One of the realities that has shifted for workers in today’s “Workforce 7.0” is an increased sense of flexibility. Though making a leap to a new industry where you lack experience can certainly be daunting, it is by no means impossible. And you don’t have to be a fresh-faced millennial to achieve it, either. Here are a few things to think about if you are considering making the switch to a new industry.
Skills are transferable. At a basic level, much of what you’ve been doing in your old job can be translated into your new one. Problem solving, organizing, motivating, researching, and much of the rest of your skills can be transferred into your new career, regardless of what you’re looking to do. Regardless of how different the two industries are, the baseline skills for how work gets done and how you communicate with your coworkers remain the same.
You can learn a new language. Don’t forget: even if you’ve been entrenched in a single industry for many years, the human brain is an amazing machine, capable of quickly learning and adapting to all kinds of new circumstances. You may not have time to learn German, but I guarantee you that if you put your mind to it, you can do it. Now, if you were actually in Germany, this would happen a lot quicker and more naturally. The same natural evolution will take place when you enter your new career. There will be a learning curve, sure, but you can do it.
Times are changing. As I indicated in the introduction, millennials aren’t the only ones allowed to be “job-hoppers” in Workforce 7.0. The likelihood of workers staying at a single job for the entirety of their career has declined, and will continue to do so as the world of work continues to evolve. Often, solopreneurship is the answer. Whatever your decision, be confident. Know that you will not be chased out of town or looked down on as a pariah because you chose to pursue a less-trodden path.
You need to listen to your inner-voice that’s trying to guide you to fulfillment. Often it’s quiet, near muted from years of necessity and routine. I want to encourage you to make that change if you think that’s what you really need. Want to discuss it? Email me at scott@doubledareyou.us and we can set up a time to talk.
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