I am ready for a career change, what next?

Career changing can be a very touchy subject. It’s easy to get confused on how to realistically transition from one industry to another or one role to the other. Gone are the days of staying in one company or position for decades. These days, you have to move laterally to make more money, gain new experiences and identify new opportunities for impact.

So, how then do we successfully switch career-paths?

How to know if it’s time to change careers | The Way We Work, a TED series

• Research

What knowledge, skills, and mindsets need to be developed to enter the new field of choice? You can do desktop research to find out. Scour LinkedIn to reach out to people in the areas of interest to schedule 15-minute meetings. See if people in your own company or related companies are working in your desired field.

Listen to podcasts about your field. Take the first step by beginning to understand the requirements. This will help you understand the lay of the land.

• Inventory

Take stock of your knowledge, skills, and mindsets. What do you know, what do you know how to do and how do you solve problems? Taking inventory of yourself is useful because it helps you understand what skills can be easily transferable to other positions.

Making a Skills Inventory List

Identify language in job descriptions of interest that match up with things you are already doing or have done before. Consider both what you do professionally but also what you do outside of work. Also note that church activities, volunteering, and social activities count if they align with where you want to go.

• Learn (which is the final stage and yet not final, as it is a cycle)

Sign up for an introductory online course or join a program, go back to school, or get a fellowship/ internship. However, that looks for you, acquire new knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of the place you want to go.

This is important because it allows you to get into the mindset of working in new role. While learning, take stock of what is new and what feels familiar. This will be helpful when applying for new roles.

Check out my podcast (ammaaboagye.com/podcast)for more tips on thriving in any organization. What other advice do you have on career changes?