How to Change Careers Successfully

Look before you leap.

Workers change careers for myriad reasons. Some decide their current lines of work are bad fits for their skills or personalities. Others need higher salary potentials to achieve their life goals. And still others are looking for a bridge job or second career before retirement. No matter your motivation, it’s important to think and act carefully before pursuing a different professional path. Follow these steps from career change experts to make your switch successful.

Realize that work shouldn’t make you miserable.

Some people are under the impression that work is supposed to be difficult — after all, that’s why they call it work, right? But according to Maggie Mistal, career consultant and executive coach based in New York City, “That’s just what people who are unhappy say. If that’s all you’re hearing, it’s like the cult that wants to keep you in it. For the people who say that, they haven’t had the experience of a job they really love.” Not everyone can land a job that delivers daily joy and huge paychecks, but people who are frequently unhappy about their work should consider changing careers to improve their lives.

Pay attention to signs you should change careers.

There are several signs you should make a career change. Many people get the Sunday scaries, mild sadness or anxiety that accompanies the end of the weekend. But if you’re extremely miserable every Monday and ecstatic every Friday, Mistal says, don’t ignore that mood shift. Another sign is that your job saps all your effort and energy. “If you’re working yourself to death, it’s time to change,” Mistal says. “Chances are there is something easier for you to do that plays to your strengths.” If you try to ignore these signs and stick it out in a profession that’s a bad fit, you may end up sabotaging yourself accidentally. “It becomes really obvious to those around us,” Mistal says. “If you don’t do something about it, chances are someone else will.”

Learn the difference between a bad job and a bad career.

But before you ditch your profession altogether, take time to figure out whether you’re simply at the wrong company. With a little reflection, “you’ll be able to feel or know if you’re doing things that are a great fit for you but it’s the environment or the boss” making you unhappy, says Nicholas Lore, founder of Rockport Institute, a career coaching firm based in Rockville, Maryland. “Base it on the functions, the intent of the actual work.” Sometimes, relatively minor changes can make your career more fulfilling. For example, if you love working in sales but don’t like your desk job, look for a role that allows you to pitch clients face to face. And if you’re new to the working world altogether, make sure you’re not simply prematurely disillusioned about the realities of employment.

Don’t rely on trial and error.

Once you’re sure that you’re in the wrong career, you may be tempted to latch onto the first new profession that comes to your mind, figuring you’ll simply switch again if that also doesn’t pan out. That pattern of behavior is facilitated by decreasing stigma around job hopping, especially among millennials. But Mistal cautions against what she calls “the trial and error approach,” since it’s not an efficient way to find your true calling. “If you’ve been trying a bunch of things and nothing’s working, it’s time to take a step back,” she says.

Don’t quit your current job too soon.

After you figure out you’re in the wrong vocation, you may want to give your two weeks’ notice and embark upon the hunt for your dream career. That’s usually a mistake. “Don’t quit because you think that will help you figure out what you’re going to do more easily. Figure it out before you quit,” Lore says. Being without work makes many people panic and feel desperate, which may hinder their ability to think creatively. “We get knocked into survival mode without knowing what would have happened,” Lore says.

Look within.

The best way to start figuring out what your new career should be is to introspect. “Instead of looking at a lot of different careers, look at yourself,” Lore says. “What’s most important to you?” Mistal calls this process “soul searching” and recommends people get extremely specific in their reflections. Factors to consider include what you love to do, the skills you want to use, unique talents you have and the difference you want to make. “Imagine the best-case scenario for you,” Mistal says. “If you could put yourself anywhere, where will you thrive, be motivated, excited, fulfilled and confident?”

Factor in practicalities.

Before you get too carried away with your plans, make sure you’ve included practical elements in your calculations. To most workers, commute, salary and benefits matter a lot. “If you’re not making enough money, that becomes a definite component” of your decision-making process, Lore says. “You’re not going to waste your time dreaming about other stuff.” For example, if salaries for your current career top out at $50,000 and you want or need to make $100,000, you should only consider options that have a good chance of matching that amount.

Don’t force a fit.

Career coaches say starting with yourself and your requirements, then looking for careers that match, is the right approach. Starting with a list of career options instead may lead workers to “shoehorn themselves into what’s out there” with little success, Mistal says, and they may miss opportunities. “Trying to become the perfect fit is a difficult place to be in.” Lore considers career switching to be a design process that uses each individual as inspiration. When his clients take natural talent tests, the results often open their minds to career possibilities they never previously considered. “People only know what they’re good at based on what they’ve done before,” he says. “When you’re deciding what you’re going to do, you want to stay global and consider everything.”

Join a new tribe.

After you find the career that best fits you and your needs, it’s time to convince the world that you’re ready for a new opportunity. You may need to adopt different and creative job search techniques to develop expertise and persuade the right people in your dream profession that you belong among them. For example, Lore once had a client who kicked off her career change by organizing a symposium in the field in which she wanted to work — and volunteering herself to moderate a panel of industry experts. “Everything about marketing yourself is based on being seen as a member of a tribe,” Lore explains. “When you’re changing careers, you’re not automatically a member of the tribe. You’re joining another tribe.”

Get appropriate training.

When trying to make a career change, some people default to enrolling in an education program to earn a degree. If the career you desire requires specific technical knowledge or a prescribed credential, you may ultimately need to head back to the classroom. But before shelling out thousands of dollars in tuition, make sure it’s necessary by talking to people in the profession. “I don’t recommend people just get a degree to make a career change,” Mistal says. “It’s got to fit their ideal vision.” Even if school will probably help you, try taking a class or two before enrolling wholesale in a full-time degree program.

Network.

Networking with the right connections is important for all workers, and it’s even more so for career changers. To use Lore’s metaphor, having a member of the tribe you seek to join vouch for you in the hiring process “gives an enormous advantage,” he says. “You’re going to get a totally different reception.” To build relationships in the field you aspire to join, go to conferences and join professional associations. “The idea is to start putting yourself out there in this new place,” Mistal says.

Change your resume.

Many job seekers think of their resumes as exact chronicles of their experiences. That’s not helpful for a career changer. Think of your resume instead as “an ad disguised as a history of your past,” Lore suggests. Figure out what the hiring manager most wants and tailor your document to match. Highlight your transferable skills. “You have the power to highlight whatever bullets you want to for every career you’ve ever had,” Mistal says.

Practice new interview language.

Even with careful resume restructuring, a hiring manager is likely to notice you’re trying to change careers. You may have to answer questions about why during job interviews. Prepare a positive answer in advance. For example, you may say something like, “I wanted something that was a great fit for me, and these are the reasons why I will be a great fit for this role.” Instead of saying you regret the work choices you made in the past, simply explain that you learned a lot, Mistal advises. Make it “clear you know why you’re there. You’re serious and you’ve thought this through. It’s part of a career strategy,” she says.

Make peace with your decision.

Changing careers requires taking risks and making yourself vulnerable. It’s natural to be nervous, but wallowing in fear can hinder your progress, Mistal says. Only after you move beyond anxiety and get comfortable with your new goals can you “stop being a secret and start to be found” by the right connections and companies, she says. Even if hunting for work has been difficult for you in the past, commit yourself fully to carrying out your career change plan and build confidence in yourself. “Having real clarity about what you’re after is going to make a big difference in the job search,” Lore says.

How to Change Careers

To review, here are steps from career change experts to make your switch successful:

— Realize that work shouldn’t make you miserable.

— Pay attention to signs you should change careers.

— Learn the difference between a bad job and a bad career.

— Don’t rely on trial and error.

— Don’t quit your current job too soon.

— Look within.

— Factor in practicalities.

— Don’t force a fit.

— Join a new tribe.

— Get appropriate training.