Changing careers can be daunting. However, sometimes a career change doesn’t mean changing companies. If you love your company but hate your job, you might be able to transition your role. It is often easier to change within an existing company than apply for a new role.
This is especially true if you’re interested in pursuing a career in UX Design, Data, or Coding. Many companies are struggling to get the talent they need to fill open technical roles, even with rampant layoffs and a global recession. Gaining digital skills is one of the most effective ways to change jobs internally without leaving the company.
With that in mind, keep reading to discover the benefits of making the switch and what factors to consider when changing careers internally.
Why changing careers is a good thing
You’re not the only one who thinks that changing careers is a good idea. Employers are actively looking to hire people with transferable skills, so you’ll have more job opportunities than you might think. Many employers even offer internships or apprenticeships to those who want to change career paths.
Bottom line. If you want to work in a different field but don’t know how to start, consider working toward your new career while keeping your current job as a safety net. It’s never too late—or too early—to make this decision for yourself.
Here are some of the top reasons you should consider making the switch:
- You will be happier. This can’t be emphasized enough. When you’re working on something that you love and are passionate about, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day details of your job—and not just because it sounds so fun. It’s because you’re doing something that aligns with your values and interests, which is an incredible feeling.
- You can focus on your strengths. Changing careers is a good thing for a lot of reasons. For starters, you can focus on your strengths and become more effective at work. Plus, as an added bonus, changing careers means tons of new opportunities are just waiting for you. It’s not always easy to decide to change careers—but once you do, it’s worth it.
- Technical roles are a great career path to pursue inside and outside of your company. We all know that tech is an incredibly exciting and rapidly growing field, but many people don’t realize that you don’t need to go back to a traditional school or university in order to pursue a job in this sector. General Assembly is one of the best options for those who want to learn the most in-demand technical skills and find the job of their dreams.
With General Assembly, you’ll have access to our expert teachers and mentors who can help you understand the technical concepts that are most relevant to your industry or role.
Our curriculums are designed so anyone can learn how to code, become a data scientist, a UX designer and much more, regardless of age, current career or background.
4 in-demand tech and non-tech jobs for 2023
Whether you want a job that will always be in demand or simply get paid more money than before, these four high-paying jobs are worth considering in 2023 and beyond.
- UX (user experience) Designer
A UX designer is a person who designs the user experience of a product or service. They’re responsible for ensuring that the way an app, website, or piece of software works matches users’ expectations when interacting with it.
If you want to become a UX designer:
- Get some experience working in design (or other related fields). You can find jobs as an art director or graphic designer if you’re interested in UX design but not sure about getting into this kind of work just yet. This will give you valuable insight into how products are made and allow you to learn more about the field before making your career change.
- Learn how people use technology and what makes them happy when interacting with apps and websites online so that you can create more intuitive interfaces that make it easier for people to accomplish tasks quickly without having trouble figuring out how things work!
- Digital Marketing Specialist
Digital marketing is promoting products or services using digital technologies, mainly on social media and search engines.
What are the skills needed to do digital marketing?
The most sought-after skills for a digital marketer include:
- Advanced knowledge of Google Analytics, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro), and HTML5/CSS3 web development languages.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills are important for this job. If you have experience writing copy for landing pages or email campaigns, that’s an added bonus!
- I can be helpful if you have some experience with Google AdWords; however, it isn’t essential because most companies use third party vendors like Hootsuite to manage their campaigns these days (and they hire agency staff who do).
- Software Engineer
Software engineers are the people who design and develop the software that powers the world. They’re responsible for ensuring the code is reliable, secure and easy to use.
Software engineers need to know how computers work on a deep level because they’re building tools that millions of people will use every day. They also have to be good at problem-solving since some problems can’t be solved with just one approach or solution.
- Data Scientist
A data scientist is a person who uses math, statistics and programming to analyze large amounts of data. Data science jobs are in high demand right now because businesses have a lot of data they need to analyze. Businesses also need people with these skills because they’re being asked to solve new problems requiring an understanding of information technology (IT).
Data scientists earn a lot of money: in some areas, they can make $100,000 or more per year! Good communication skills and problem-solving abilities are also important for success.
Your career change FAQs answered
With that in mind, let’s also answer some common career change FAQs when changing roles within your company or undertaking a career change to another company.
How do you tell your boss you want to change roles?
If you’re interested in changing roles within your company, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, make sure that you know what kind of role you want to move into. If you’re unsure about what kind of job you’d like to do, talk with people in similar positions and ask them what they like about their jobs and their challenges. Talking with people who are actually doing the job will give you a better idea of how it works and what skills are necessary for success.
Next, research the department or division where you think you might fit best. Find out if there are any open positions or opportunities for advancement within it—if so, apply. Before you do, you should know if the job requires certain skills and highlight those on your resume.
Finally, remember that changing roles within a company can be difficult—both for your employer and for yourself. Your boss may feel as though they’re losing an employee who has worked hard over time, and you might have difficulty adjusting to your new boss.
How do I convince my company to sponsor my career change?
If you’re trying to convince your company to sponsor your career change, the best thing you can do is lay out the reasons why it’s worth it.
First, make sure you understand what they value most. If their focus is on metrics and results, then explain how this new career will help them achieve those goals. If their focus is on employee happiness and team culture, explain how this new career will help build that culture and create a happier workplace.
Then make sure you’re addressing any concerns they might have about the change—for example, if your current employer isn’t supportive of employees pursuing side hustles or other non-work activities outside of their normal work day, it’s important to communicate that fact upfront so that they know what they’re getting into (and so that they don’t feel like you’re asking for something unreasonable).
Top 3 steps for a successful internal job transition
It’s tough to leave the job you started in college or, even worse, the one that you had for years. But sometimes it’s necessary to change your role at work. Here are some tips on how to make an internal job transition successful.
- Understand the need
Before making any decisions, you need to understand the need behind the transition. The company will not ask you to do something they don’t believe is important or don’t have a plan. This means that your manager has thought this through and has probably been working on it for some time.
You also want to know what kind of skills this new role will require and how much of a challenge it will be for you. If it’s something that seems beyond your current comfort level, then perhaps this isn’t the right time or place for you yet – but if it comes with a raise or promotion (or both), then maybe now is just right.
- Map out your skills
Make a list of what you do well. It can be as simple as: “I work hard, and I have a great attitude!” Or it can
be more specific, like “I’m good at helping my team members get better at their jobs by being an effective teacher and mentor.” Think about what your strengths are. What are some of the things that you enjoy doing? List out different skills, such as writing code or designing websites—and then take each one further by asking yourself: “What am I good at in this skill area? What do I like about it? Why is it important for the role I want to move into next?
- Embrace your new role
You’re going to be doing things you haven’t done before and working with people you don’t know. Don’t let that be intimidating! You need to embrace the change, learn new skills, and embrace growth opportunities to succeed in your new role.
Accept that it’s going to take some time before you feel comfortable with the changes. It may take some time before you feel like you fit into your new role, but try not to get discouraged if it seems like it takes longer than expected.
Transitioning at work is tough, but it will be worth it
Career transitions are tough, but they’re even tougher when you don’t have the right resources and support.
To figure out what career change is right for you, check out our “Land the Work You Love” eBook.