Making the Personal Decision to Switch Career Fields
Growing up, I had the expectation that I would eventually graduate from college, decide on a single career path, and then remain in that career until retirement. That is exactly what I thought was the societal norm — until now.
With an increasing number of career options and resources available online, many of us can expect to switch careers 12 times in our lifespan.
If you find yourself in the middle of deciding whether or not to switch careers right now, know that you are not alone! I worked in education for years before entering the tech industry. It took some reflection, research, a plan, and a mindset shift before I took the leap.
I’ve curated a list of 4 actionable items that helped me decide to go from Higher-Ed Management to Front-End Development.
1. Reflect on Your Current Situation
A career change is going to be a personal decision you make. There isn’t anyone else who is truly going to know what is going on with you internally except you. Take some time to honestly reflect on your current situation.
Why are you looking to leave your job? Were you having a bad work week or are you unhappy about portions of your job that you cannot control? Do you feel like you can no longer grow within your department? Jot down the reasons which demonstrate legitimate justifications for resigning, then ask yourself if you have considered ways in which you can stay in your field (e.g. switching departments or companies)?
What does your personal situation look like? When I thought about leaving my job, I also thought about those around me who would be affected by my actions, namely my husband and son. Will your household lose you as the breadwinner? If you are leaving your job without another one lined up, will anyone lose their insurance, and do you have any savings to move forward with this decision? I will be honest, I could not have done this alone — my husband and I had several conversations before my resignation. His support was absolutely vital.
Other things to consider — What is your mental, emotional, and physical state? Are you experiencing stress that is affecting your core being and those around you? Are you experiencing burnout? What resources does your company offer to tackle some of these struggles and will those resources be helpful for you? Be certain that you are making a decision that is right for you and stick to that decision. If you do leave your job, try not burn any bridges.
2. Research Your Future Path
Research, research, research! You should become familiar with the field in which you are entering and be realistic about how you line up with it. You do not necessarily need to be an expert in a new field, but you do need to know if it is something attainable for you.
Find a niche. When I initially looked into the tech field, there was an overwhelming amount of roles available ranging from Computer Programmer to IT Analyst. It took some time to narrow down my decision to focus on Front-End Development which is why you should not hesitate to tap into your network. Since I worked at a college, I was able to speak with Admission Advisors, other students in the industry, and those in my inner circle about my interests.
What are the job requirements? As you speak with individuals in your network, consider the types of questions you want to know about their career. What are some of their job expectations? What do they like and do not like about their roles? How did they get started? Look at a few example job postings but try not to focus on the optional requirements (e.g. 5 years experience for an entry level position). Check out Indeed or Glassdoor to know your worth — what’s the average salary in your area for that field?
Think outside of traditional platforms. Consider other platforms available online. The TechTwitter community has a plethora of professionals who offer advice and/or guidance to newer developers. I’ve found some hidden gems by developers who write articles and share them to Twitter, as well. Reddit also has a treasure trove of advice available on various subreddits like r/learnprogramming.
3. Plan Your Future
If you need time to prepare a portfolio before you enter a different job market like the tech industry, you will need to map out a timeline of events before leaving your job. Invest in yourself and create a S.M.A.R.T. plan for your future — a plan that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
When I resigned from my previous role, I knew that I was not going to attend any additional college courses or a bootcamp to learn how to code. This is why I worked with my network to develop a SMART plan to become a self-taught developer.
- Goal: Obtain a Front-End Developer position by learning JavaScript, receiving mentorship from a more senior developer, and developing six projects (e.g. REST API, client site, paired, jQuery, React, Sass with JS) to showcase in a portfolio.
- Complete one project per month to be reviewed by a more senior developer and apply any feedback to the next project. Mentorship includes two one-on-one meetings per week.
- Commit the same amount of time to studying and creating projects as I did when I worked. This means treating my “study time” as work time and designating a work station area.
- Utilize resources to learn new skills, including freeCodeCamp, my mentor and peers, Twitter, Reddit, recruiters, and Udemy courses.
- Prepare for interviews & revisit my resume in December 2020, then apply for positions in January 2021.
Once you have created a tangible plan, use a calendar to add more detailed touches, and then implement your plan! Action needs to take place to be successful.
4. Make a Mindset Shift
Part of the growth process for doing anything new is knowing that you may need to shift your mindset. As I previously noted, I won’t have any bootcamp experience or a CS degree to bring to the table when I apply for Front-End jobs. However, I bring transferrable skills from my experience which includes solutions-driven problem-solving, experience working effectively with cross-functioning teams, and lessons learned from building my portfolio.
Imposter syndrome may creep up. Entering a new field is not easy, and you may not feel like an expert. However, that does not mean you will not be an expert and certainly does not mean you cannot contribute to the field. Tweet something you have learned that may help a newer developer, write a blog post detailing how you built a project, talk to recruiters and build your network, and possibly take time to redefine what success means to you.
What actions are you going to take today? What other pieces of advice would you give anyone else thinking about switching fields? Share your thoughts!
