation, you can successfully transition to a new career.