5 Tips for Changing Job-Industries

by Pradip Ananda, Associate Director of Career Guidance

In 2021, during the midst of a pandemic, the US working population started thinking about making changes in their lives and their careers. The new availability of remote work and the labor shortages spurred soaring wages, making it a prime time for many to look for new career opportunities. This began what came to be known as “The Great Resignation.”

According to a Paychex survey, approximately 47 million people voluntarily left their jobs in 2021 and 50 million voluntarily left their jobs in 2022, most looking for higher pay and better working conditions. However, around 80% of people regretted their decision to leave their previous positions, which came to be known as “The Great Regret.” If we go deeper down this rabbit hole, the survey found that 9 out of 10 people changed career industries when they made the move, and those who changed industries were 25% more likely to regret that decision compared to workers who stayed in the same industry. 

With a bleak look at changing industries, what should you do if you’re feeling like a change is in their future? Don’t worry, you can avoid regretting your decision – you just need to do some research before diving in. I’ve spent the nearly 20 years of my career in higher education, so rather than spout out theoretical ideas to you, I reached out to the people who actually went through a career change. They provided a great list of tips that anyone can use if they’re looking to make a change in their career.

Use Stepping Stones

One person who went from higher education to public health administration shared:

“The position you transition to doesn’t have to be THE ONE. The perfect job doesn’t exist.”

While the idea of the “perfect job” is subjective, the idea that we build into roles is important to consider. Think about the beginning of your career when things were new. There were plenty of times where the work seemed overwhelming and difficult, but look how much you’ve grown since then. We have to start somewhere so your first role in a new industry is simply the beginning; so long as you’re willing to be vulnerable to realizing you have a lot of learning to do and you’re going to be consistently refining your path in the new industry. 

Use Your Network

If you’ve read my Art of The Coffee Talk article, you know that I’m a huge proponent for utilizing the knowledge of your network to learn more. My network is the primary source of the information you’re reading right now!

A current colleague provided this great tip about changing careers:

“I made the jump from political consulting into higher education and workforce development and the best thing I ever did during that transition was reach out to the people I already knew working in higher ed and workforce development to talk to them about my current skill set and how it might be transferable to their industry. Nobody knows an industry better than somebody who is already in it, and I was surprised by how fruitful those conversations were!”

We can’t have all the answers to everything, so gaining different perspectives can help you make better informed decisions. Since your network knows you and how you work, you get not only information on how that industry works, but also how your own style may fit with the typical working style of a new industry. They can also share some insights into the differences between your current and prospective industry and how you might make that transition smoother.

Learn the Language

Many of us have developed a stockpile of transferable skills throughout our careers, but when changing job industries, you need to understand how to articulate those skills. A former colleague shared:

“One mindset that served me well during the transition is ‘I bring a set of tools from a foreign land, but I have to believe we can figure out the adapters together.’”

The point of a foreign land is especially relevant because different industries sometimes use different terms for very similar processes.

For example, in certain areas of higher education, we do a lot of event planning and management that spans across multiple departments and vendors, which we call programming. However, once you step outside of higher education, it becomes project management, and you’re no longer a committee chair; you’re now a project manager. These are the pieces of lingo that your network connections can help you recognize, but you also need to learn how to read the job descriptions to ensure congruence with your own skills. With enough conversations and practice, you’ll be multilingual in the ways of your career industries!

Persistence

Just as we learned that your first role in a new industry is most likely a stepping stone, we have to remember that we need to persist to find success. One person shared this brilliant thought: 

“My number one piece of advice is that if it's uncomfortable or the first new role or organization doesn't seem like a great fit, it doesn't mean you've failed. I've seen so many colleagues who have a bad experience in their first transition role and go back to the field they left because it's within their comfort zone.”

You’re venturing into the unknown so recognize you’re not an expert in everything; you’ll have to endure some setbacks as you work your way back to proficiency, but this can be easier with the right mindset.

Choose Your Mindset

For those who talk to me about job searching, I must sound like a broken record when I say, “You want to be running toward something versus running away from something.” This means that we want to be excited about our new prospect instead of feeling so down-trodden that we feel we have to get away from our current role or industry. There’s a lot that goes into this, but it comes down to self-reflection. You want to think about your values, skills, and strengths and find the roles that align with those. Dollar signs are very flashy, especially when they’re higher than what you currently make, but what’s the trade-off?

If you’re not sure where to start with your self reflection, our article about setting career goals for the new year can help you get started on recognizing what parts of your job you love versus what you find draining. When you find roles where it’s predominantly the tasks you love, that’s probably a job you’re going to be excited for. It’s easy to brush this off, but your excitement will come across in your interview and your motivation to succeed in the role.

Taking the Next Step

Switching job industries can be a big change, but hopefully these tips will help you on your journey. You also can dip your toe into the waters of different industries by taking courses in those areas while also gaining the relevant skills and knowledge you’ll need for your transition. You can take a look at the courses RIT Certified offers here and enroll to get a glimpse at what a future in a role or industry could look like.

Good luck on your career-change journey!