Millennials on the move: Tips for navigating a career change in your 30’s
This piece was commissioned for Granite State College in June 2021 and includes a few references specific to the community college / non-traditional student experience.
I turned 36 this year, and when I reflected back and counted how many “real jobs” I’ve had since I graduated from college 15 years ago, I was surprised to find that I’m in my 6th full-time position. I’m working for myself now, but still, 6 employers in 15 years…? It sounds like a lot. But according to a 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, the median tenure for employees now is only about 4 years. And while I think we’ve all accepted that the days of working for one employer your whole career are long gone, I also see another former standard beginning to fade: staying in the same profession your whole life.
When I launched my career counseling practice, JOBTALK, a few years ago, I quickly noticed that most people reaching out for help were not just looking to change companies – they needed help changing careers. Regardless of whether it was a major industry change or a desire to go back to school to learn a completely different skill set, I saw more and more 30-somethings trying to make the leap.
“I think the pandemic only further solidified my feelings,” said one client in his mid-thirties. “I did a lot of soul searching in 2020 and realized life is short. I need to make this change now. I’m not sure how to do it, but I know I need something different.”
And he wasn’t the only one trying to reconcile these feelings of professional un-fulfillment. Out of the 350+ clients I engage with each year, in 2020 alone, I’d say at least half were millennials in transition. I watched classroom teachers become corporate project managers; social workers become relators; HR managers become marketers; and software engineers become sales managers - just to name a few.
When we combine this trend of career-path-disruption with the fact that 91% of millennials expect to change jobs every 3 years, we have to accept that it’s no longer a matter of IF we switch careers, but WHEN, and more importantly, HOW. Moving from sector to sector is not always easy, especially when your resume and network are saturated with experience and contacts from your “former life.”
If you’re a 30-something reading this and feel particularly seen right now, here are a few tips that can help you jump start and navigate this transition:
DO YOUR HOMEWORK:
When you’re thinking of making the leap, the same early-career advice applies: research, research, research. You have to accept that you don’t know, what you don’t know. And that’s okay, but the beauty of where we are today (versus 10-20 years ago) is that we have WAY more tools at our disposal to help us validate that this is a financially feasible move for us to make. Be sure to look up projected salary bands for different roles in your new sector or profession and see what you might expect for pay. I hate being a dream crusher, but if you can’t survive living off $35K a year, you want to know that BEFORE you go and invest time, energy, and possibly a lot of money on this new career path. A few resources I highly recommend checking out include:
Salary.com & Payscale.com – These are excellent resources for market and salary data. Payscale also offers a “career path planning” tool as well as a “cost-of-living calculator” in the event you’re considering relocating. (Because trust me - if you’re looking to move from Nashua, NH, to Seattle, WA, it’s helpful to know in advance that if you’ve been making a $50K-salary in Nashua, you’re actually going to need to earn $60,341 in Seattle to maintain the same standard of living because the cost of housing is 46.4% higher than in NH.)
Glassdoor.com also has salary information, but also provides anonymous employee reviews on how top employers in your new space treat their people and what may be expected of you in the job/field. This is what I call the biggest “regrettable recon” people don’t do and then wish they had before making the jump.
LinkedIn.com is by far the most important resource you’ll use during this transition, and it starts with researching people who are IN your future roles and industries right now. What do their profiles tell you about their background, their day-to-day tasks, and what skills they’ve honed to not just do their job - but do it well? You also want to start expanding your network to include not only these people, but also related companies and groups. This ensures your newsfeed will begin to reflect everything (including jobs) these companies and groups are posting and discussing. By becoming a fly on the wall of your new industry, you’ll gain a better understanding of what trends or disruptors this field is experiencing or anticipating – long before you commit to joining it.
SKILLS GAP & SELF- ASSESSMENTS:
Before you go quitting one field for another, it’s time to hold up what I call “the heavy mirror.” This is where we have to get real with ourselves about what we have for skills and what we don’t. Passion is important, and it can certainly make the difference when interviewing, but it usually needs to be intersected with a marketable skill to land you a job offer. If someone is paying you to work for them, they need to know you have what it takes to do the job correctly, efficiently, and to the standard their customers/organization expects. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Leverage your future job description. Hop on your favorite job board and do a real search right now for your future role. Seeing what systems, attributes, and qualifications are required is the first step. If you start to notice themes or start seeing the same platforms mentioned over and over, that’s a good indicator of something you’re going to want to have on your resume. If you don’t have experience with that particular thing, it’s time to upskill.
Step 2: Upskilling. The BEST thing you can do sooner than later is start filling in your own gaps so it’s not a barrier when you start applying. The clients I’ve seen nail this transition, invested the time in upskilling – even if that meant a small gap on their resume. (It’s worth it! Recruiters don’t mind seeing someone step back in order to leap forward.) This can absolutely be done through traditional means, like formal certifications and degree programs, but it can also be done using skill-specific platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Udacity, Coursera, or even YouTube (especially for tutorials on certain systems / platforms).
Step 3: Demonstrate your proficiency. Learning and doing are two different things. Obviously, related internships are excellent, but if you’re already working AND perhaps enrolled in classes, adding one more thing into your schedule can sometimes feel impossible. Don’t throw in the towel yet though. There are LOTS of ways to gain hands-on experience to showcase your smarts and potential to a future employer.
Have a few hours to spare each week? Try volunteering. You’ll probably walk away with a great reference on top of a little experience. (If they can’t pay you, ask them for a LinkedIn recommendation! It’s the least they can do.) I’ve seen clients gain accounting, marketing, and even program design experience through specifically asking nonprofits for this kind of volunteer work.
No time to intern or volunteer, but you’re in college? Take full advantage of any course or capstone projects. Focus them on your future field and try interviewing people currently in that space to add context (plus it’s a shameless and easy way to play that student card and ask for help or insight. A conversation today, can lead to a job offer tomorrow. There is zero shame in using these projects simply to network your butt off.)
Currently working and can’t make the leap quite yet? Ask your boss if there are any on-the-job projects you can help with that may provide some transferable experience/skills. Don’t forget to leverage your cross-functional colleagues and their knowledge-base as well!
When all else fails, lean into some self-designed research. Try and tour a facility, talk to people in that field (e.g., informational interviewing), and find an interesting angle on your future field that incites discussion. You can post your research as a blog post or “Article” on LinkedIn, or you could take it one step further and build out a presentation that you could share along with your resume when you start interviewing. This will allow you to demonstrate your proficiency with a system, skill, or process – but on your own terms.
LET YOUR NETWORK HELP YOU:
One theme I see with career changers is the hesitation around asking for help. It’s never easy to say to someone, “I don’t like what I’m doing right now, and I need to make a change,” because in our minds, we hear ourselves saying, “I messed up and picked the wrong field and now I’m stuck and annoyed I didn’t figure this out sooner.” Notice how tough we can be on ourselves?! We need to stop trying to map out our life blueprint using a Sharpie. Draw that thing in pencil and hold on to the eraser because change is inevitable – and that doesn’t mean you failed. It means you evolved. I mean, who out there is the same person in their 30’s as they were in their early 20’s?! Fortunate favors the bold, and there is no shame in asking for help. Here are a few types of people in your network you may want to connect with when you’re ready:
Career Services Office: Whether you’re in college or recently graduated, Career Services is there to help you. As a former Career Services professional, I always feel a pang in my heart when a new client reaches out to me and says they recently graduated from college and need help. As crazy as it sounds from a business perspective, I ALWAYS encourage them to call their career center first. From updating your resume, to connecting with alumni in the field you’re hoping to pursue – this office can be a HUGE (and free) help during your transition. The kicker? Most offices offer free career services appointments to alumni… for life. I mean, hey, your tuition already paid for it! You might as well get your money’s worth!
Connect with the Well-Connected: While I’m always going to scream from the roof top that LinkedIn is the easiest way to connect with people in your dream job, don’t JUST network online. As the COVID dust settles, we’re seeing more and more events move back into in-person venues, so leverage these circles! Connect with your local Chamber of Commerce (they know everyone) and Workforce Development offices to see what mixers and events they have coming up. Maybe it’s a job fair, or a webinar with a few panelists in your space. Networking doesn’t have to be formal for it to be effective. Side note: It’s always unfortunate when I attend these as a consultant or guest speaker, and I see more employers show up than candidates. Don’t shy away from these opportunities! You have a captive audience. Ask the questions you really want to ask about their companies, or perhaps even examples of people they’ve hired who had nontraditional backgrounds. They are there to meet you! Leverage the time you have with them.
Instructors: If I had a dollar for every time a student stayed silent all semester, to then call or email me 3 months later with a million questions about their job search…. I could retire right now. Your professors – and especially your adjunct instructors who are still working in their field when they’re not in class with you – are unbelievable sources of insight and contacts. But manage this connection carefully. Your goal is to create a relationship – not a transaction. Invest in getting to know them a bit. Participate in class. Stay after to ask a question on what was discussed. Be someone they want to help – not someone they have to. You’re not 20 anymore. There is no excuse to stay silent and shy and small. Let them get to know you and what you’re transition plan looks like. Ask for their help in connecting with people they may know. It’s amazing what people will give you if you just ask.