How to Change Careers and Start in a New Field: A 7-Step Plan
You open the same job board for the third night in a row. Half the listings ask for experience you do not have, the other half are in a field you only know from headlines. You are not sure whether you want a new career or just a new Monday. And every day you wait, “someday” gets a little more comfortable.
This guide on how to change careers and start a new field draws on four sources I read in full: the career centers at Columbia, Yale and the University of Florida, and a career change guide from the University of St. Thomas. I will say what each one recommends and where something is my own suggestion. Career centers work mostly with students and recent graduates, so some of their advice is written for that audience. I have kept what transfers to working adults.
Step 1: Check what you actually want to change
The St. Thomas guide starts with a question many people skip: will a career change solve your problem? It lists “terrible reasons” to switch, such as escaping a toxic workplace, following a trend because everyone seems to be in that industry, family pressure, or wanting an easier life. Its argument is that if the real problem is your manager or your workload, changing careers may not fix it. You may just need a different employer in the same field.
The guide also suggests a thought exercise attributed to Jeff Bezos, the “regret minimization framework”: picture yourself years from now and ask whether you will regret not trying. If the answer is no, a switch may not be worth the risk.
Before you do anything else, write two lists: what you dislike about your current work, and what you want more of. Sort each item as “about the role,” “about the employer” or “about the industry.” That sorting step is my suggestion, not from the sources, but it fits the St. Thomas warning.
Step 2: Take stock of skills, interests and values
Columbia’s first step is to clarify your interests, skills, values and unique qualities. It asks three questions: what are your personal qualities, abilities and work skills; which skills could transfer to another setting; and why do you want to work in this area? It suggests making a list of your top transferable skills from work, academic and life experience.
Yale breaks self-assessment into four parts: skills, interests, personality and values. Its prompts include “When have you been happiest in life? What were you doing?” and “How much interaction with others do you need in your work?” Yale adds a caution that is easy to forget: assessments cannot define you or tell you what to do. They suggest areas to explore and give you a place to start.
A hypothetical example: a retail manager might list scheduling, training new staff, handling complaints and reading sales reports. Each of those could point to operations, customer success or training roles. That example is mine, not from the sources.
Step 3: Research several options, not just one
Yale’s second step is to identify and research options, and not to limit yourself to careers you already know. Read the publications and websites professionals in the field use, and learn about employers and industry trends so you can build a target list.
Columbia says to tailor your research to the industry: recruitment cycles, hiring trends and top organizations. It also suggests checking job boards specific to the industry.
Yale’s third step is a reality check for each option. Write pros and cons, and ask what skills, knowledge or experience you need to be competitive and whether you are interested enough to build them. Yale reminds you that no career is a perfect match, and that entry-level roles tend to have the least appealing parts but are a stepping stone, so think about the more senior roles too.
The St. Thomas guide suggests sorting each option into Yes, No or Maybe. If the list feels long, that is a simple way to cut it.
Step 4: Talk to people who do the work
All three career centers lean on this. The University of Florida describes an informational interview as a conversation to gather information about a career field, job or employer. The purpose is to expand your understanding, not to ask for a job. It suggests starting with your personal network, then using alumni directories, professional associations and LinkedIn. Interviews typically last 20 to 30 minutes.
Florida’s sample questions are practical:
- How did you get into this field?
- What does a typical day or week look like?
- What are the most satisfying parts of the job, and what frustrations or drawbacks do you experience?
- What skills are essential, and how did you learn them?
- What problem did you help solve recently?
It also recommends asking who else you should talk to, which is how one conversation becomes several. And it advises doing several interviews so you can see patterns.
St. Thomas quotes a career coach, Monica Fochtman, who says that for a true career change you should broaden your circle at first, so that many people know you are searching and can connect you with a variety of others.
After each conversation, Florida suggests sending a thank-you note that mentions something specific from the talk.
Step 5: Build a bridge: try the work before you quit
Columbia and Yale both say to gain experience in the new field. Columbia lists options if a traditional internship does not fit your schedule: start your own project, seek virtual opportunities, work part-time or volunteer. It also suggests online courses to brush up skills.
Yale’s fourth and fifth steps are to take action and try options, then reflect: what was enjoyable, what was challenging, and was it the work itself or the people that made it enjoyable? That last question is useful, because liking a team is not the same as liking a job.
A hypothetical example: if you are curious about data analysis, you could take a short course, do one small analysis of a public dataset, and ask an analyst to look at it. The cost is a few weekends, and you learn whether you enjoy the work. The example is mine.
Step 6: Tell your story and tailor your application
Columbia suggests writing a short introduction covering who you are, what you offer and why you are moving, and practicing it, especially if you have a gap or a non-traditional path. For applications, it recommends aligning your resume and cover letters with the new industry.
St. Thomas gives specific resume advice for career changers: tailor it to the role, use the summary to highlight transferable skills, use keywords from the job description and consider a hybrid format. For the cover letter, be specific about why you want that company and what your experience brings.
One caution on the St. Thomas guide: it is published with a resume-tool company, Jobscan, and includes a promotion for its tool. The 63% statistic it opens with (workers who lost jobs during the pandemic and changed careers) has no source given. I have not used that figure and would treat it carefully.
Step 7: Plan for money, time and a slow process
The St. Thomas guide is frank about constraints: your financial responsibilities may narrow your options, and if you are at a high income, matching it in a new field can be difficult. It also says changing careers is possible at any age. Columbia reminds you the job search is draining and to take breaks and surround yourself with supportive people.
A practical suggestion from me: decide how many hours a week you can give to the switch, and protect those hours. Two or three hours a week for three months adds up to more than a burst of effort that stops.
A 30-day plan
- Week 1: Write your two lists and your top transferable skills. Choose three possible directions.
- Week 2: Research those three. Write pros and cons. Reach out to two people for informational interviews.
- Week 3: Do the interviews. Send thank-you notes. Ask each person for another contact.
- Week 4: Mark each option Yes, No or Maybe. Pick one small experiment, such as a short course or project, and schedule it.
Making the hours happen
The hard part is usually not the plan. It is sitting down on a weeknight after work and doing the next small step. If you find it hard to start, working alongside another person can help. Refocus pairs you with a partner for a 25, 50 or 75-minute focus session with a shared timer. You each say what you will do, work in parallel and check in at the end. A session is a good fit for drafting your intro or researching a role.
This is general career advice drawn from the sources named above, not personalized guidance. Your finances, location and field will change what is realistic. Start with the two lists this week. If you want company for the session, start a free session on Refocus.
Cover photo: Unsplash.