When you are looking for options to change your career path consider the method we use when cleaning or reorganizing a space with areas for things to Keep, Donate, and Trash.
Consider the following categories: company, industry, team structure, projects, the scope of the role, people manager, individual contributor, product, or mission.
KEEP:
Which aspect of your job(s) do you want to continue?
Which aspect of your job(s) do you want to continue?
DONATE:
What transition skills, abilities, or experience can you offer a new role, team, or organization? These are the things that give you an advantage over competitors with more limited backgrounds as you transition into a new position.
What transition skills, abilities, or experience can you offer a new role, team, or organization? These are the things that give you an advantage over competitors with more limited backgrounds as you transition into a new position.
It may be expertise in a particular field or product, leadership experience you had before changing careers, etc. For example, someone with a background in financial services pivoting to fintech, an engineering leader pivoting to product management, or an academic pivoting to a company research role. There are too many possibilities to mention them all but if you need help book a free session with an Allora coach and we’ll help you get started.
TRASH:
What activities or circumstances do you want to stop doing altogether?
What activities or circumstances do you want to stop doing altogether?
You should utilize the function of the role rather than the title when performing this exercise because some titles may vary in different companies. We define function as a set of skills, tools, and responsibilities that are within the scope of a job title. When searching for jobs or looking for examples of other people’s career paths on LinkedIn, it is best to use keywords and phrases instead of titles unless you are in a very particular titled role that is the same across all organizations.
You can use certain words or phrases as keywords when searching LinkedIn for people, posts, companies, or jobs. People searches will help you map career paths, identify more target companies based on where people have worked in the past, and other things. Job postings will provide you with potential jobs, and sometimes the salary or job poster.
To prepare for interviews, focus on asking them questions that align with your priorities and goals. Draft questions to learn if this new team aligns with what you want to ‘keep’ and ask situational questions to avoid situations you want to ‘trash’. When you prepare your career examples make sure you emphasize and deliver a clear story about the advantage your donated skills offer.
Consider working with a qualified career coach or career managers like the Allora coaches.
Be selective, evaluate their qualifications, read their complete career profile of experience, and look for expertise that comes from working with many different people from candidates to hiring managers at different levels across industries and markets. Read their testimonials and qualify the impact of their personal and professional experience
Big change requires big risk, but you don’t have to do it alone.
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