New year, new goals, right? If changing careers or starting a new career is on your vision board this year, it might not be as difficult as you may think. Challenging, yes? But definitely not impossible….
Here are a few ways to get started to follow a new career path this year:
Read More
Yes, as in reading more words…
I know as a busy working mom, it can be a tall order to find ANY time to sit somewhere, anywhere, let alone with a book filled with words to read… But even if your intellectual side has been on lockdown mode after the holidays, or just because alone time has become a totally foreign concept in your world, you can still fit some reading knowledge in, especially around the career you desire to pursue…
Consult some industry-specific newsletters such as Broadsheet, The List, the Ann Friedman newsletter. Open Campus also has numerous courses in management, leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as in Marketing, Finance, and Design.
Follow influential people in your desired field
I started out writing online by following entrepreneurs and influencers whose work I admired. And I still do, actually more than ever…
There’s nothing like learning from people who’ve been there, done that, and have been successful in the field you’re looking to transition in. Make a list of the influential people in your desired field, and collect their social media references. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or your any of your favorite social media channels. Even better, reach out to them and ask them for advice…
Seek Mentors
Speaking of reaching out to people in your desired field, you can go one step further and ask them to be your mentors. But wait, how do I reach out to people who don’t know me from a hole in the wall and ask them to be my mentors?
You’d think it would be nearly impossible…Yet reaching out to potential mentors can get better results than you may anticipate. So send an email, a quick message on Twitter and Facebook, and politely ask if they would be willing to be your mentors. Yes, you may get some resounding No’s, or sometimes no answers at all, but you may also get some sweet Yeses…It did happen to me, and I would never have had the opportunity to benefit from some great connections had I not taken the plunge…
Interview at Your Dream Companies
What if you’re not quite ready to jump ship just yet? Even if you’re thinking of switching careers, you may still like your current job…
This is when you may be able to seek and schedule informational interviews. Keep in mind that informational interviews are NOT job interviews. These are opportunities to literally pick an executive’s brain. You could gain insight on your resume, experience and network.
Use these to learn as much as possible about this new industry, and how influential people got to where they are.
Develop Your Expertise
In learning you teach. And in teaching you will learn. Phil Collins.
I’ve learnt only on that as counter-intuitive as it may sound, we learn best by teaching. Because teaching forces you to learn and stay up-to-date with what you already know. It also makes you accountable to keep growing and expanding so you in turn can help others grow and expand.
So if you’re looking into a new career this year, consider teaching what you’re learning along the way. A good way to do this is to start a blog, or start sharing some of your lessons and journey through your social media channels. Find ways to enrich others with your purpose, and you will find yourself growing as well.
Go Back to School.
Have you considered going back to school? If taking formal classes with a formal schedule isn’t in the cards for you this year, why not enroll in online classes? There are loads of available online classes that you can learn from for free or just the cost of a kale smoothie (still on my New Year health kick people)…
I mean, you can get an entire MBA in one course for 10 bucks, and a bunch of other classes on Udemy for just about the same price.
Volunteer in your desired field.
Last but not least, volunteering in your desired field can get you a (pretty) foot in the door as well. Even if you already have a full-time job, a couple of kids, and some seriously late laundry, you can devote a couple of hours a week to volunteer.
This could be as simple as offering some online services, like blogging or writing. Or offering to run classes at the local gym after-hours to build your career in fitness. Or even dedicating your Saturday mornings to become a tax specialist.
Look for opportunities to offer free services, time or energy to the industry you’re looking to transition into. Not only will it provide you with real-life experience, but it may also very well attract the attention of people who may be able to help you crack that new career door open…
Are you considering switching careers this year? What tips would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
