The Everygirl Podcast

Ready for a Change? 3 Secrets To Successfully Switch Career Paths

written by EMMA GINSBERG

Welcome to The Everygirl Podcast. Whether you’re looking for insider secrets from successful women that have your dream job, are interested in expert advice to transform your health and feel your best, or just want to be entertained and laugh along with us on your commute, we’ve got you covered.

We’ve all had that moment when the voice in the back of your head starts screaming, “This is not the right path for me!” Whether it’s about a relationship, a habit, a place, or a job, realizing that you want to be doing something completely different is always a tough revelation. Luckily, there are concrete steps you can take to make a big change easier, especially when it comes to your career.

On this week’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast, Josie sits down with the Branded Content Editor at The Everygirl, Ashley Selleke, to chat about her journey from full-time nursing to working entirely in media and content creation. Ashley has so many valuable tips to share, from valuable resume builders to confidence-building exercises. Read on for a few of Ashley’s biggest tips for successfully changing career paths, and check out this week’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast for more.

 

1. Check in with yourself about your career

Deciding to switch careers may not always be such a clear choice. If you’re getting a gut feeling that a career might not be the right path for you, listen to your intuition. We only get one life, and doing something that you love is worthwhile. However, if you’re not quite sure what you specifically dislike about your current career, sit with yourself and consider the pros and cons of what you’re doing. That time of self-reflection and getting honest with yourself might make all of the difference when it comes to getting into the career that is right for you.

 

2. Build your confidence by remembering your skills are transferrable

If you have a dream job in mind that’s completely different or seems unrelated to your current or past jobs, don’t write off skills you’ve picked up throughout your professional journey. You can still get that dream job, even if you think your resume doesn’t quite match up. Life experience is experience. Period. Even if it isn’t in the industry that you’re trying to transition into, there are so many skills that live in multiple different industries.

Write out everything that you already know. It will show you that you can be good at your dream job, give you a confidence boost, and show you what skills you could work on before landing your dream job or making the career pivot. If there are a few skills you want for your dream career—but don’t currently have—practice during your free time. This could mean building up writing experience through a personal blog like Ashley, or it could mean taking an online class. 

 

3. Be ready for new opportunities that might come your way

Work on that resume, portfolio, or degree now so that you’re ready if you network with the right person who has a job opening. (Opportunities can sometimes come from unexpected places.) It may be helpful to give yourself a deadline when you want to update your LinkedIn, build a portfolio, or make a website. Otherwise, you might find yourself waiting for the right time to be ready, and opportunities could pass you by. 

If you are considering transitioning to a new industry, you do not have to wait until you reach burnout or feel like you need to leave your current job. You can build your resume and apply to jobs whenever. This will ensure that you can leap when that dream job application opens up. Even if you think nothing will come of it, you might as well give yourself the deadline—and, if you’re like Ashley, maybe you’ll end up surprising yourself with what you can achieve.