Utilizing Transferable Skills For A Successful Career Transition

There may be times in life when you find that it is necessary to switch careers. Perhaps your chosen career no longer interests you. Or perhaps job opportunities are drying up in your particular field. A change in career may be born out of choice or of necessity. In either case, you'll find it necessary to try to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Yet, let's face it changing careers can be difficult, no matter what your age or level of experience. It means that you might have to pursue additional education or training. It may mean learning a whole new method of doing things. In fact, the prospect of changing careers can be quite daunting.

However, you can make things easier on yourself by simply drawing upon some of the skills you've already developed. You need to recognize the fact that some job skills are transferable even if you are branching out onto a decidedly different career path. You can have a successful career transition but you must be prepared.

Make a list of your skills

The first thing you need to do when contemplating a career change is to make a list of your skills. Do you have extensive computer experience? Are you an effective speaker? Are you good at organization? Are you skilled at managing people? You may not have given much thought in the past to your job skills but now is the time to do so.

Once you have a list of your job skills down on paper, circle those skills that might come into play in your new career. You might be surprised at how many "skill matches" you find. After all, there are certain basic job skills that can be used in a number of different venues. It is your job to determine what these are and to capitalize upon them.

Consult a career coach

If you find you have difficulty identifying your job skills, you might want to employ the services of a career coach. Such an individual can help you to zero in on those traits that you will find useful in your next career. A career coach can also be a great motivator, helping you through the rough spots in your professional journey.

Since a career coach works with a number of different people in many different fields of endeavor, he or she might be better equipped than you are to determine which of your job skills are transferable. In other words, your career coach will be able to see the big picture and how you fit into it. Therefore, a career coach can be well worth the money you pay him or her.

Market yourself well

In order to make an effective career transition, you'll also need to market yourself well. This means showcasing those talents and abilities that can help you in your new career. Be sure that your resume reflects the full range of your skills. Your prospective employer might not know about your special skills unless you include them on your resume.

Also, you should craft your cover letter in such a way as to demonstrate how your current job skills will translate well to a new position. If you are able to make a persuasive case demonstrating the connection, chances are a would-be employer will be able to see the connection, too.

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