What is one resource you would recommend for professionals in a career transition?
To help professionals in a career transition, we asked business professionals and leaders this question for their insights. From pinpointing your work identity by reading to seeking out membership opportunities, there are several resources for a career transition.
Here are nine quality resources for professionals in career transition:
- Pinpoint Your Work Identity by Reading
- Assess Your Skill Sets
- Discover Your Dream Career with Online Interactive Tools
- Join Organizations for Career Professionals
- Get in Touch With a Recruiting Agency
- Leverage LinkedIn for Upskilling
- Reach Out and Connect with Your Alumni Organizations
- Hire a Career Coach
- Seek Out Mentorship Opportunities
Pinpoint Your Work Identity by Reading
“What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard Bolles is one of the best guides for professionals transitioning careers. The book provides a self-assessment that helps readers pinpoint their work identity and main professional motivators and find the most suitable roles. This reference also offers up advice about resumes, interviewing, and salary negotiations, among other job-seeking topics. “What Color is Your Parachute” is an all-inclusive handbook for folks looking to switch jobs and find a more meaningful career.
Michael Alexis, TeamBuilding
Assess Your Skill Sets
Being in the midst of a career transition is the perfect time to assess whether your skillset is as marketable as it can be. One way to do that is by getting certified. Getting a certification could help you show prospective employers that you’re knowledgeable and trained enough to take on the duties of the positions you’re applying for. You can visit CareerOneStop to find certifications in skills you already have, and since there are thousands available, it’s a great resource.
Ryan Nouis, TruPath
Discover Your Dream Career with Online Interactive Tools
VirtualJobShadow.com enables people to discover, plan and pursue their dreams without leaving the comfort of their own home. With a unique video-based career planning platform providing interactive tools to help students and job seekers alike develop new career paths. With hundreds of careers to choose from, you may discover your dream career waiting for you!
Amit Raj, The Links Guy
Join Organizations for Career Professionals
These can provide great networking opportunities. Industry-specific groups also often provide support for people looking to make career transitions. They can offer excellent resources and keep you up to date about the latest news and trends in the industry in which you are interested. It’s also a great way to be introduced to people who can hire you in the future.
Brittany Kaiser, Gryphon Digital Mining
Get in Touch With a Recruiting Agency
Get in touch with a recruiting agency with positions related to the industry you are interested in. You might as well, in case it might take a while to find a permanent job as you’re trying to break into a new field. You never know – If you perform well in a temp job, it could become permanent.
Joaquín Roca, Minerva
Leverage LinkedIn for Upskilling
If you’re considering a career transition, chances are that you are already on LinkedIn. I recommend joining LinkedIn’s premium membership program as it opens up unlimited classes you can take that will align with your new profession. Upon completion, you can post about the new skills you’ve acquired to help yourself become more marketable in your career transition and eventual job hunt.
Meryl Schulte, Markitors
Reach Out and Connect with Your Alumni Organizations
Connect with alumni from your alma mater. Many colleges and universities offer resources for alumni or a directory or other easy ways to reach out to alumni. Getting in touch with alumni to bounce career ideas off, can work well. They may be willing to set up an informational interview with you and can help answer questions for you related to the career you might be interested in transitioning into. Making those connections can take you far.
Sarah Pirrie, Healist Naturals
Hire a Career Coach
Those in a career transition could benefit from seeing a career coach. Career coaches can help people with readjusting resumes and coming up with well-written and convincing cover letters in order to convey connections between previous careers and new careers. The career coach may even give advice about volunteering or internship opportunities to start their new careers. Seeking guidance from a career coach during this time can help career transitions not appear so abrupt to hiring managers.
Mike Clare, Mood Health
Seek Out Mentorship Opportunities
Connect with someone in your community or industry that inspires you from a business perspective and learn more about what they’ve done to be successful in their career. Ask them for advice and be open to feedback!
Jenna Hinrichsen, Advanced RPO
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