Thank you to all who joined us for the live session on Thursday.
Click here to access Blaine’s Slides
If you submitted a question here advance you can click here to view Blaine’s response Advance Questions with Responses
Contact Blaine bhanson@linkedin.com
Connect with Blaine https://www.linkedin.com/in/blainehanson/
Job Search/LinkedIn profile tips:
- Tips for the job search on LI
- Coronavirus LI Tips
- Rock Your Profile LinkedIn Learning Course
- Content Creator’s Guide on LI
- How to Publish on LI
General career/workplace tips:
- The Mindful Workday.
- Manage Stress for Positive Change.
- Finding a Job during Challenging Economic Times.
- Quantifying Your Resume
- What You Should Be Doing On LinkedIn Everyday
Here is some additional insight and tips from Blaine
When Making any Career Transition it is Important to Figure out if Making the Change is the Right Decision for Yourself:
– The first thing you need to ask yourself is the WHY. WHY do you want to make a career change? You need to examine your motivations. Make a change when you have identified something that you truly want to do, and not when you’re experiencing something you want to escape. You should be running towards something exciting, not running away from something. Be honest with yourself as you don’t want to make any changes too hastily. Will making a career change make your life better? What might the associated risks be?
– Get clear on the WHAT – What does this new career look like? What does it take to be successful in this new career? Who do you know in this field that can help you gain a better understanding of the role? What expectations do you have of this new career? Do your expectations align with reality?
– Figure out WHAT’S IT’S GOING TO TAKE: Do your research. Understanding the industry and the new job is vitally important. What does it take to be successful in this new career? It’s important to understand if it’s right for you. Can you leverage existing career capital or are you interested in something entirely different? Do you need more training, education and/or support? If you need more support, how will you get it? Do the financial and emotional math. How ready are you to make the change?
– Get IN with the RIGHT people – you MUST get to know people that have been working in that field of interest and are successful. Network with people within this career to understand it and help inform your decision. What are they doing to be successful and how can you learn from them?
– Shift your BRAND – the easier you make it for someone else to “get” you, the better the odds that they’ll want to know more. How will you brand yourself in a way that makes taking a risk on you seem logical versus those who might look good on paper (experience in category)? You have transferrable skills that will be needed in the new career, make sure you can articulate them. Be confident in your professional story – own your past experiences and be proud of them. Take control over your personal branding. Perfect your Pitch. Can you clearly articulate why you want to make a change and why someone else should take the risk?
– Accept CHANGE – Change is daunting. Fear of the unknown can be terrifying. Fear of failure is awful. The secret to the other side? Take one small deliberate and brave step towards it every day. And then the steps get easier. And faster. Believing that you have the ability to make a career change is half the battle. Building your confidence and being willing to step out of your comfort zone are major and necessary factors.
– It will be tough in the beginning. But you must believe the BEST IS YET TO COME. You will have a lot of learning to do. Know that will not be easy. Changing careers is a commitment. Taking on the stress of a major life change is not easy. You can’t make a significant career change without significant effort, time, commitment, and dollars. Be proud of yourself for even trying to go through a career transition, no matter the outcome.