How to make progress in a career change whilst still in your role

One of the myriad of things that have come out of the last 2 years is that many people have a chance to reflect on their careers and perhaps more crucially, what is important to them, which in turn can mean a desire to make changes.

But it’s not always quite as simple as pivoting your career and heading off in a new direction.  It can take time, thought and planning to make these changes with many not in the position to be able to leave a role with nothing to step into.

In this blog I have pulled together 5 things you can do to start the process of change that you can be doing whilst still working but will give you the sense of progress towards your goal.

Use you free time to your advantage

If you have any sort of commute by foot, train or car this is the perfect time to get listening to podcasts.  They also work well whilst doing (fun!) house admin like laundry and cleaning. There are absolutely loads to choose from – top of my list would be the Careering into Motherhood podcast – it’s a brilliant resource for anyone navigating the work/parent juggle. As a partner coach I have been lucky enough to have been featured on it and you can listen to my episode here or search all other brilliant episodes here. I would also highly recommend the Squiggly Careers Podcast.  Pick a topic that resonates with you and get listening.

If podcasts aren’t for you, then try a book or audiobook.  There are excellent resources out there to guide you through career change steps.  My go to would be You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis. 

Get your side hustle on

A side hustle can come in many different guises.  If you have a new business idea, it can be a great way of testing it out alongside your regular salaried role. It can take hard graft to get something off the ground in this way, but it also gives you the confidence to know when and if it’s the right time to make the move. 

If your interest is a change of industry, sector or department you may want to side hustle in a different way. What projects can you get involved in inside or outside your business which will build skills, relationships and experience in the area you would like to work in.

Use your connections

Do you know anyone in your professional and personal networks who may have an insight into the type of role or area you would like to move into? Conversations almost always lead to more conversations.

My tip is to start with your close/personal contacts and progress on to the more professional contacts as you build out your ideas and get more comfortable with each conversation.

Upskill in your lunch hour

If the direction you’d like to go is going to require a degree of upskilling, think creatively about how you can do that around work. There are an infinite number of online training providers with courses that you undertake independently, as well as intensive courses or those that take place on weekends only – just check they are professionally accredited and have good client reviews.

Seek out support

I speak from a position of personal experience on this one! My own career change journey would have been infinitely smoother, and somewhat quicker had I known where to find support.

I have made it my mission since setting up Brilliant Me to find different ways to offer support to those that need it. Depending on your time and budget constraints you can access free workshops, group programmes and of course 1 to 1 coaching.  If you’d like to find out more about me and the coaching I offer, click here.