How to Prepare for a Career Change: Step-by-Step Guide

Changing careers can take many forms. You can change your role, shift your function, move departments, enter a new industry, or a combination of these. Regardless of the change you want, the first step is knowing that change is possible.

Because there are so many ways to define a career change, it can be hard to quantify how many people go through this process, but we can be confident that many people do. Change is a byproduct of growth, and people constantly strive to grow in their careers.

Perhaps you've been promoted, found a job at a new company, or feel that your college major doesn't directly align with your current role. You've gone through changes, no matter how minor, and you can do it again.

We’ve compiled five steps to form a concrete action plan when making a career change.

How to plan a career change: 5 steps 

A successful career change relies on more than a masterful resume and clear cover letter (though those can help). If you want to settle into a career path that feels more aligned with your interests and preferences, it's important to deeply understand your career aspirations and values. We break this discovery and planning process down into five broad steps:

1. Assess your current career.

2. Clarify your career goals.

3. Research potential careers.

4. Read job descriptions.

5. Define your course of action. 

Let's take a closer look at each step in this video from the University of Pennsylvania:

1. Assess your current career. 

Sometimes, your desire for change can appear before you understand what you want to change. With honest self-reflection, you can determine the right changes for you.

Think specifically about what you like about your current position and the aspects you feel ready to leave behind. With this type of assessment, you can start to create a more exact picture of a better path for you.

Here are a few questions that may help you gain clarity: 

• How satisfied do you feel in your current role? For example, you may enjoy the daily tasks, but see no room for advancement. 

• What are your values, and how does your current job align with those? For example, you may value creativity and free expression and seek more opportunities to explore these in a new role. 

• What is leading you to make a career change? For example, you might crave new challenges, opportunities to pursue your passions, or more flexibility. 

• What are your concerns? For example, will you need special training or education to qualify for a new career? Would you have to give up some perks you’re used to in your current job?

Success can be yours, too. Consider enrolling in UPenn Wharton's specialization:

2. Clarify your career goals. 

Understanding what you’d like to experience in this next stage of your career can help you focus your efforts. Think broadly about the type of life you'd like to live. Picture, step-by-step, what your perfect day would look like. What would you do? How would you feel? Where would you go? Who would you see?

Your professional life is part of your life. The values and goals that guide your daily movements are likely connected to your values and goals in other areas of your life. Consider how your career can fit into or enable your desired life.

Here are some questions that can help you imagine a more optimal career scenario: 

• What lifestyle, flexibility, and work-life balance would you like to experience?

• What skills do you have that you’d like to continue using?

• What kind of tasks, projects, and initiatives would you like to be involved in?

• What kind of company would you like to work for? What qualities are you looking for, including size, values, culture, products, and services? 

• What kind of leadership or advancement opportunities would you like to be considered for?  

• What are your salary goals?

Consider working with a career coach if you want additional support during the reflection process or your career transition. Career coaches are trained professionals who help people assess their career options and determine the best way forward.

Learn more: 6 Common Career Goals + Examples

3. Research potential careers. 

Next, begin researching careers that align with your goals. It may help to create a checklist with your ideal career criteria to compare potential career paths to your desired outcomes quickly.

Start by scouring resources such as Glassdoor and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to gather general information about new careers, such as the average salary, projected job growth, typical educational background, and so on. Identify two or three potential careers that seem to match your passions and interests and may contribute to the lifestyle you want. 

Tap into your professional network

After getting this basic information, use your network to deepen your understanding of these careers, and learn how to bridge the gap between your current position and your future one. Ask people you know if they know anyone in your desired field, and set up informational interviews with them. When you are ready to begin your job search, you may learn about opportunities or receive references from people in your network.

Learn more: 9 Networking Tips to Expand and Strengthen Your Network

Empower and equip yourself with the right skills and mindset for a career switch:

4. Read job descriptions. 

Building upon the information you gathered in Step 3, research job listings to get a sense of the experiences and skills employers are currently looking for. While you might not be ready to apply for the jobs that come up in your search, think of this step as a way to focus your efforts.

Take special note of the requirements and expectations that repeatedly show up in job descriptions. These are the tools, skills, and experiences you'll want to highlight in your job application materials and during interviews.

Think about the ways your current resume fits with this ideal candidate. The pieces that match are your transferable skills, or the skills that you already have that you can continue to use in your future role. The remaining items on your list will become your roadmap.

5. Define your course of action.

With these insights, your next step is determining a course of action. Review the requirements for your desired role that you don't satisfy with your transferable skills. These are your priority growth areas as you prepare for your job search. You can consider this your career change to-do list.

Consider what steps you'll need to take in order to learn and demonstrate your expertise in these growth areas. Ideally, you'll be able to add these actions to your resume, cover letter, or portfolio so that potential employers and hiring managers can see the initiative you've taken.

These questions can help you identify tasks to complete as you explore your new career path:

• What training, professional certificates, or degree programs do you need to prioritize? 

• How can you optimize your current schedule to make time for your career change efforts?

• What volunteer or job shadowing opportunities can you set up to gain experience in the career field you want to enter?

• What projects can you do to demonstrate your expertise and add to your portfolio?

• How can you update your resume to reflect the new skills and qualifications you’re building? 

• How can you start preparing now for interviews with potential employers and expressing your excitement about the career field you’re entering?

You may find it helpful to map out your course of action using a career development plan, which is a document to organize your goals and the steps you'll take to achieve them. (See what we mean with this free template. Simply log into your Google account and select 'Make a copy' when prompted.)

Learn how to write a resume with this short course from SUNY:

Next steps for switching careers

Remember that shifting into a new career can take time. For additional tips on finding an alternative career path at different points in your journey, check out these articles:

• Career Change at 50: Entering Your Next Career Phase

• Career Change at 40: Moving Into Your Next Stage

• Career Change at 30: Building on Your Skills

Start exploring your next career move with Coursera. Through Career Academy, you can learn about several roles in business, data analytics, software engineering, and more. See how you can become job-ready for your desired role by earning a Professional Certificate from industry leaders like Google, Meta, and IBM.

Read about other Coursera learners who’ve successfully changed their careers here: Asmita Meshram and Emma S. 

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