Whether you are tired, unhappy with your employer, seeking a higher income or just looking for a change, there are many ways to make the transition. If you are simply looking for a change of scenery and a better fit for your talent, switching jobs while staying on the same career path can probably give you what you want. But what if what you want is not just another job but an entirely new career? How do you make that transition a smooth and successful one?
Landing a new career is not always an easy task, and it must be approached with caution. For your career change to be successful, you must first convince a would-be employer to take a chance on you, and that can be a major stumbling block. If you want to make the case to your future boss, taking inventory of your existing skill set is a good place to start.
Every job and every career require a different set of skills. If you are already working, you probably brought some of these skills with you, adapting what you had learned prior and bringing them to your new role. Other skills, including highly specialized ones, you learned on the job.
Now that it is time for a career change, you need to take stock of those skills, identifying which ones are transferable skills, and using that knowledge to ease the transition. Here are some of the most important transferable job skills, including what they can mean to a great new career.
Team Work and Collaboration
While the employer may change, teamwork and collaboration are always important. It does not matter if you are working for the local government, walking the factory floor, or packing boxes at a warehouse or sitting in the corner office - you need to work closely with your colleagues.
Effective teamwork and collaboration are learned and important transferable skills. As the career change comes closer, think about the ways in which teamwork and collaboration can help you land a new job and succeed once you arrive.
Effective Communication
The ability to communicate effectively and professionally is one of many highly transferable soft skills, that is greatly valued in the modern workplace. These communication abilities can take shape in many forms, from putting together a killer presentation to crafting the perfect social media post.
If you want to ease the transition to your new career, start with an inventory of your communication skills. Are you a wiz at social media? Are your PowerPoint skills second to none? Are you a great public speaker? Can you adapt to different types of communicators? Irrespective of your future career goals, the ability to communicate effectively is sure to play a role in your success.
Problem-Solving
The workplaces may be different, but every employer has its own unique set of problems. The ability to accurately identity, quantify, and solve those pressing problems is a vital skill, and a highly transferable one.
If you have been in the workforce for several years, you have probably already developed solid problem-solving skills. Just think about the times you found a problem that had previously gone undetected, or the time you used your creativity to approach a stubborn problem from a whole new angle.
Providing examples of your past problem-solving skills can ease your career change transition - first by helping you land the job and then by helping you succeed. While no two employers are the same, they all have two things in common - the presence of problems and the need for people who can solve them.
Technical Skills
While problem solving, effective communication and the ability to cooperate and work with a team are typically classified as soft skills, technical ability is easier to quantify. The nature of the technical skills needed will vary from employer to employer, but many of these abilities are important transferable skills.
No matter where you work, some basic technical skills will be required. Computers are ubiquitous in the modern workplace, and virtually every employer needs workers who are computer literate and technically savvy. But beyond those basic job skills, there are other transferable skills, and identifying them can make your career change easier.
Start by making a list of the skills you learned at your current employer, then move back in time to identify other abilities you have cultivated. Once you have your list, you can think about which technical skills are most applicable to your newly chosen career path.
Changing careers can be a daunting task, but there are things you can do to ease the transition. Identifying the skills that are most transferable can help you bring value to your new employer, so you can hit the ground running and be even more successful in your future endeavors.
About RGBSI
At RGBSI, we deliver total workforce management, engineering, quality lifecycle management, and IT solutions that provide strategic partnership for organizations of all sizes. We leverage our expertise to fill workforce gaps and deliver full range business solutions that optimize client operations worldwide.
RGBSI's Staffing & Workforce Management Division is now Zobility.
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Zobility, an RGBSI brand, focuses on providing innovative talent management solutions within the mobility and high-technology sectors. Job areas include engineering, mobility, IT, computer systems, and manufacturing.
View current openings through the Zobility Job Portal.
