By Susan B. Posluszny of OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning LLC
Ever thought about transitioning into a totally new career field but didn’t have a clue as to how to break into your field of interest? Well, the following suggestions were inspired by the book, The Pathfinder, by Nicholas Lore.
“Be” what you want to transition towards
Consider yourself already in the field that you want to transition towards rather then as an outsider trying to get in. Read what professionals employed in your area of interest read, hang out where they hang out, and develop relationships with those who work in the profession. Make sure that your resume, and cover letter, highlight functional skills you possess that are transferable to the work you want to do. You can also highlight special knowledge you have or are gaining. If you do not have related knowledge/experience, you can explore opportunities for job shadowing, volunteer work, project/contract work, self employment, an internship (can be non academic), and paid employment.
Read extensively about your interest area
Read academic texts, ‘how to’ books, trade journals and newsletters, books by leaders in the field, professional association sponsored and other key websites related to your field of interest, and so on.
Attend conventions, seminars, and workshops in the field
Become aware of and active in local chapters of professional associations. Activities could include attendance at local chapter meetings as well as committee work for the association. Many associations also offer local and nationally sponsored conventions, seminars, and workshops that offer wonderful networking opportunities.
Create a network of supporters in the field
Job prospects increase in proportion to the number of contacts who know of or can help lead you to future job opportunities. Career transitioners tend to focus more on the quantity of contacts without paying much attention to the quality of those contacts yet it’s also important to build ‘authentic’ relationships.
Develop cooperative relationships and contracts
Look for opportunities to connect with employers through cooperative relationships and contracts. One example would be interviewing an employer for the purpose of writing an article for a non profit newsletter. Yet another example would be informational interviewing. Informational interviewing consists of interviewing an individual about his/her work, industry, etc. with the goal of gaining both information and contact referrals in career areas of interest.
Use creative approaches
We tend to think of ourselves in terms of where we have been and not in terms of the possibilities for where we might go or who we might become. Use your contacts and available resources to support you in thinking creatively about future possibilities and in taking action towards your intended career interests.
Not yet committed
What if you have a strong interest in a certain career field but are not yet ready to commit to it? Ask yourself what it is about the field that attracts you. Where would you like to be and what is holding you back from getting there. Focus your energies on removing the obstacles that hinder you. Can you commit to at least exploring this interest area further? What actions are you willing to take?
I hope these tips have inspired you. Use them to help you create an action plan for exploring and breaking into that new career field.
By Susan Posluszny of OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning LLC
