How many of the people you know have changed their careers? Across the working population, what percentage of people will stay in the same sort of job, and how many will change to something very different? As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states, it’s quite difficult to put on exact figure on this, but the consensus is that more people are seeking to change careers now than in the past. New technology and other changes mean that entirely new jobs and careers have been created, there is more emphasis on well-being, personal growth and individual fulfilment, and the idea of “having a job for life” is increasingly a thing of the past.

However, making a career transition often isn’t easy. There are many barriers to taking this step, some concerned with external factors, but many have to do with your internal self-awareness, knowledge and motivation.

For a successful transition, there are several ways in which training and development, at both an individual and an organizational level, are crucial. There are also concrete steps that individuals in the learning and development (L&D) space can take to effectively navigate a career transition. Let’s explore these steps in more detail.

Establishing the reasons for a career change.

It’s often useful for L&D professionals to write down their reasons for wanting to make a career shift, and then to review these carefully. Are they more positive (looking forward to the chosen career path) or negative (listing what’s wrong with the current role)? If the reasons are mainly negative, are there ways in which the current job can be improved, or training or development that can be offered, without necessarily making a career shift? What are the triggers making you want to leave your job, and are they more about the organization, or your manager or other external factors?

Considering these factors will help you decide whether you’re looking for something completely new, for a similar job but in a different organization, or even to identify specific changes to your current job that will allow you to stay where you are. These changes could, of course, include training and development activities to help you perform and fit better in the role. It may also include training and development for your manager.

Building self-awareness.

To successfully navigate a career transition, it’s important to have a clear picture of your skills, interests, values and personality traits. Interest questionnaires like the Strong Interest Inventory and developmental personality measures like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, combined with feedback on the results, are very useful here.

As well as giving people a deeper insight into themselves, these assessments can suggest career ideas that they may not previously have thought of. It’s also important to think through your abilities, skills and expertise. What do you do well? What doesn’t come easily? Additionally, take some time to think about what, deep down, is most important to you about your L&D career: What are your values, and to what extent are they met or not met in your current role?

Researching possible new L&D-related careers or roles.

Once you’ve identified your potential new L&D-related career or role, it’s important to do your homework. Do these roles match up to their preconceptions about L&D, or are they in practice very different? What skills or qualifications are needed to embark on this career transition? Will you need to begin in an entry-level position, and what will be the financial implications be of doing so? What are the current trends and long-terms prospects in this area? It helps if you can establish contacts who can give you inside knowledge of these roles, such as mentors, career coaches or others who have experience in the specific L&D function you’re looking to break into.

Recalibration.

With this knowledge gained, L&D professionals can revisit their skills, qualifications and other personal qualities. How suited are these to the chosen new L&D career, and what transferable skills can you bring from your previous roles? How can you fill any skills gaps?

This is where training and development can be extremely useful. Depending on the requirements of the new career, and your existing qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience, this could include:

• Training or tutoring to achieve formal qualifications.
• Development of new skills via training programs, such as specific technical skills, or soft skills such as communication or building resilience.
• Renewal and refresh of existing skills or knowledge that have not been needed in recent roles.
• Gaining specific insights and knowledge via training programs, online learning or focussed reading in order to pick up the latest trends, job-specific knowledge and current best practices.
• Role-specific training.

If the gap is very wide, you might want to refocus your career aspirations before moving on to development activities.

Planning.

It’s important that L&D professionals define their career goals and set realistic, achievable objectives. For some, an element of project planning training may prove useful here. Create a plan for gaining any additional qualifications, expertise, skills, knowledge or experience and look for opportunities to gain practical experience.

Make a list of possible challenges or setbacks and decide how (and maybe if) these can overcome these is a useful discipline. Issues faced by many people looking to change career may include rejection at the job application or interview stage and, once in post, a loss of status or seniority (at least temporarily) and a reduced salary compared with existing roles. Recognize that you may need to start at an entry-level position — but remember that these entry-level roles can act as stepping stones to achieving your ultimate career goals. Developing resilience is important here.

Build and utilize your professional network.

It’s helpful to connect with other L&D professionals who can offer advice on the L&D job role or function you’re looking to transition into. This might include attending networking events, joining online forums, and using social media platforms like LinkedIn to establish meaningful connections.

Patience, resilience and time.

Remember: Career changes take time, and it’s normal to experience setbacks. Learn from your mistakes, stick with your goals and stay positive throughout the process.

View key insights in Training Industry’s L&D Career and Salary Survey through the report below!