Has anyone ever had a major career change?
Disregarding length of position/career, I am curiously interested in discovering the biggest or most drastic career change? For example, leaving work at a marketing consulting group to become an editor at a publishing company.
Good Answers (1)
Bob M.
Career Search Instructor and Workshop Designer│Mentor│Program Coordinator | Career Search Blogger | LinkedIn Trainer
Best Answers in: Job Search (77), Career Management (18), Staffing and Recruiting (14), Using LinkedIn (11), Professional Networking (7), Resume Writing (6), Communication and Public Speaking (6), Mentoring (3), Work-life Balance (3), Organizational Development (3), Education and Schools (2), Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Government Services (1), Compensation and Benefits (1), Advertising (1), Direct Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Change Management (1), Blogging (1), E-Commerce (1)
Gabe,
I went from the private sector to the nonprofit. I spend seven years as a marketer for software companies, finding it always a challenge to understand the product. Although I did well as my roles in MarCom, web design, and Public Relations, I never quite understood the product. It was something that was intangible. I do miss the two-hour lunches and occasional beers, though. But after getting laid off and being unemployed for 10 months, it was a great time to reassess my values and interests in work. The obvious choice was workforce development.
I started off coordinating a computer training program for people with disabilities. My transferable skills made it possible for me to land the job, but there was a lot of learning to do. I remarked to my director that I learned more in three months in this project than I did as a marketer. It was true.
Finally, I landed my job as a Disability Program Navigator where I currently work. I helped people navigate the One-Stop system and/or refer them to outside agencies. Still I hadn’t found my niche. I wanted to be a workshop facilitator, as I had been through career search workshops while I was unemployed. I found them to be extremely informational, and they changed my thinking about how to look for work. Here I am, one of two workshop facilitators who lead 20 various workshops each. I specialize in LinkedIn workshops, while my partner does the mature worker-related workshops.
Who thought I’d be pedaling software and then land as a career search instructor?
Bob
More Answers (9)
Christine H.
Do you have your copy of my FREE Report yet? Get "Top 10 Linked Profile Success Secrets" now at: goo.gl/beKnU
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (367), Business Development (16), Customer Service (15), Education and Schools (12), Staffing and Recruiting (12), Professional Networking (8), Small Business (8), Advertising (7), Sales Techniques (7), Web Development (7), Job Search (6), Internet Marketing (6), Public Relations (6), Certification and Licenses (5), Planning (5), Starting Up (5), Computers and Software (5), Conference Planning (4), Government Policy (4), Health Care (4), Exporting/Importing (4), Organizational Development (4), Manufacturing (4), Blogging (4), Computer Networking (4), Software Development (4), Purchasing (3), Accounting (3), Personnel Policies (3), Events Marketing (3), Search Marketing (3), Inventory Management (3), Professional Books and Resources (3), Career Management (3), E-Commerce (3), Wireless (3), Business Insurance (2), Commercial Real Estate (2), Facilities Management (2), Travel Tools (2), Economics (2), Compensation and Benefits (2), Health Administration (2), International Law (2), Criminal Law (2), Employment and Labor Law (2), Tax Law (2), Direct Marketing (2), Graphic Design (2), Mobile Marketing (2), Lead Generation (2), Writing and Editing (2), Business Analytics (2), Social Enterpreneurship (2), Personal Real Estate (2), Market Research and Definition (2), Positioning (2), Professional Organizations (2), Information Storage (2), Regulation and Compliance (1), Air Travel (1), Hotels (1), Freelancing and Contracting (1), Mentoring (1), Occupational Training (1), Resume Writing (1), Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Mergers and Acquisitions (1), Government Services (1), Environmental Health (1), Work-life Balance (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Treaties, Agreements and Organizations (1), Corporate Law (1), Customer Relationship Management (1), Change Management (1), Bond Markets (1), Commodity Markets (1), Nonprofit Management (1), Philanthropy (1), Project Management (1), Quality Management and Standards (1), Supply Chain Management (1), Personal Investing (1), Wealth Management (1), Product Design (1), Green Business (1), Green Products (1), Biotech (1), Enterprise Software (1), Databases (1), Telecommunications (1)
Leaving a financial services marketing position to become an executive search consultant.
Robert R.
Imaginative, principled and analytical communication focused on action. Writing for non-profits.
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (2), Event Marketing and Promotions (1)
roflmao Env. ed. to health ed. to business owner (graphic artist/typesetting) to food/beverage to Gov't. agricultural pest monitoring. What seems expedient may not be.
Mike M.
LTE Project Manager at WesTower Communications
Best Answers in: Government Policy (5), Using LinkedIn (4), Staffing and Recruiting (3), Planning (3), Business Dining and Entertainment (2), Change Management (2), Personal Investing (2), Career Management (2), Ethics (2), Professional Networking (2), Small Business (2), Starting Up (2), Customer Service (1), Job Search (1), Mentoring (1), Occupational Training (1), Conference Planning (1), Economics (1), Personnel Policies (1), Work-life Balance (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Finance and Securities Law (1), Internet Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Corporate Governance (1), Organizational Development (1), Equity Markets (1), Nonprofit Management (1)
Left a job doing financial analysis for a healthcare consulting company to take an assistant property manager position in a commercial property management company.
Change of industry and level of responsibility.
Chose to do this because the first job was a dead end for me since I didn't have healthcare experience prior to the job and didn't see the opportunity for me to rise as a consultant in that field without spending a lot of time going back to school and getting more applicable roles.
Ed H.
Wordsmith with proven ability to translate business objectives into communications strategies and tactics
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (285), Job Search (22), Staffing and Recruiting (14), Professional Networking (10), Customer Service (7), Career Management (7), Internet Marketing (6), Business Development (4), Regulation and Compliance (3), Mentoring (3), Organizational Development (3), Project Management (3), Communication and Public Speaking (3), Blogging (3), Resume Writing (2), Writing and Editing (2), Labor Relations (2), Nonprofit Management (2), Market Research and Definition (2), Ethics (2), Computers and Software (2), Education and Schools (1), Occupational Training (1), Auditing (1), Financial Regulation (1), Government Services (1), Compensation and Benefits (1), Health Care (1), Work-life Balance (1), Lead Generation (1), Search Marketing (1), Business Analytics (1), Currency Markets (1), Packaging and Labeling (1), Business Plans (1), Small Business (1), E-Commerce (1), Enterprise Software (1), Computer Networking (1), Telecommunications (1), Web Development (1), Wireless (1)
I've had a few: publishing to financial services, financial services to fashion. The trick is in having a compelling narrative that strings all of it together into a cohesive whole.
Dave M.
Professional trade show booth traffic builder and party entertainer. Corporate and private sector events.
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (657), Customer Service (34), Business Development (23), Advertising (18), Professional Networking (16), Education and Schools (15), Staffing and Recruiting (15), Government Policy (14), Internet Marketing (13), Career Management (13), Web Development (13), Organizational Development (12), Small Business (12), Job Search (11), Starting Up (11), Event Marketing and Promotions (10), Public Relations (9), Sales Techniques (8), Energy and Development (8), Computers and Software (8), Personnel Policies (7), Health Care (7), Work-life Balance (7), Manufacturing (7), Business Plans (7), Mentoring (6), Intellectual Property (6), Lead Generation (6), Business Analytics (6), Regulation and Compliance (5), Writing and Editing (5), Corporate Governance (5), Change Management (5), Supply Chain Management (5), Ethics (5), Wireless (5), Car and Train Travel (4), Occupational Training (4), Accounting (4), Compensation and Benefits (4), Criminal Law (4), Direct Marketing (4), Project Management (4), Market Research and Definition (4), Blogging (4), Enterprise Software (4), Databases (4), Telecommunications (4), Facilities Management (3), Purchasing (3), Freelancing and Contracting (3), Conference Planning (3), Financial Regulation (3), Public Health and Safety (3), Internationalization and Localization (3), Treaties, Agreements and Organizations (3), Events Marketing (3), Graphic Design (3), Mobile Marketing (3), Search Marketing (3), Philanthropy (3), Social Enterpreneurship (3), Quality Management and Standards (3), Positioning (3), Professional Organizations (3), Green Business (3), Green Products (3), E-Commerce (3), Software Development (3), Air Travel (2), Business Dining and Entertainment (2), Public Funding (2), Mergers and Acquisitions (2), Health Administration (2), Offshoring and Outsourcing (2), Property Law (2), Customer Relationship Management (2), Commodity Markets (2), Nonprofit Fundraising (2), Inventory Management (2), Personal Investing (2), Personal Real Estate (2), Pricing (2), Professional Books and Resources (2), Communication and Public Speaking (2), Biotech (2), Information Security (2), Information Storage (2), Business Insurance (1), Commercial Real Estate (1), Hotels (1), Certification and Licenses (1), Conference Venues (1), Auditing (1), Foreign Investment (1), Venture Capital and Private Equity (1), Economics (1), Risk Management (1), Government Contracts (1), Government Services (1), Environmental Health (1), Exporting/Importing (1), Corporate Law (1), Finance and Securities Law (1), Viral Marketing (1), Labor Relations (1), Planning (1), Futures Markets (1), Packaging and Labeling (1), Individual Insurance (1), Wealth Management (1), Branding (1), Distribution (1), Engineering (1), Franchising (1)
I started out as a music teacher, became an event planner and professional DJ, now bend wire names at events, three totally different ways to make a living...
Leaving a (MBA) Director of Sales and Services to (M.Divinity) Ordained Ministry and now moving back into some kind of integrated role. Non-profit executive management? Suggestions?
Adriana L.
Division Vice President, Social Media Marketing & Top 50 Syndicated Blogger
Best Answers in: Job Search (3), Staffing and Recruiting (2), Career Management (1)
Hi Gabe,
Linked In is a great place to ask this sort of question. As you can already see, many people have chosen to make major career changes in their professional lives. In my profession as a career coach, this has become a HOT topic as of late. In the past I've had the pleasure of coaching clients through these major career changes:
U.S. Postmaster to Life Coach
Chief Technology Officer at Fortune 25 Company to Small Business Owner
Online Media Sales Vice President to Retail T-Shirt Shop Owner
Chier Financial Officer of Major Ski Resort to Motivational Speaker
University Relations Coordinator to Technology Quality Analyst
These are just a few samples of the types of significant career (and life) changes that clients have made. I'll include a link to the Free Tools section on my website which includes 3 Steps to Successfully Change Industries.
Best of luck,
Adriana Llames
Top Rated Career Coach
Links:
Gabe: We have a bunch of career change stories on our website, www.whatsnext.com. My favorite is a publishing executive who became an Alpaca farmer, but there are lots of interesting stories on the site. Check out the section titled "Careers 2.0"
Good luck!
Jeremy Koch
whatsnext.com
Links:
I went to Law School to have a business career, which I pursued as a government and commercial contracts administrator for several years. After a break raising kids, I returned to work as a administrative assistant in manufacturing firms. What do these two careers have in common?
Both require strong communication skills and attention to detail to be successful. I am very happy I made the change, as I can work part time in an administrative capacity while my kids are still at home.
