10 May How to Leverage Your Current Skills to Build a New Career
In today’s rapidly evolving job market, many workers are finding themselves needing to switch careers. This may be due to industry disruption, changes in personal interests, or a desire for greater job security. Whatever the reason, transitioning to a new career can be challenging, especially if the new field seems unrelated to one’s previous experience.
However, it’s important to remember that many skills are transferable across industries. By thinking laterally about how their skills can be applied in different contexts, workers can transition into non-intuitive careers with ease. This is becoming increasingly important as the World Economic Forum predicts that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 due to job automation and other technological advancements.
According to a survey by LinkedIn, 70 percent of professionals have experience in an industry or job function that is different from their college major, but many may not know where to start. Let’s look at some examples of how skills can be leveraged to transition into unexpected careers.
From Marketing to UX Design
Marketing and user experience (UX) design may seem like completely different fields, but there is significant overlap between the two. Both require strong analytical skills, the ability to understand user behavior, and a creative mindset. By building on their marketing experience and gaining some additional training in UX design, marketers can make a seamless transition into this field.
From Teaching to Corporate Training
Teachers possess a wide range of skills that are transferable to corporate training, including communication, organizational, and instructional design skills. With some additional training in adult education and workplace learning, teachers can easily transition into corporate training roles.
From Journalism to Content Marketing
Journalists are experts at storytelling and creating engaging content. These skills are highly valuable in the world of content marketing, where the goal is to create content that captures the attention of target audiences. Journalists can leverage their skills and experience to make a smooth transition into content marketing roles. A study by Deloitte found that 90% of companies believe their employees lack the necessary skills to adapt to the changing job market.
Career transition resources
Now that we’ve seen some examples of how skills can be applied in non-intuitive careers let’s look at some resources that can help job seekers think laterally about their skills and how they can be leveraged in new contexts.
The CareerOneStop Skills Matcher is a free tool that helps job seekers identify their skills and find career matches based on those skills. By inputting their skills and experience, job seekers can explore potential careers they may not have considered before. The National Skills Coalition reports that 53% of all jobs in the U.S. require some level of education or training beyond a high school diploma.
LinkedIn Learning offers a wide range of courses and certifications in various fields, from digital marketing to project management. By taking courses in new areas, job seekers can gain the skills they need to transition into new careers along with recognizable credentials. Much of this learning could also be supplemented with free learning on YouTube or other free online resources.
Informational Interviews
Informational interviews involve talking to professionals in fields that interest you. Even if you’re not actively seeking a job, these interviews can provide valuable insight into what skills are needed in a particular field as well as potential career paths and job opportunities.
In conclusion, transitioning into a new career may seem daunting, but it can be a seamless process with some lateral thinking and the right resources. By identifying their transferable skills and gaining additional training or experience, job seekers can successfully transition into non-intuitive careers. The key is to be open-minded, willing to learn, and willing to take risks. With the right attitude and approach, anything is possible.
By: Kevin Loux
Chief Impact Officer