Career Trends: 3 reasons you’re struggling to change careers

Edition: September 15th, 2021
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS

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• Excerpts from article by Adunola Adeshola, published on Forbes

Whether you’re ready to transition into a new career entirely or simply want to take your talents and expertise into a new industry, changing your career can be daunting.

Even admitting to yourself that you’re ready for something new and figuring out what that next step looks like is hard enough. So, actually getting hired for a role that’s out of your element and comfort zone can feel like an uphill battle.

It’s not impossible to successfully change careers, and you don’t have to start over to make it happen either.

Here are 3 reasons you might be struggling to change your career. Understanding what your issue is will help you find a solution.

1. You’re not making your intentions clear enough for recruiters to understand.

• If your resume and LinkedIn profile fail to show even the slightest hint that you’re interested in your desired role or industry, then you’re not connecting the dots for recruiters and hiring managers.
• This is one of the reasons many aspiring career changers end up feeling frustrated – that recruiters keep reaching out to them for jobs they no longer want. 
• But, it’s not because you’re incapable of changing careers, it’s more likely because recruiters don’t even know you want to do something new.
• You have to show that you’re ready to pivot, if not, you’ll keep having the wrong recruiters reach out to you.
• When you do apply for roles that you want, hiring managers will likely assume you don’t have the necessary skills to succeed in that position or industry because you’re not connecting the dots for them.

2. You’re not showing proof that you’re ready to pivot successfully.

• Even if you have the skills for the role you desire next, if you don’t show any proof or evidence of that, you’re unlikely to convince the recruiters.
• In this situation, they’re probably skip through your application after a cursory glance.
• The best-case scenario is that you change careers, but you have to take a step back or start over to do so. 
• If you want to avoid that, you have to show how your experience aligns with the new role.
• You need to provide clear examples so that hiring managers see that you can excel in the roles you desire. 

3. You’re not exuding confidence and trust. Recruiters can sense uncertainty.

• If you’re getting interviews in the industry you’d like to move into next, that’s a good sign.
• But, if you’re not getting hired after those interviews, it’s likely because you’re still leaving the interviewer guessing if you can succeed in the role or industry you desire. 
• If there’s still a part of you that’s doubtful or worried that your experience is not good enough, then that’s probably causing you to come across as uncertain and indecisive.
• Of course, sharing examples and stories are good, but they will only get you so far.
• If you’re not confident about your skills and experience, then hiring managers will not choose you as their top candidate. 

If you’ve been having a hard time pivoting your career, take a look at your approach and make the necessary adjustments to show companies that you can excel in the role and industry you desire – not despite your experience but because of it.

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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)

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