Embracing Change: Tips for Successfully Navigating A Career Shift
Are you pursuing a change of role or indeed, your entire career trajectory? Are you looking to make the jump from the private sector into Not-for-Profit/For Purpose? Shifting careers can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re making a significant change, but it’s also an opportunity for growth and fulfilment.
If this is something you resonate with, now is the perfect opportunity to take stock of what has been; set intentions and create a list of manageable steps that will help you achieve your goals.
Have a look through our list below for tips on actions you can start now, that will help set you up for success.
1. Make regular ‘Career Planning’ appointments with yourself
These could be to action items from this list or anything else that will help you progress your career journey. Treat the time as precious, because it is! Your future self will thank you.
2. Define your goals
Think about what kind of role, sector, or cause area you are keen to move into. What is your why? Going a little bit further, try identifying what you don’t want.
Additionally, identify what else is important to you in your next role – flexibility, salary level, location, etc. Knowing what you are, or aren’t, looking for will help target your search, but also when the time comes, your ability to articulate to a hiring manager why this role with their particular organisation is appealing.
3. Research the role and sector
Once you have defined your goals and have a clear(er) direction, start gathering information about your target role and sector. Understanding required qualifications, job market trends, and even salaries, will help you identify if this is really a pathway that you truly wish to pursue. For example, there can be quite a difference between private sector salaries compared to not-for-profit, in many cases, which can catch people by surprise if they’re not prepared.
4. Get your CV in tip-top shape
Here are our best practice tips for preparing a standout resume.
5. Write out answers to some common Key Selection Criteria
Even if you don’t need to supply Key Selection Criteria with your application, simply by doing this exercise, you will uncover demonstrable examples of your knowledge, skills, and attributes that you can share in your cover letter and interview/s.
The SAO methodology might be useful when approaching this exercise:
Situation – where and when did you do it?
Action – how and what did you do?
Outcome – what was the result of your activities?
6. Practice your interview skills
There are plenty of resources online of example interview questions. Select a few and practice them out loud. We encourage you to seek a wide audience, from obliging friends and family members to beloved pets. If you’re too nervous for an audience, try practising in front of the mirror! The more you rehearse, the better you’ll be able to tap into that muscle-memory when the time comes for your real interview.
7. Refresh your LinkedIn, Seek and other professional profiles
Make sure your profiles are up to date. This includes updating your jobseeker preferences which makes it easier for recruiters to find you with the right kinds of opportunities. Whilst doing this, think about the impression your profile might have on potential employers and people in your network. Are you putting your best foot forward if one of them looked at your profile?
8. Grow your network in the sector you wish to work in
There are many ways to get involved in your desired sector. For example, join LinkedIn groups, register for in-person or virtual networking events, and find opportunities to volunteer.
9. Get some rest!
Job searching is a job in and of itself so, if you’re able to, make sure to stop and have a break. You deserve it!