Preparing for a Career Change

When I graduated college, I thought I had landed my dream job. For a while, it was everything I wanted it to be. After five years in the field, I realized my career was no longer conducive to family life, work life balance, and overall did not make me happy anymore. I considered enduring the dissatisfaction because the position I accepted aligned with my college degree. I also recognized I didn’t want to face the fear of the unknown by starting over.

I had never changed careers before, and like many fellow military spouses, I wasn’t sure where to begin. There are plenty of resources out there that provide job searching tips, but if you are considering making a career change, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Where do my skills best transfer?

This was the first step in my career change. I thought deeply about my current and previous work experience, education and certifications I held. I also reflected on what genuinely interested me. I wrote them all down and that became my “transferable skills” list. For me, I considered my experience in working in academia, curriculum and program development, and interpersonal communication as my top three hard skills.

2. What motivates me?

Once I had my hard skills list completed, I started researching jobs that held those as qualifications or job duties. I had previously worked in my college’s online campus program and was excited to explore that route again, and I knew I wanted to work with students or the veteran populations in either an academic or advocacy role.

This is what I used to narrow my search on LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed and job board searches. 

3. Is a career change feasible right now?

I’ve found Glassdoor to be an excellent site to use when it comes to making career changes. It gives great insight on employee feedback, reported salary, and information about a company. This can help you determine average salary for certain job titles and whether you would want to work for that company. Also consider these additional factors:

• Do you need a remote job because you are moving to a remote duty station?
• Is there a certification or degree you need to be qualified to do that job?
• As a military spouse, have you checked to see if your certification transfers seamlessly to another state? Will there be additional costs/training associated with it?

 Career changes can be the primary motivation for job seekers to look for a new position. Ensure that you do your research, evaluate which opportunities appeal to you and plan from there. Remember, when you do take the leap and apply, don’t forget to tailor your resume to show why your previous experience and skills translate into that new job. Good luck!

Chelsea is a Transition Specialist with the Serving Spouses Team at Hire Heroes USA. She is married to her husband who is currently Active Duty in the United States Space Force. As a Military Spouse, she has a direct understanding of the unique challenges Military Spouses face and as a former client of Hire Heroes USA, has firsthand experience with their mission. She received her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and worked in academic and behavioral health settings before joining Hire Heroes USA in 2019 where she has helped over 400 Veterans and Military Spouses find meaningful employment.