How to Survive a Career Transition

June 28, 2018

What do you do? Whoop there it is—the question that is asked on many occasions when meeting someone for the first time. And for those of us who might be going through a career transition, it can be an uncomfortable inquiry.I remember the first networking event I attended shortly after I left Johnson & Johnson to start my own company. I was invited to serve as one of the mentors at a speed networking event for the Rutgers WINGS program. I admit that I was initially intimidated. Not because of the students, but because the other mentors were from big companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, etc. Then there was me with my “unknown” company, Hooper Williams Communications, inscribed on my name tag.

In the past, when someone asked me the “What do you do?” question, I would quickly respond, I work with “J&J” or “PNC” and would go on to describe my communications role. However, this was the first time I was not associated with a major corporate brand.

During the session, both mentors and students kept asking me, what is Hooper Williams Communications? I would patiently explain that after working in corporate America for more than 25 years, I had recently started my own strategic communications company. To my surprise, many of the students and some of the mentors were more curious about my story as a business owner than they were about many of the other corporate professions represented in the room. A few of the students even asked if they could intern with me.

Many people reach a point in their careers when it is time for a change. Making a career transition can be profoundly rewarding and a bit scary at the same time. Whether you’ve been in the job market for two years or 25 years, more and more of us will experience some kind of career transition that may result from stagnation in a current role, changes in career goals, or an unplanned change in employment status.

Here are some tips on setting yourself up for success:
1. Focus On Where You Want To Go–Set yourself up for a successful transition by knowing the areas where you excel in the workplace and the areas where you want to grow professionally.

2. Set SMART Goals—Just as on a work project, set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) goals. SMART goals are designed to keep you focused and they allow you to create a rigorous and meticulous process. For example, if you set a goal of networking with three people per week at the end of the month, you will have connected with 12 people.

3. Conduct A Resource Assessment—What factors are impacting your transition. The average timeframe is six months to find a new job. Depending on your experience and the more senior you are, it could take longer. That’s why it’s important to assess your resources, savings and expenses to ensure that you don’t add the pressure of meeting financial obligations on top of your transition. For instance, before I took the consulting leap, I literally figured out how long I could live without a steady paycheck.

4. Network, Network, Network—Sometimes those in transition are hesitant to reach out to individuals that can help. One of my mentees who happens to be in my field was in transition. I was surprised that she never reached out to me to let me know. I found out through LinkedIn. I contacted her, and it was clear her esteem had been impacted by the experience. I convinced her to work on a few freelance assignments which I’m sure helped boost her confidence. She recently got a full-time job and I know she will be fabulous. The bottom line is, networking is critical as it allows you to uncover those jobs that are never advertised.

5. Tailor Your Resume—How did you add value in your previous job? Take the time to tailor your resume to the job you are pursuing. I recently spoke to a potential candidate for a communications position and forwarded the job description to her. However, her resume didn’t reflect any of the experiences that were relevant for the position. None of her previous communications experiences were included in the resume. Hmmmm….

6. Keep An Open Mind—Even if you have to take a pay cut, don’t be afraid to do some freelancing or shadowing until the right opportunity comes along. Also, be open to exploratory meetings. Every connection might not lead to a job. However, that person may know somebody, who knows somebody. I recently spoke to one of my colleagues about switching careers and looking at CEO/COO-type roles for which she is more than qualified. My advice to her was “be open” to the possibility.

Do you have additional tips to share about career transitioning? Let me know.