The Right Way to Change Industries

If you’ve lost excitement in your current job or are finding more excitement in your side hustle or passion projects, it might be time to switch job industries. Whether you’ve already found your true calling or are testing the waters to see if a career change is right for you, we found the best ways you can make the jump as easily and successfully as possible.

Research

Look back on your strengths, weaknesses, and career path thus far. What makes you most excited? What type of work did you frequently procrastinate on? Reflecting on your resume will help you find key points and direction to where you want to go next. Once you’ve found industries of interest, research companies, and positions you want to strive for. Dreaming about your goals is fun, but changing industries is rarely easy. Make sure you have a set of goals and plan of action for what comes next.

Make Connections

With an ideal industry or position in mind, reach out to professionals by using LinkedIn and cold emailing. Carefully study their path and see what brought them to their current or past positions. Everyone takes a unique path to find their true passion, so similar passions or jobs will help you build stronger connections within your network. Whether it’s as informal as coffee or drinks or an informational interview at your dream company, talking to real people who are successful in their fields will be a great way to not only get a first-hand perspective into your new path, but will also help you create a network of like-minded thinkers and creatives that can help grow your career.

Build Your Online Presence

Whether your industry is creative or more traditional, having a website or online profile that documents your work and successes is essential to helping your future application stand out and form your online presence. We are past the world of hiding social media accounts; employees will always seek you out online to get a better grasp on who you are inside and outside of the office, so making sure all your profiles are a good reflection of you is always important.

Side Hustle

Online portfolios and diligent networking are essential to making this next step a reality but don’t jump in too quickly. Reach out to small companies and blogs and see if they need help with graphic design, a marketing plan, etc. You should have the connections, so make it clear you’re looking for key experiences you can illustrate in your portfolio to make getting future side gigs or part-time jobs in your industry become easier. Eventually, with the right experience and network of fellow professional creatives, you should find yourself ready and confident to apply for that dream job.

Stay Positive

Switching industries or even jobs is rarely easy, so always remember to take time to tend to your mental and physical needs. It can be easy to jump in and not stop until you achieve your goals, but that will leave you just as burnt out as you started. Surround yourself with positive energy and with those who support you taking on this massive change. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be in the best position possible when the perfect opportunity comes your way

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