New Year, new job: what to do if you want to change sectors

ciaramcgeary

Jan 2

It's becoming increasingly common for career paths to be a zigzag, rather than a straight line. If you're feeling like you're at a crossroads, no longer feeling fulfilled by your job or just fancy a change, here are some ideas on how to get started with research and change to a new sector without losing the progress you've already made. You can continue to use all of the same Careers Service resources and more for two years after your course end date.

If you know which sector you'd like to switch to:

Book an appointment – a 30-minute appointment with one of our Careers Consultants will help you talk through your next steps and get started with changing sectors confidently
Read the Prospects job profile for the new sector you're aiming for, to learn more about the experience you're going to need and where to get it
Use the alumni search tool to research on LinkedIn to find people who changed careers in the way you'd like to – maybe they started in the sector you're in now, or ended up in the sector you'd like to move to? You could even reach out to them to ask if they have any advice for making that leap.

If you don't have a clear idea yet:

Take a skills audit – use Team Focus' Profiling for Success test and our online skills development tool to assess which are your key strengths. What experience have you gained in your career so far that you could transfer to something else?
Fill in the Prospects planner – once you have an understanding of your skills, match them to a career using the planner. You could then take your results to a Careers Consultant in a one-to-one meeting to discuss them further.
Have a look at our webpage on deciding between career options

These are some good first steps to take if you're thinking of a career change. Just remember that career paths are no longer linear, and plenty of people change sectors at least once in their life. If you don't believe me, check out our Graduate Careers Stories – Aiswarya, Minerva, Ning, and Shaun all started in one sector before changing to something completely different as they understood more about what they wanted from their career.

For more information and to check out all the support you can access as a new graduate, visit our website.

Written by Ciara McGeary, Graduate Transitions Intern