All Your Career Questions Answered: A Career Coach FAQ

This article is your one-stop place to get all your career questions answered because I’m taking the 9 questions I’ve been asked the most recently and rounding them up into a FAQ for you.

Everything from how to find cool jobs to what do I do as a creative career coach is covered.

Are you ready to start the career learning journey? 

Download your free Career Success Workshop now >>

1. Is it possible to have a creative career without a degree? 

Short answer, yes. Longer answer, hell yes.

As a creative staffer and recruiter, not once did someone’s education either help them get a role or keep them from getting a role. Being a Creative with a capital “C” is one of those fields where talent and skill weigh exponentially more than degrees or school names.

That said, if you want to move up into the management layer or C-suite, a degree might be useful to you there. 

If you decide you want to do official learning there are of course art schools, portfolio schools and grad schools.

What emerging creations will the future of your career hold? Perhaps you’ll be at the forefront of the next wave of social media creativity!

2. What are the most in-demand career skills for 2024 and beyond?

This is a big time no-duh sort of answer at the moment but…. AI understanding and it’s use to enhance your work. There are very few roles out there that AI hasn’t already infiltrated to some degree. If you haven’t begun to at least understand how AI will affect your job it’s time to get crackin’.

Genuinely the skill of actually using AI to it’s full potential will be the skill that almost everyone will need moving forward. 

For those more familiar with tech, getting in on the building of AI systems (alllll the skills that go into that) is going to be the sought after skillset for the foreseeable future.

You need to remember without a great skilling up strategy, you can easily get left behind by your competition!

3. How can I successfully change careers at 40 without starting over?

Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to ditch your data analyst gig yelling “I’m going to become an architect!” as the door hits your booty on the way out.

However, understanding the ins and outs of what a career change really takes will help you be more successful at your own should you really want to make a career transition (at any age).

First, think of what role responsibilities you want to engage in daily vs. focusing on a title. 

Focusing on what you want to do instead of what some company hs decided to title that will allow you to find many, many more possible places to do something you enjoy.

Next, research.

Unlike your first career where you either chose it and were funneled into after school or you happened to fall into it - this is your chance to choose something that makes sense for who you are now and what your life needs in this moment .

Let yourself brainstorm away (see step one) then go nuts deep diving on companies, organizations, people, initiatives etc you’d like to work with, on or for.

Evaluate your skills.

Once you’ve gotten a handle on what it is you want to do and where, do your best to assess what skills you possess that make you a no-brainer hire and where you might need to fill some gaps. 

Outline how you could fill those gaps and create a plan to get rollin’!

Finally, rock your network.

One advantage you have of being a more experienced worker is that you have a larger, more entrenched network in place. This is the time to start reaching out and letting your people know what your new direction is all about and to start rewriting your career narrative.

If you want to learn more about making a career change, check out my workshop series that walks you through the process step by step.

Top Tip: Always make sure to think about your career in terms of what values and priorities you want to honor as the person you are today (not the 21 year old who graduated with a degree their parents thought would be useful).

4. What are the best strategies for networking in a post-pandemic world?/Do you really need to network to succeed in your career?

I get it, you're busy with just trying to live your life, but if you want to retire early in the Bahamas with a Mai Tai in your hand, you need to increase your visibility within your network so you can create a career that allows you to live the life you want to live.

Networking is so important because relationships are fundamental to any successful career.

Luckily networking has become even easier since the pandemic. People are much more amenable to digital only connections in a way that wasn’t as acceptable before.

As a result, you can:

• Build a network with folx globally through digital channels

• Get super niche since there’s an online space for everything/one

• Take advantage of in-person events since now they work incredibly hard to provide value, where pre-pandemic those events were less tailored

However, you must be aware that making the connections (real, deep connections) is just as, if not more important than before the pandemic..

Also note that showing up to the networking events is step zero. For a step-by-step to make them work for you head here: How to Network At Events.

In summary: show up, be you, make real connections!

5. What are the fastest-growing industries for job seekers in 2024?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the fastest-growing occupations for the near future are (in no particular order):

•  Healthcare and healthcare management: the healthcare industry as a whole is expected to see a 19% increase in jobs in 2024, which is faster than average. This is due in part to the aging US population.

• Renewable energy: the global focus on sustainability and environmental impact is driving demand for renewable and alternative energy sources like solar, wind and hydro.

• Construction: the construction industry is the cornerstone of day-to-day living and is poised to contribute to a soon to be booming commercial and residential real estate market.

• Ecommerce: the ecommerce industry is expected to grow at a minimum of 6% in 2024 which doesn’t sound huge, but since the industry itself is so massive that percentage is a big-time chunk of the jobs market. 

• IT: As always, tech and IT jobs will continue to grow. It’s projected to continue growing at a rate of roughly 15% through 2024!

If you’re struggling to choose what your next career (or first!) might be, go ahead and download your free 5 Big Questions to Find a Career That Makes You Happy now

And stay tuned for a helpful new workshop coming soon (get on my newsletter to get the first info).

6. What are the pros and cons of pursuing a career in remote work?/How can I negotiate a flexible work arrangement with my current employer?

I’ve gotten this question(s) in various forms a lot in the last few months. I think the reason is that many of the big name companies have mandated return to office for their employees.  I've been working with remote and freelance workers since before I began my business and have some strategies that will be helpful to those of you wondering how to make it work.

As with anything there are of course pros & cons. In honor of the good ol’ pro/con list here you go:

Pros:

• Flexibility in work location and often work hours

• Potential for better work-life balance

• Elimination of commute time and costs

• Access to a wider range of job opportunities globally

• Increased productivity for many folx

• Cost savings on work-related expenses (e.g., clothing, lunches out)

Cons:

• Potential for isolation and lack of in-person social interaction

• Challenges in separating work and personal life/Risk of overworking or underworking without clear boundaries

• Difficulty in building professional relationships and networking

• Reliance on technology and potential technical issues (also upfront costs for freelancers)

• Possible career advancement limitations in some fields

If you’re still interested in negotiating a flexible work arrangement with your current employer, you’ll want to follow the this step by step plan of action:

1. Research your company's existing policies on flexible work

2. Prepare a detailed proposal outlining your desired arrangement

3. Highlight the benefits to the company (e.g., increased productivity, cost savings)

4. Address potential concerns proactively

5. Suggest a trial period to demonstrate effectiveness

6. Be open to compromise and alternative solutions

7. Choose the right time to approach your manager

8. Practice your pitch and anticipate questions

9. Be prepared to discuss how you'll maintain communication and productivity

Each of these steps will ultimately lead you to creating the worklife that works best for you.

When negotiating anything, it can be tempting to want to skip it because you’re scared, but it will have long-lasting positive effects on your career and life so prepare as much as you need to to feel confident going into it. 

If you want to get a more in-depth look at negotiation success factors, have a look over here . In this post, I discuss why negotiating your salary and work set tup can be a pivotal step in your job search journey, especially if you're seeking a job that not only fulfills your passion but also provides financial stability. 

7. How do I address employment gaps on my resume effectively?

Sending out your resume is obviously an essential factor to success in any career, which means there will be lots of info you need to cover.

Your priority should always be to showcase your skills and abilities, but if you’ve had a gap in your employment history it can feel really daunting to address what you were doing during that time. 

There are 10 things to keep in mind when it comes to addressing employment gaps on your resume:

1. Be honest: Don’t  try to hide or falsify your employment history (it will just bite you in the ass).

2. Focus on the positives: Highlight skills or experiences gained during the gap.

3. Use a skills focused resume format: This will draw attention to your abilities rather than chronology.

4. Briefly explain significant gaps: Provide a short, clear explanation if the gap is recent or lengthy.

5. Include relevant activities: Mention volunteer work, freelance projects, or educational pursuits during the gap.

6. Use years instead of months: This can minimize the appearance of shorter gaps.

7. Prepare for interview questions: Be ready to discuss your gap confidently and positively.

8. Keep it professional: Only include personal information if directly relevant to your career.

9. Emphasize your current skills and readiness: Show how you're prepared to/you did re-enter the workforce.

10.  Work that summary statement: Use this to highlight your overall qualifications and address potential concerns upfront.

For more information on how to build a great resume, check out these fantastic resources:

•  How to Redo Your Resume in 8 Easy Steps (So You Can Get a Job With Better Benefits)

• Create copy that works

• Personal help building a resume that resonates!

  8. How can I develop leadership skills in my current role to advance my career? 

I work with clients on leadership skills all the time and my Top 3 Tips for developing your leadership skills are:

1. Study leaders you admire

2. Learn to listen

3. See the bigger picture

For a deep dive, I have lots of resources to  make it easy for you to become the best leader you can be. Get started with these blog posts:

• How To Be a Good Leader (And Why It's Important)

• 3 “Good Manager” Myths Busted – Does Leading Matter?

• How to Be a Great Leader: 10 Ways to Do It Right

When creating your leadership or management style, you may encounter “imposter syndrome” rearing its head. As uncomfortable as this feels, always remember that many experts in your shoes felt the same way at one point. For more on limiting beliefs, check out this workshop.

9. How do I create a standout LinkedIn profile that attracts recruiters?

Next, let’s look at the relationship between marketing and your career. I can hear you groaning from here. Yes, you have to market yourself. You truly need to sell yourself into the job you want and LinkedIn (love it or hate it) is the number one free resource to help you do this.

For more on why (and how) to optimize your LinkedIn profile read Why you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile. If you want to skip straight to a free workbook on how to do all this just click here.

I always tell my clients to think of LinkedIn as a big, free, digital billboard just for you! It really takes less work than you think to get it ready to wow. These three elements will make your profile go from blah to OMG:

1. Write a compelling headline and summary that grab attention

2. Showcase your skills and accomplishments (really highlight those puppies!)

3. Optimize your profile using keywords so that you're more likely to appear in search results

Wrap Up

Thank you for joining me in for this Careers FAQ. I hope you found everything you were looking for.

If you’ve got a 10th burning career question that didn’t get answered here, go ahead and pop an email in my inbox at: ebs@ebsanders.com I’m here to help! You can also reach me here or on Instagram. 

You deserve a little treat for making it to the end so don’t forget to grab one of the freebies created just  to help you out!

Download your favorite freebie now >>

Yours in ‘keep those questions coming!’ goodness-

EBS

P.S. Click here to get on the list for more actionable career advice sent straight to your inbox.

—-

EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types

ebsanders.com

ebs@ebsanders.com

Unsatisfied with your work? Start HERE now!

10 Actionable Career Idea Strategies You Can Do This Weekend To Find A Career You Actually Like

Are you looking forward to the weekend?

You may want to cancel your plans to get ahead in your unique career finding plans!

Finally figuring out what it is you want to do can feel like a difficult place to make headway, but I've got 10 strategies for you that you can start applying this weekend. Or, whenever you have time if you want to do get started on your spooky season shopping instead this weekend instead.

Strategy #1. Get yourself a pocket sized notebook and actual writing implement. 

Thankfully, building your career doesn't require a big investment, but I would highly recommend getting a small notebook to carry around so that you can write down ‘contender gigs’ as inspiration strikes. You can also use it to write down your thoughts, fears and anything else you’ve got going on.

It will help your brain process the information in a way that your notes app just can’t do. 

Bonus: this gives you an excuse to hit the ‘Back to School’ aisle at your fave retailer, thrift store or you know, grab one of the 32 unopened notebooks you already have.

Strategy #2. Research Time

I know you don’t wanna, but a weekend is a great time to do things you usually don't have time & energy for during your already busy week.

Setting aside dedicated time to research potential topics, roles, paths, skills and tasks you want to do in exchange for a salary is arguable the most crucial step in the whole process of figuring out what it is you want to do. 

You don’t need a whole weekend. Genuinely, just 30 solid minutes of uninterrupted time will do. Let yourself go down the rabbit holes, dig through those old collages you made once, flip through those magazines you picked up at a garage sale. You never know where inspiration will strike. 

Strategy #3. Define Your Goals/Purpose/Why

If you've been getting burned out in doom scrolling job boards for something, anything that sounds interesting, you may need to take a minute to define your goals/ “purpose” / Why - whatever word you put to your motivating factor to get reinvigorated.

I know you’re probably thinking, “But wait, EB, you told me to do this back when I started interviewing for jobs (ones that I wasn’t even interested in btw).” And you’re right, I did. Because

You're right, but here’s the thing: you have to check in with our goals / purpose / why etc.  to ensure they still apply, feel true and be willing to change what needs adjusting.

If you're feeling a little lost with this step, I created this free worksheet on getting clear on your why. It will help you Find a Career That Makes You Happy in no time.

Get your free 5 Big Questions to Find a Career That Makes You Happy now >>

Strategy #4. Do Something Unrelated to Finding a Career

All work and no play make Jack, Jill and Sam pretty dull.

It is the weekend, and you deserve some time off, a little self-care and some freakin’ breathing room!

Taking time away from trying to find a unique career can be a great way to restore the energy (and inspiration) you need to actually come up with some great ideas. It’s why some of your best ideas come to you in the shower. You’re relaxed and just busy enough for your brain to make some connections and process all that’s going on.

Some of my favorite ways to unwind for inspiration are:

• Doing a hobby that requires your hands but not really your brain (like crochet).

• Take an urban hike. Pick a part of your city and let yourself get a little lost. Poke your nose in shops, around corners and look up.

• Go to an actual bookstore or library and let yourself wander and browse. 

Remember, when you unwind, don't keep worrying about your career. And forget about your laundry pile, stinky veggie drawer and whoever it is you need to call back. Just allow yourself to actually chill out!

Strategy #5. Book some time with your Mentor

Combining work and play is a clever way to get ahead on your career and still have some fun.

Your mentor would love to help you with concerns and worries about your career path so why not reach out before things become too overwhelming and feel unsurmountable?

Don't have a mentor yet? Take this weekend to cultivate a relationship with an expert you admire, reach out to another brand in your niche, or scroll through LinkedIn or Fishbowl groups to find like-minded professionals.

Related Post: Finding Your Career Path: What It Is, Tips, Tools, How to Do It

Strategy #6. Brainstorm Your Career Ideas

Get your whole family, group chat, and old friends involved.

If you’ve been living in your own head and this process of choosing a new career path has gone unsolved for too long, a good brainstorming session might be just what you need.

Honestly, it’s hard to figure out everything on your own. Sometimes you’re just too close to the problem (and yourself) to see the way forward.

My client Mery was at her wits end with pinning down what it was she truly wanted to do next. She’d been laid off and was taking it as a sign that the career change she’d been considering was a go. She booked a resume session with me that became a brainstorming/workshopping session.

By the end, we had brainstormed multiple avenues for her to consider and confirmed her hunches as to where her attention was being pulled and set her up with an action plan to move forward.

Strategy #7. Try Adding Visualization to Your Morning Routine

Evidence suggests that people who use visualization are able to not only relax the body, but improve athletic , academic and professional performance along with improving memory and more.

The weekend is a great way to start adding it to your career finding explorations.

You can get started before Saturday breakfast by visualizing your ideal week before you even get out of bed.

This is an exercise I have all of my clients do. I encourage you to visualize what you see, hear, taste, smell and do during your ideal week to make it even more tangible. 

I cover this strategy in detail in my blog post Visualize Work Not Sucking. 

The great news?

You don’t have to go all-in on this or spend hours of time to see if it’s working for you. You should know pretty quickly. Just test it out by spending just a few minutes relaxing, then picture yourself walking and working through an ideal week.

If you’re getting results (and I bet you will!), here’s how to amplify them:

• Tell someone about your Ideal Week mental vision board

• Create a plan to make the ideal, real

And if visualization isn’t a good fit for you, that’s absolutely okay. There are plenty of ways to uncover your unique career ideas so just move on to #8, below.

Remember, you’ve got everything to gain and nothing to lose because this one is a fun one!

Strategy #8. Create a ‘contenders list’ of potential gigs, roles, tasks etc

Do you consider yourself a “list” person? Good!

It's time to put those talents to use for your Career Ideas List.

This is another exercise I have my private clients start ASAP. I want you to gather up whatever it is you use to take notes or make lists (maybe your journal from Strategy #1?) and I want you to list Every. Single. Career. Idea. You. Have. 

I mean it. Shoot for over 100+ ideas. These can be Job Titles, companies you’d like to work with, tasks you’d like to do, amoebas of ideas of role responsibilities, wild fantasy “it can’t actually be a job” things - you get me.

This list will not only help you see patterns in your interests and ideas but when you see them all out there in black and white you’ll see which are quick no-go’s and which peak your interest enough to want to research deeper.

I don't want to hear anything about “if I had the ideas I wouldn’t have trouble coming up with ideas”. This is where you take your brainstorming from Strategy #6 and go wild with it.  Start with what you have and build from there.

You can’t find the right one idea if you never start, but you can even use this free workbook to get started >>

Strategy #9. Optimize your network

If you’re looking for another actionable way to improve your chances of landing on the perfect career idea, your next step should be to start optimizing your network

Talking to anyone and everyone about your career idea search. Not only can they help you with brainstorming, they can also act a sounding board and also as a connector to folx you should talk to.

If you don’t lean on your network, what will happen is you’ll leave gems of ideas left unfound!

Here are some optimizing ideas to get you started:

• Think past LinkedIn, start with your rec softball team or your fellow dog park goers.

• Create a spreadsheet of everyone you think you might want to start talking to, work methodically through to see who you know who knows them. Get connected.

• Organize your friend group. Ask them all who they know that you should meet. Offer up your network to them too!

Strategy #10. Implement your Framework

If you're new here, it may be the first time you’re hearing me talk about my Find Your Thing Framework. It’s my secret to helping clients find work that works for them and create careers they actually enjoy!

Here’s how it works:

• Foundation: Uncover what you need, want and are interested in.

• Exploration: Based on your foundation, explore all the options available to you.

• Evaluation: Make those big decisions!

You can find out more about that framework here >>>

I developed it because I found that many of my clients were struggling with the same roadblocks and I knew from my own experience changing careers (twice!) that having a step by step plan to work through was the way to go.

Not sure where to start? I created this free workshop and workbook you can use. It’s great for anyone wanting to change careers or just finally figure out what it is they want to do:

Download your free Career Change Starter Kit now so you can get started

Want more help with finding a unique career you actually like? 

If you have any questions on these strategies, get in touch here and I’ll do my best to help.  My mission is to help you create a career you actually like! 

I first launched EB Sanders Career Coaching when I realized that my favorite part of my career was helping folx build their own careers.

My hope is that this guide has helped you get one step closer to your ultimate goal of finally figuring out what it is you want to do (and given you a few juicy ideas for the weekend!). Hey, who said Sundays can’t be relaxing AND productive ?

Personally, my favorite strategy from this list is #4 but any one of them should start netting you better career idea generation.

And don’t forget to say hi over on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Yours in you can figure this career out goodness,

EBS

—-

EB Sanders 

Career Coach for Creative Types

My Website | Free Stuff | Pinterest

Helping you figure out what you want to do and how to do it your way.

Top 3 Mistakes You're Probably Making with Your Job Search

Ever feel like you're giving it your all but still not having any results from your job search? 

You may already have the “right” things – e.g., a website / a rockin’ resume / a stellar LinkedIn profile, but still not having luck so you feel stuck.

Or, you may have gotten some interviews but plateaued since then. 

The truth is, job searching is never easy.  There are a lot of moving parts and it’s easy to make mistakes, especially when you’re doing it alone and when you’re juggling other things, like life.

I’ve helped hundreds of people find work they enjoy, and in the process have had the opportunity to peek under the hood of their job searches.  And in the process, I’ve seen some common mistakes crop up again and again.

I’ve even made all three of these mistakes myself, repeatedly when I was on the job market back in the day so I promise you I know the power of moving past them and kicking your search into high gear.

In this post, I’m sharing 3 of the biggest job search mistakes people make. My hope is that these will help you avoid weeks (or months) of trial and error, so you can fast-track your career growth.

Mistake 1: Not telling literally everyone

This is an easy mistake to make because in your mind, not only have you told everyone you know that you’re looking for a job but you’re convinced they’re sick of hearing about it.

That’s because your job search is most likely the number one thing taking up space in your brain because it’s your number one priority. As it probably needs to be. 

I had a session with a client a few weeks ago who I challenged to tell everyone, including her UPS delivery guy that she was still on the hunt for work. Boy did she push back. She let me know in no uncertain terms that everyone she knew was tired of hearing her job search struggles and that it made no sense to tell her nail tech because… why? 

The problem with thinking like this is that you’re not allowing people to help you (and people like to help) but also you’re leaving opportunities on the table. 

I gave my client the action item of telling (or re-telling) everyone in her world that she was looking and guess what? Not only did her own sister not know she was still looking, but her next door neighbor who she was only ‘wave over the fence’ acquainted with had an opportunity for her. She has an interview next week. 

How to solve it:

There are a few ways you can tackle this one:

• Focus on one or two connections each day. This way you’ll be able to have meaningful conversations without feeling like you’re spamming people.

• Use a site like Fishbowl to make even more connections.

• Don’t stress about sticking to your ‘professional’ network. Talk to your barber, your fave barista, your gym buddies etc.

Mistake 2: Not following up

Failing to follow up on job leads, conversations, or connections is a critical misstep that can derail your job search. When you neglect to follow through, you miss out on potential opportunities and risk being forgotten by employers or networking contacts. 

Timely follow-ups demonstrate your professionalism, enthusiasm and genuine interest in the position or relationship. They also keep you on the radar of decision-makers and can set you apart from other candidates who may not take this crucial step. As a recruiter I 100% brought a candidate in simply because their follow up email was at the top of my overflowing inbox.

Whether it's sending a thank-you note after an interview, checking in on the status of an application, or nurturing a new professional connection, consistent follow-up can be the difference between landing the job and watching opportunities slip away.

Put it simply, if you keep not following up, you will keep not getting the job.

How to solve it:

• Send a personalized thank-you email within 24 hours: not just after an interview, but after  meaningful conversations or connections, promptly send a personalized thank-you email. Express your appreciation for their time, reiterate your interest in the position or opportunity, and briefly mention a specific topic from your discussion to jog their memory. This shows professionalism and helps you stand out.

• Use a multi-channel approach to vary your follow-up methods based on the situation and the person's preferences. While email is often appropriate, consider also using LinkedIn messages, phone calls, slacks, DMs or even handwritten notes for a personal touch. This diversity in communication can help you stay memorable without seeming pushy.

• Schedule future check-ins for longer-term follow-ups, especially with networking contacts, set reminders to reach out periodically. Share relevant industry news, congratulate them on company milestones, or provide updates on your career progress. This keeps the relationship warm and positions you as  proactive and engaged.

• For more on following up, head to Mastering the Art of Job Search: Your Path to Fulfilling and Well-Paying Work

Mistake 3: Not going directly to the source

Doom scrolling the LinkedIn job board will not get you a job. Job boards are a great place for research but the job search gold is in going directly to the source.

Instead of being one of 200 candidates applying into the internet pile for a random job posting that seems like you can most likely be a fit for, you can actually get the hiring manager’s attention at a company you genuinely want to work for.

You just have to take the next step leap and put yourself out there a little bit.

Here’s what I advise clients to do:

1. Create a short list of companies/organizations/people you would be interested in working with.

2. Go directly to their site to see if they have any openings.

3. Either way, send your info and pitch directly to the hiring manager.

4. Also, check in with your network. Can someone refer you? Make that ask.

And because I believe knowledge should never be inaccessible, I want to offer you my workbook “How to Deal With Job Search Overwhelm” for free. Grab the free guide where I show you how to have a stress-free job search!

Wrapping it up

If you've been making these mistakes with your job search, it’s not your fault. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there. But once you’re aware of them, you can start making the changes you need to get that gig. 

If you want my help with your job search, I invite you to check out “Strategic networking. It can actually be fun & easy.” It’s workshop jam packed with all the info you need to make your network work for you.

Also, click here to download my free Job Search tracker now

If there's one thing I've learned in all my years in the industry, it’s that you really can do what you want to do (and get paid for it!).

Is your head still swimming with questions? I have a blog post that covers more job search essentials over here  and a newsletter packed with free, actionable advice right here.

Remember, I’m available to answer any questions here and on Instagram or TikTok.

Yours in ‘move on from mistakes’ goodness-

EBS

P.S. Click here to download HOW TO DEAL WITH JOB SEARCH OVERWHELM now and get 5 actionable ways kiss overwhelm goodbye.

—-

EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types

ebsanders.com

ebs@ebsanders.com

Unsatisfied with your work? Start HERE now!

10 Things You Need to Know About Changing Careers

Tell me, how many articles on changing careers have you read so far?

That's what I thought.

By the end of this post, you will have a firm understanding of career changes and how they can fulfill your dreams.

Because “Career Change” is such a dense and complex topic, we will be spending a lot of time together.

As a career coach with over 20 years of experience helping folx figure out what they want to do, I have made it my mission to help people like you create careers that they actually enjoy.

Do you want to know more about how to change careers with the least amount of friction possible? Have a look over here for a free workshop to get you started.

Let's dive into everything you need to know about changing careers. You'll be a master of it in no time!

Psst…Want to download this guide so you can keep it handy? I created a downloadable PDF so you can do just that.

Download the Career Change Starter Kit now >>

Career Change Element #1: How to change your career when you have no idea?

Before we delve into exactly how to change careers, we need to look at how to change careers when you have no idea. 

What many people get wrong about making a career change is thinking you can only have a successful career change by focusing on the skills you posses.

So what you need to understand to be successful is that you need to start not with your skills, but with your values. 

For example, my client James ended up  switching from the healthcare “industry” to working with his hands. He was burnt out on what the industry actually valued (hint, not people or health) and he wanted to do something where not only could he see the fruits of his labor but he actually helped people and made them happy. He’s gone on to be a successful contractor/builder/designer and is living his values.

Don't be scared to get personal with your professional. Knowing who you are will allow you to find work that actually works for you.

How to prepare for changing careers

Before you jump in and do the thing, there are some things you can do upfront to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. It’s important to set some guidelines and goals so that you can create a clear roadmap for yourself.

You've got an internal compass that you use every day to direct and define your experience on this planet whether you realize it or not.

Your values and priorities, while they can change, are wired in deep at the core of who you are. They help you know what's important to you and help you create meaning in your life.

They're also the powerful foundations for any kind of meaningful goal. So let's get started with defining what they ARE, shall we?

Here are some other tips to ensure success:

• Do your best to not compare your career journey and outcomes to others. Comparison really is the thief of joy.

• Do set goals and milestones that truly resonate with you and your values and not what you believe is “supposed” to be the right path.

• Do let yourself think past set expectations of what you believe to be possible. Your literally can’t know what’s doable until you give it a shot.

Career Change Element #2: Finding your unique career doesn't have to be rocket science

Figuring out your ideal job can be as straightforward or complicated as you make it.

I’m not saying it’s easy. This is a crucial step that many people struggle with, even after they have spent months or even years trying to find a unique job that pays well. It’s actually pretty common to shift gears once you’ve decided on a new career for a while and it’s time to tweak it to make it your ideal job.

But what’s important when you’re just starting out is to keep your momentum going. Too many people procrastinate making a decision with their career change and then they have a hard time moving forward because they are scared. 

So if you’ve been struggling with the fear, this post will guide you through the process from start to finish. 

Your ideal career is absolutely personal and only you can decide what it truly is. Some questions you can ask yourself to better define what work would actually make you happy are:

1. What are your top priorities in your life right now?

2. What activities make you feel inspired/purposeful/powerful? Why?

3. What do you want to accomplish through your work?

4. When you are at your absolute best, who are you being?

5. Imagine you just had an ideal week. What three things did you do/tasks did you complete?

Career Change Element #3: Yes, you have a career narrative

Did you shake your head and think, “My career doesn't have a story, I’m just bumbling along like everyone else”?

Let’s talk about that for a minute. 

Every career has a narrative. Think about what makes you unique and your journey make sense. For me (before I put the pieces together) I couldn’t see that my two big career changes had any story other than “This lady has no idea what to do.” But going from teaching to staffing to coaching is the story of someone who absolutely loves helping people figure things out. Things like who they are and what they want to do and what makes them happy.

Things to think about when it comes to your career narrative:

• What do your past experiences have in common? Look for the string that ties all your past work experiences together.

• Where are you heading in my future? Suss out what all those experiences have meant in terms of where you’re headed now.

• What is your greatest accomplishment? This can be from school, work, your life, anywhere. But think about why you consider it such an accomplishment.

Career Change Element #4: Find your ideal career.

When you think about your career, what do you consider to be your biggest hurdle when it comes to being happy in it? It’s time for a little professional growth, career planning, self-assessment.

Hear me out. You have to be specific, because you will gain more clarity on what you bring to the table as a candidate and why you should be a no brainer hire in your ideal career. Hey, dream big!

One of the best ways to get crystal clear on what your ideal career would look like is to take a personal deep dive. Start a journal, meditate, put sticky notes on the wall - whatever makes the most sense for you, but you want to get dep and honest about what your sticking points are and how (or if) you want to overcome them.  

If you don’t drill down and get specific you’ll find yourself in the same place you are now, only doing it from the other side of a career change. 

If you think you don’t have time for this, let me tell you that you’ll be wasting time if you skip it. You will spend months and months researching available careers and roles out there and talking to the wrong people and then not be able to change into a career that actually makes you happy.

Career Change Element #5: Align your work values with your values

Chances are when you imagine what your career should represent, you haven’t actually thought about it too deeply. 

This isn't necessarily wrong but you really want to know your values and make sure your career and work are in alignment.

If you focus on what you actually value (not what you’ve been told to think of as important), your values will show through, attract the right employers and allow you to find some meaning in your work.

When Mel first came to me, she was struggling to get clear on her personal values. By the end of our time together, she became crystal clear on her values and how they informed her priorities. She then ended up changing careers from one that was “ok” to one that absolutely resonated with those same values, completely re energizing her work and her longtime goals.

Related Post: Want A Career that makes you happy? Tell me What You Value.

Career Change Element #6: Find your work purpose

Whew! You're halfway through this guide on changing careers. How are you doing? Full speed ahead or flagging? Grab yourself a cup of whatever makes you happy to keep you going.

If you've been paying attention so far, you may be wondering, “How exactly do I find my “purpose”? Does my career even have to have a bigger purpose?”

The answer? No. 

Surprised? I don’t believe that you need (or should) to dig that deep. Your work shouldn’t necessarily be your life’s purpose. Should it allow you the life you want to live and feel that you’re being true to yourself? Absolutely. Should it be your “dream” job and be the container for all your hopes and sense of purpose? Whoa. No.

This isn’t about “finding your purpose” or “finding your passion” this is about outlining what you want your career to do for you. 

In a nutshell, here’s what it looks like find meaning in your work without worrying about finding your purpose:

• Step #1: Clarify what you want your career to provide you

• Step #2: Identify your values and priorities as you understand them to be today

• Step #3: Determine what makes you feel empowered, inspired and/or purposeful

• Step #4: Based on your parameters decided on in steps 1-3, research what roles and fields fall in line with them

These steps are just the tip of it. I have this in-depth blog post Navigating the Career Maze: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Perfect Fit

Career Change Element #7: Consider the career pivot 

Have you heard of career pivot before? Don't worry, there is no shaming here if you haven't.

While career switch and career transition are more well-known in, going for a career pivot isn't discussed as often.

A career pivot is exactly what it sounds like. You’re not making a drastic change or transition but simply… pivoting. This might mean taking on a different role in your field or the same role in a different field, or changing industries but keeping the same title, role responsibilities and goals. For most people this means moving just a little. Either by taking on new responsibilities or expanding your purview.

I am no gatekeeper over here at EB Sanders Coaching! I love sharing all the ins and outs of all things career, and career pivot is one of those less obvious parts that many overlook and then they think they have to throw everything out and start from scratch with a complete career change as a result. 

Career pivot is doing what you do in a slightly different way. That’s it.

In other words, let’s say you’re an office manager and you pivot to project management in the same field (maybe even same organization). The roles have lots of overlap but they are distinct and different enough to technically be a different career.

Here’s how you can add career pivot to your new career possibilities research:

• Audit all the tasks, role responsibilities and skills you engage with in your current role.

• List all the role responsibilities you’d like to take on.

• Brainstorm multiple ways you could do that with as little friction as possible.

Career Change Element #8: Shout out your professional reinvention

Professional reinvention is where you take everything you've learned so far about your ideal career, your career narrative, and personal branding to create the perfect “recipe”- e.g., spot-on sales materials that resonate and pull people in.

Fact is, you can’t create the career of your dreams without having all your other marketing materials in place. Sorry, no shortcuts!

What am I even talking about? Your LinkedIn profile, a resume that resonates, and if it makes sense a portfolio or website to highlight your work.

To help you get started, here are some deep dives into each of these: 

• How to Sell Yourself Into the Job You Want (The 3 Things You Need to Have)

• Creating an Impressive Resume and Portfolio: Your Gateway to Career Success

• How to Redo Your Resume in 8 Easy Steps (So You Can Get a Job With Better Benefits)

• The 10 Strategies You Need to Know to Get Your LinkedIn Profile Noticed.

Career Change Element #9: Your action plan

Shout out to everyone who's still reading at this point. We’re just about there!

Now that you’ve thought deeply and made some decisions about your career change it’s time to make an action plan. You might be getting excited about future possibilities and just want to get going but unless you make a detailed action plan you will find yourself most likely overwhelmed.

When you're creating your career change action plan, here are some things you need to consider:

• Thing #1. – What is your end goal? Unless you are very clear on exactly what it is you want to do, you will waste time and effort. 

• Thing #2. – Start with your end goal and reverse engineer all the milestones, action items, tasks and to do’s you’ll need to hit to make sure you reach your goal.

• Thing #3. - Think about what you will need during this process to keep from being overwhelmed and to stay motivated. Make sure you set up the support system that will help you succeed.

For me, this was the most important thing I learned during my first career change. I didn’t have a plan and I just went into all a willy nilly. Not only did it take me years to change careers, I was overwhelmed, stressed out, confused and stressed. Did I mention stressed? 

For my second career change I mapped out everything in detail (maybe a bit obsessively) but it served me well. I was able to make a complete change in a fraction of the time, with way less overwhelm and minimal stress.

If you’d like some help with all this, head here:

Career Change Element #10: Networking matters, a lot

Ding, ding, ding, here we are at your career change!

This is my favorite element of the whole process. I know I say that in every post, but this time it's because when people learn to enjoy networkings, it takes their career to a whole new level. Gone are the days of feeling like an imposter looking from the outside in.

Do you remember when I said you needed an optimized LinkedIn profile?

You might have read that and rolled your eyes, but now I hope you can see how setting yourself up for networking success is setting yourself up to actually enjoy your work.

If you approach it as meeting and hanging out with nice folx who share interests with you, it becomes a whole different ballgame.

Key Takeaways

I hope this mammoth post about changing careers has made the puzzle pieces of finding a unique job, creating meaningful work, and crafting your ideal life come together in your mind.

I have all the faith that you will not only figure out what your “dream” job is but create a plan that allows you to get that gig!

If you have any questions, reach out here or on Instagram. There are no wrong questions, and I am always happy to hear from you!

A final tip for you for reading through to the very end:

All of your hard work put into your career will pay off. Do not give up. Rock that career change. You're getting your happy future! I am so excited for you.

Don’t forget to download your Career Change Starter Kit below…

And if you want more help with your career change or pivot, go ahead and grab yourself free consult call.

Yours in ‘do what you want’ career goodness,

EBS

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EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types

ebsanders.com

ebs@ebsanders.com

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