It is terrifying to completely shift careers. I was a classroom teacher for 6 years and shifted to the world of digital marketing. It was a difficult decision and journey but I’ve never once regretted it. I’m not the only professional that has switched career paths. In fact, according to Robert Half, 4 in 10 U.S. workers are considering a job change. There are many reasons people choose to switch careers: better pay, more flexibility, more opportunities for improvement, and sometimes more devastating reasons.
In my case, I was a teacher for 4 years with a 1 year old at home. It’s no secret that the education system in the U.S. is fundamentally broken, but my clarifying moment happened in the middle of an active shooter drill with a group of 10 year olds. We were in the middle of hiding when one of my students started crying. My voice cracked as I whispered that crying isn’t a good choice if we wanted to stay safe.
I say this to outline the first step of switching careers: understand why you’re pursuing a new path.
Why should you switch careers?
The reasons people choose to switch careers can vary, but most professionals cite dissatisfaction in their current roles. That’s a good start, but I suggest starting with what you’re hoping will change when you switch careers:
- New challenge
- Job flexibility
- Better salary
- Opportunities for growth
- Reduce stress
Keep these outcomes in mind as you pave your road to something new. It’s easy to get discouraged, especially in today’s job market, but if you’re able to make your outcomes your mantra, it’ll keep you moving forward. Your next step is to look at the skills you bring to your next opportunity.
Create (and maintain) a running database of your skills
Yes, all of your skills. You’ll find that most everything you’ve learned in your current role is transferable to your new industry. For example, my work writing grant proposals for classroom technology were exactly what my first marketing role was looking for in a content specialist.
Every industry has some combination of soft skills that you can tweak to meet the requirements of your new role. Think about the technology you use every day and how it could be applied in a different industry. Look at your current job description and note the skills you need to be successful. Then take a look at the skills needed for your dream job. There will be some overlap.
Develop your skill set and align it to your new career
Create an action plan that includes updating and developing your current skill set and consider taking courses and certifications that potential employers are looking for. When I was applying for my job as a marketing specialist, I took Hubspot Academy certification courses. I was already a Google-certified trainer for education so I was able to catch onto their marketing platforms quickly with their courses. You’ll find that most skill development courses are relatively low cost or even free.
Not sure where to start? I recommend networking with industry professionals. People want to help people: network on LinkedIn. If there are any professionals with mutual connections, reach out. In my experience, everyone I spoke with was more than willing to offer advice and links to resources when I asked.
Network with the hiring teams for the role you’re applying for and ask them questions outside the scope of the role i.e. how do they enjoy the company? Add them as a connection on LinkedIn, follow them on Twitter. Your interview starts before any application hits a hiring team’s radar, so make it count. If you’re really bold you could try emailing the hiring team, but only if you know exactly who it is and you’re genuinely trying to build a connection, not asking for a job.
Create multiple versions of your resume
No two companies are alike: while a stunning graphic resume might turn heads at one organization, it might deter a more traditional company. Decide what resume format you prefer and have an easy-to-edit template you can copy-paste wording from the job listing to update. Your accomplishments will remain more or less the same, but recruiters and recruiting platforms will only be skimming your resume – their eyes will rest on key phrases they used in their job listing.
Presentation is everything. I have 4 versions of my professional resume: a graphic-rich version, a Google Docs version, a digital version, and a plain text list version. They all have the same messaging but they’re all for different audiences.
Graphic resumes
I prefer graphic resumes to a traditional Word document. They organize information in a clear and dynamic way that hiring teams won’t soon forget. Some experts think that graphic resumes aren’t professional or tough for an applicant tracking system (ATS) to parse but I strongly disagree.
All resumes are built with a hierarchy and headers: Make your name and contact information the first thing you see and clearly identify your headings. Go easy on the images – they should be a garnish. I like to use Canva to design my resumes. Save it as a .pdf and any ATS should be able to parse your resume. However I recognize that there are potential employers that have strong opinions about resumes, and word processors can still create a resume that looks good.
Word processor resumes
These are the traditional resumes you think about when typing up your resume: you can use Microsoft Word or Google Docs to outline your contact information, job history, and accomplishments. The right headers and color scheme can make a resume look just as compelling as a graphic resume.
I reserve these resumes for companies that seem more traditional. I can usually get away with a designed resume because I am in marketing but if I apply for a job at a law firm, they’re going to be more interested in a .docx resume.
Plaintext list resume
This resume format is exactly how it sounds. I have a Google Doc that is just a list of my contact information, job history and accomplishments, education, and accomplishments. I use this when a job poster is using an ATS system that you need to manually complete. It’s extremely easy to pull up my document and directly copy-paste each section into the appropriate box.
Side note: The other advantage to this style of job application is that hiring teams generally depend on their ATS to identify potential candidates. Use this to your advantage and include keywords and phrases from the job listing where it makes sense. Your application will be flagged as a follow up.
Digital resume
Call it a portfolio, call it a page on Notion you share with potential employers, a digital resume is helpful in the right context. Since a huge part of my job in both of my careers has been creating content, I have a portfolio that showcases my work plus an about me page that is essentially my resume at a glance. It’s still a nice-to-have and sets you apart from peers that might be sharing a Dropbox file.
Create a cover letter template and write one for every application
I know, I know. The cover letter is a hotly-contested topic: I fall on the side of ‘if an employer has an area for a cover letter, write a cover letter.’ Especially if you’re switching career paths, you want to increase the amount of touchpoints you have with someone.
I have a template for my cover letters that has most of the copy I usually include in every cover letter. However, your cover letters shouldn’t always say the exact same thing. Do your research on the company, know who you might be speaking with, and tailor the letter the same way you would your resume.
Accept the inevitable: you will be rejected
A rejection is a rejection. We don’t like it in our dating lives, and we don’t like it during a job hunt. I have experienced my fair share of companies that have passed on my application in favor of a more qualified candidate. Use rejections as an opportunity: what can you say next time? How can you tailor your resume? What skills can you develop independently?
And please please please do not take it personally. There is no hiring team that wants to demoralize a candidate or their sense of self worth. There are any number of reasons you didn’t score the job, but the fact that you’re switching careers isn’t as big of an issue as you’d think. Accept that this is difficult. Go back to your why, and remember what outcomes you’re dreaming about after every rejection.
Be Prepared to Answer “The Question”
You know the one. You’re nailing answers right and left when you’re asked “why did you choose to pursue this career instead of staying in your prior industry?” This is an uncomfortable situation because you can’t exactly say ‘I hate my job.’
Remember that your interviewer doesn’t need to know why you’re unhappy, they want to know why you’re interested in their company. Say “I have gone as far as possible in [your current career path], and I’m ready to use my skills here.” Stay future-focused and, instead of talking about what was going wrong, focus on your why and speak to that.
Switching careers is not impossible
There are many resources to help you with your job search. I’ve found a lot of success with The Muse, and various job boards with daily newsletters. Look up the profession you’d like to switch over to, read what skills you’ll need, and sign up for the job boards in the field. Breathe. You’ve got this! Feel free to reach out with a comment or contact me at brittany.glasscock@gmail.com.
