New Year! New Career?

To celebrate the arrival of 2008, many of us will make New Year’s resolutions. Polls show that, of the top 10 most common resolutions, more than one-third are health-related (e.g., lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking). Also on that top 10 list are those related to career (e.g., better job, career change). If you are contemplating a new career to ring in the New Year, framing and understanding your expectations can be a good place to start.

Four Types of Career Transitions
Most people think that, in order to make a career change, you must go back to school. Undeniably, some career transitions necessitate additional training. Yet, others do not. International career expert Daniel Porot points out that, before you can develop a plan for career change, you must first identify the type of change you want to make.¹

1. Same job in a different industry or field 
   Example: Human resources manager in the automotive industry transitioning to human resources manager in the hospitality industry This transition is usually the least difficult. It typically involves learning some new skills on the job, adjusting to a different organizational culture, and gaining an understanding of industry trends. To make this type of transition, you will need a strong chronological resume that highlights the transferability of your skills and accomplishments.
2. Similar job in a different industry or field
   Example: Inside sales representative in technology transitioning to outside sales representative in the business equipment industry This transition can be somewhat difficult. You and your employer will likely need to invest in more training, both on-the-job and off. Similar to other transitions, it entails acclimating to a new organizational culture and learning about another industry. Your resume should highlight your skills, accomplishments and adaptability, related to your desired new role.
3. Different job in the same industry or field
   Example: Sales manager to sales recruiter This transition is moderately difficult. Sometimes this kind of transition involves additional schooling or training. Use a chronological resume that highlights your transferable skills, accomplishments and industry knowledge. Depending on the type of position, a functional resume may prove more effective.
4. Different job in different industry or field
   Example: Corporate trainer to school counselor This type of transition is by far the most challenging. More often than not, it requires additional education, training, or certification. Therefore, a career transition like this one may take several years to complete. Use a functional resume to underscore your transferable skills and accomplishments.

Other factors to consider:

• Define why you are changing. Begin wisely with a comprehensive career assessment to learn about your potential fit with the job itself and the new work environment.
• Use professional and industry networks. For each transition, you can use your networks to learn about opportunities and different industries. Networking is crucial to build relationships with people in your new industry or field.

One Step at a Time
To achieve one of the more challenging career transitions, you may have to make one or more of the less difficult ones first. Say, for example, a sales manager wants to work in human resources. Here is one possible pathway she could take:

• First, she might use her industry knowledge to transition into a position as a sales recruiter, enabling her to learn about recruiting and staffing. From there, she can begin to learn some of the basics of human resources.
• Later, she may move into recruiting in a completely different industry to gain additional knowledge and experience. She can also expand her knowledge of human resources through professional associations and increased exposure on the job.
• Finally, with some additional college coursework or certification, this former sales manager may be ready to transition into a position as a human resources generalist. In this example, the career changer journeyed through transition number 2, then 3, and finally 4. Each step required careful planning and some lead time.

Plan for Success
Any career transition requires thought and planning. Start by determining the type of transition you are trying to make. Next, figure out whether you will need to make one or more smaller transitions in order to reach your ultimate career goal. From here, use backwards planning to define your short- and long-term goals and list the actions needed to achieve them.

Clearly, goal setting is essential in managing career change. Interestingly, the same can be said about keeping New Year’s resolutions. No matter what type of change you hope to make this new year, having a written plan greatly increases your chances for success.

1.  Bolles, R. N. What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers, 2007 Edition (Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2007), 156-57.