Episode•August 1, 2023•13 min

I Switched Careers & So Can You! Here's How! | Ep. 251

Need a career change? Join Tiffany Grant on her podcast to learn tips and strategies for successfully changing careers. Hear from Tiffany about the importance of identifying transferable skills, finding the right resources, and how to balance financial security while taking this leap in your professional life. She'll also discuss potential challenges and ways to tackle them with courage. Get ready for some inspiring advice that'll help you pursue your dream career! Every Tuesday, Tiffany answers one of your submitted questions. To submit a question for an upcoming episode, visit here: https://www.moneytalkwitht.com/asktiffany If you need help talking through your career pivot, I would be happy to help! Be sure to book a consultation to see how I can help: https://academy.moneytalkwitht.com/15-minute-consultation Additional Resources How To Quit a Job Without Damaging Your Career The Career Toolkit with Mark Herschberg | Ep. 97 Visit our website for more career tools and resources: https://moneytalkwitht.com This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Identify and leverage transferable skills when pivoting careers
Map existing skills like public speaking, curriculum development, or people management to new roles
Reframe experience on your resume using terminology from target job descriptions
Use keywords from job postings to pass recruiter ATS filters
2
Do informational interviews before making a career move
Reach out to people currently in your target role via LinkedIn or personal networks
Ask about day-to-day realities, pros/cons, and required skills
Use this intel to confirm fit or adjust your approach before investing time/money
3
Maintain financial security during a career pivot by keeping your current job
Avoid 'do or die' situations that cloud judgment and increase stress
If already unemployed, evaluate options from a place of clarity rather than fear or scarcity
Multiple career pivots are normal—treat it as a journey, not a single destination
4
Build a personal 'board of directors' for support during transitions
Include people who give honest feedback, those already in your target field, and trusted confidants
Ignore or filter out projections of fear from others who can't envision the pivot themselves
Remember: 'Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear' and 'do it scared'
5
Use low-cost or free learning resources instead of always returning to school
Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Udemy offer targeted courses
Shadowing or mentoring relationships can provide practical knowledge without formal degrees
Self-guided learning is often sufficient for many career transitions

Intro

Tiffany Grant answers a listener question about successfully pivoting careers, drawing from her own multiple career transitions from culinary aspirations to admin work, HR, finance, and full-time entrepreneurship.
Tiffany Grant is a financial coach and host of the Money Talk with Tiff podcast who has personally navigated several career pivots throughout her professional journey.

Ask Tiffany a question Book a consultation Website

– Defining a Career Pivot

A career pivot is a significant change in professional path, often involving a shift to a new industry or role. Tiffany shares her personal journey through multiple pivots: from aspiring chef to admin assistant/receptionist, to HR, to finance at a firm, to full-time entrepreneurship.

Do it scared.
– Erica Young via Tiffany Grant

– Tip 1: Identify Transferable Skills & Update Your Resume

Map your current skills to the target role. For example, a teacher transitioning to corporate training can highlight public speaking, curriculum development, and people management. Reframe experience using language from job descriptions and incorporate keywords that ATS systems scan for.

– Tip 2: Consider Retraining or Self-Guided Learning

You may need certifications or degrees, but self-guided learning can be equally effective. Tiffany learned HR by finding a mentor to shadow while still working as a receptionist. She now has students conduct informational interviews—reaching out to professionals in target roles for insights without necessarily asking for a job.

LinkedIn Learning
Coursera
Udemy

– Tip 3: Maintain Financial Stability During the Transition

Keep your current job while exploring new opportunities to reduce stress and maintain clear thinking. If already unemployed, avoid making decisions from a place of fear or scarcity, which can lead to jumping 'out of the frying pan into the fire.'

– Challenges: Fear, External Projections & Building Support

Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.
– Tiffany Grant

Others may project their own fears onto you, especially when making bold moves like leaving a stable job as a single parent. Build a personal 'board of directors'—a support network including honest truth-tellers, people in your target field, and trusted confidants. Some board members may not even know they're on it.

– Resources for Career Pivots

LinkedIn Learning, Coursera for courses
Twitter, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups for networking
Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn for job searching

Resources

How To Quit a Job Without Damaging Your Careerarticle
The Career Toolkit with Mark Herschberg
LinkedIn Learningtool
Courseratool
Udemytool

Topics

career changecareer pivotjob searchresume tipstransferable skillsinformational interviewprofessional developmentnetworkingfinancial securitypersonal development