Be more than your job title. How to navigate career transition with transferable skills
As a career and executive coach, I have the privilege of working with a diverse range of people, each embarking on their unique journey towards fulfillment and success. Let's take a glimpse at some of my current clients, each with their distinctive aspirations and challenges and united by the thread of remarkable transferable skills.
One of my clients is a vet. Despite a deep-rooted love for animals and healing, the demanding nature of the veterinary profession has led her to reassess her career trajectory. Long hours and financial constraints have nudged her towards exploring alternative avenues within the realm of veterinary sales, medical sales, project management, and operations. By leveraging her innate abilities in communication, problem-solving, and management honed through years of practice, we're charting a course towards a rewarding career pivot while maintaining her desired income bracket.
In a parallel narrative, another client from the printing industry seeks to transcend the confines of his current role after narrowly missing a senior promotion. Juggling familial responsibilities alongside professional aspirations, he's determined to seize new opportunities in small to medium enterprises, envisioning roles as managing or operations director. Through coaching, we're harnessing his multifaceted skill set encompassing leadership, adaptability, and strategic thinking to carve a path towards professional advancement and fulfillment.
Venturing into the realm of finance and entrepreneurship, a seasoned professional with a background in family office management is poised for a transformative career shift. Contemplating roles as a managing director, exploring brand licensing, or delving into the intricacies of private equity, he embodies the spirit of versatility and ambition. By capitalizing on his acumen in strategic planning, financial management, and relationship-building, we're orchestrating a transition towards new horizons brimming with potential and possibility.
The journey of younger individuals I am coaching is no less interesting. From the events industry to design, from film to educational technology, each client embodies the ethos of adaptability and reinvention. While algorithms and recruitment consultants may struggle to think laterally, I believe that with the exception of highly technical roles, most jobs are pretty much the same and that we can apply for and land a wider array of roles than we think. For example, my client Anastasia has successfully switched from primary school teaching to land her dream job in Ed-Tech. With my help she re-positioned her teaching CV to focus on the skills the new job was looking for, highlighting organisation ability from lesson planning and classroom management, relationship building from dealing with parents, and technology agility from the apps she used with pupils.
Don’t be confined by your job title, there are more opportunities out there than you think. This might mean becoming more proactive and approaching companies directly as well as using your network to sell your transferable skills in person, but the effort definitely pays off.