Breaking into a new career can be a bit terrifying, especially when you don’t have much experience in that career, however, it’s not impossible.
There are several ways to break into a new career—even if you’ve never done it before. Here’s what you need to know before jumping into a new industry.
Be Willing to Start Over
Before you decide that you want to break into a new career, you have to have at the forefront of your mind that you’re fine with starting over. Starting over could mean anything from learning the basics, to starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder—regardless of where your leadership position in your previous industry was.
Starting over could also result in a pay decrease, and may come with having to prove yourself within this new career field. Although it may not sound exciting at first—if it’s something you’re passionate about, time will quickly go by, and you’ll realize that starting over isn’t as bad as it may sound.
Relate Your Existing Experience to Your New Career
Regardless of how similar or different your new and old career fields are—chances are, you will have lots of skills that will be transferable. The work may be different, but your experience and skillset is still a very important and valuable asset to your new industry.
Many companies are interested in a person’s soft skills, and because these skills cannot necessarily be taught—these will make your transition into your new career that much more smoother.
Revamp Your Resume
Making sure you update your resume so that it’s relevant to your new career field is extremely important. Although you may not have much experience in this new industry, you want to make sure your previous experience can somewhat be tied into this new field.
A few things you can do is keep your previous job history, because it still shows that you have valuable experience, and then highlight specific duties and responsibilities that are relevant to your new career. Skills such as customer service, team management, great communication, and problem-solving are always needed, no matter what industry you decide to work in.
Go in With a Plan
Going in with a plan is an absolute must for anyone wanting to break into a new career. Create a detailed and well-informed plan and stick to it! Write out who you will connect with through LinkedIn and email, write out how you plan on being an asset to the company you’re wanting to work for, write out your goals and objectives for this new career field change, and remember to remain excited and active throughout your new journey!
Let us know in the comments below what you’ve implemented to help you break into a new and unfamiliar industry.
