How To Switch Careers Without Going Back To School
P.s. LinkedIn isn’t the key
Times have changed. People aren’t staying at one job for decades anymore. Switching careers, mid-career, isn’t as scary as it once was.
In fact, the Great Resignation has shown us how people would rather be jobless than return to one they hate.
The economy we live in is different. The possibility of owning property, taking multiple vacations, paying off loans (quickly) and seeing the fruits of a degree you nearly broke your back for seem grim.
So, do we choose happiness? Or do we choose a paycheck?
Here’s advice on how you choose both.
But the passive side hustle…
Sorry to break it to you. Few passive side hustles actually work (the ones that do are rarely passive). And your bills aren’t waiting to see if you can earn money while you sleep for hit-and-miss start-ups.
Some things just aren’t an option right now.
Don’t give up on the idea of a stable career (unless, of course, you really want to.)
4 tips to best help you get into the career and industry best suited for you
#1 Tweak your resume by copying* one that works
Dust off your resume. It’s time for an upgrade!
And no, we’re not talking plagiarism here. But, it’s important not to reinvent the wheel.
We dive into how to find your perfect career on our latest article(and no the first step isn’t finding your passion and doesn’t include LinkedIn) but it’s a pretty simple process and fireproof way to know your options.
Simply put — you’re gonna compile a list of new and interesting jobs from top and mid-level companies from their career page (not LinkedIn) and use our ‘1234' method to narrow it down.
Heads up: these are not the companies you’ll be applying to.
Then, use myperfectresume.com to ensure your current skillset and portfolio take center stage. Their predictive editor is the best I’ve seen and makes updating your resume so simple.
It’s not about what skills you have, it’s all about how you say it!
Headsup: finding a different career trajactory might include LinkedIn at all! You might eventually find a job or network there. But a lot of the work happens outside the app.
#2 LinkedIn Coffee Chats
LinkedIn isn’t totally useless.
A little unknown fact is that there are thousands of professionals who use an app called calendly to schedule free 15 minute to 30 minute virtual sessions to give you advice on breaking into your selected industry.
Do a quick search in your LinkedIn network to see who’s offering up this freebee.
Make sure to have your newly revised resume handy too.
#3 Certifications
Depending on the field you choose, expect to dish out dollars for a certification to match.
The bright side is you don’t have to wait till you’re done to place your certification on your resume. Some people say it’s taboo, I say it shows initiative and seriousness about your new career.
Really, some employers just want to know you’ve started. If you’re hired your company may even foot the bill to get it completed.
Research is essential so explore what certifications are ideal during your coffee chat with industry professionals.
#4 Independent Experience
Bring out the elbow grease, this one requires a little work (and time.)
Depending on the field you pivot to, you may need to do a few side projects (unpaid) in order to build your portfolio.
Use free sites like Wix or Wordpress to host your portfolio. You can use the simplest format, as long as it’s accessible to recruiters and future employers.
Now what
You could use any number of search engines to apply to your new role, from Indeed to Google, and even plopping your resume smack in the middle of your LinkedIn Page.
Hint: When you have your LinkedIn profile as “open for jobs” make sure to play up the “industry field.” I.e. don’t just stick to financial services, try marketing or something else to boost your chances of being seen.
A job is still important, might as well get one you like
So here’s the deal.
The possibility of your side hustle blowing up is slim. It will take time.
In the meantime, everyone’s telling you not to quit your day job, but honestly, your day job kinda sucks.
The best you can do is shift to a role you like that you’re pretty decent at in a career-adjacent industry.
What is a career-adjacent industry?
A career-adjacent industry allows you to use the skills you’re great at with the ones you’ve accumulated while working your day jobs and some odds and ends.
You’ll be surprised at the jobs that exist that have just been invented (well, not really, but the titles have). For example, human resource divisions are onboarding for roles like “Head of People Operations” and other quirky descriptors.
The possibilities exist! Best of luck on your job hunt!
