[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When you were little you had big dreams of becoming a firefighter, lawyer or some sort of superhero. You still dream big, but those dreams have changed. Now, you aspire to create groundbreaking media campaigns for an agency, become the MD of a FinTech, or run the Tech department like no other.
The thing is you have convinced yourself that you don’t have the experience, and you’re stuck in your current job until the end of time. Luckily for you that’s not the case and I’m here to give to the 5 steps on “How to change industry”
Understanding the ‘Why’
Before you start this journey, it is vital to take a deep dive into your ‘why.’ This can help you better understand where your passions lie and where you ultimately want to land up. In an article written by Meghan-Lee Mare, she talks about Understanding the ‘Why’ and goes into how many think they are happy where they are but, through having conversations and asking the right questions, are able to find a new challenge that is fundamentally fulfilling. Titc.io helps you find your ‘why’, which then allows you to align your vision with the kind of company you are looking to join.
“We help you define and design a vision for your career that will give you something to strive for at each stage. A new challenge to wake up to each day and a purpose that you can truly get behind.” – Meghan-Lee Mare, Head of Delivery at Titc.io
Networking
Once you have discovered what you were born to do, what is next? In the world of social media we have access to unlimited amounts of connections. LinkedIn is filled with contacts that are open to helping you explore your options and giving you all the advice you need. I have spoken to numerous industry leaders that continuously tell me that once they climb the ladder they feel that people shy away from reaching out to them. Swati Safeda from Nimble Group talks about going from being a Chartered Accountant to the Chief Digital Officer of Nimble Group in the podcast series Talking Success: Connecting the global Fintech community. In this episode she encourages anyone to reach out to her and ask for career advice as that is what got her to where she is today.
The types of people you want to reach out to are the ones that hold your desired job title and work within the industry you’re building towards. It is important to note that when reaching out, open the conversation with genuinely being interested in getting to know their story and NOT asking for a favour, i.e. , “Can you get me a job at ABC?” or “Can you please pass along my CV?” This contact doesn’t know you from a bar of soap and has no reason to believe that you would be a good fit. If anything, this will lead to them ghosting you as this is something they can’t assist you with. Use this time to ask questions and gain as much knowledge as possible.
Having a Mentor, Sponsor & Coach
LinkedIn is a great place to start, but it’s crucial to have someone at a more personal level to guide you along this adventure. There are multiple different types of people that can do this, and for different reasons. Hannalie Marsh, Managing Director at Wirecard, discusses the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people in an episode of Talking Success. We are all the average of the 4 people we spend the most time with. The three most important types of people to have in your court are:
A mentor: This is a person that has experience in your actual field or (desired) industry. They are there to give you advice on specific situations and answer any questions you have. You can have multiple mentors for various reasons. Hannalie mentions having many – some of them in her industry, while others have experience in skills that she needs. This person can be anyone from a family member to a former boss.
A coach: Hannalie compares this to a sports coach. They are there to teach you skills and hoan in on your abilities. They may not be changing anything specifically in you, but rather bringing out the best in you. It is possible to have a coach located anywhere in the world as they can train you virtually. This has become very popular recently, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A sponsor: This is the least known of the three, and is more prevalent in a corporate setting. The relationship is formed when someone within your organization notices something in you or really believes in your ability. They then take you under their wing and help you navigate your career within the organization. Sponsors are the more difficult ones to spot, but there are definitely people out there that like to invest in talent.
These three people will give you the tools needed to make that career jump.
Online Courses
If the career moves you’re looking to make calls for a certain skill set or you would like to know more about the industry, go online and look up available courses. There are so many to choose from and ones that are accessible for free during the lockdown period – this is a great time to use it! There is no easy way to land that dream job. It takes lots and lots of work. The more you know, the better chance you have!
Go and get it
All that’s left to do is apply to vacant positions and go on as many interviews as possible. Informational interviews are a great place to start. This is when you reach out to someone (could be over LinkedIn) to grab a coffee and learn more about their company and what their job entails. A simple cup of coffee can lead to finding your mentor or even in some cases lead to a job. The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn.
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