The careerist: How to change sector

Most people are fairly relaxed about changing jobs. But what about leaving not just your employer but your industry? Is it good way of getting out of your comfort zone or a step too far?

Why might I want to change sectors?
You might be unsatisfied in your field or feel you need new challenges. Or you might want to broaden your CV and gain experience of different areas. You may even have a burning desire to work in a particular area.

What are the benefits?
In the short term, changing industries can reinvigorate your career and offer new challenges. In the longer term, it can add real value. “If you look at senior executives you’ll often see a range of sectoral experience,” says Elisabeth Marx, a director of the executive recruitment firm Heidrick & Struggles. “Having made lateral or sectoral moves shows you’re adaptable and changeable and can perform well in a variety of different scenarios. It’s similar to having worked in several countries; it reduces your riskiness from a prospective employers point of view.”

How do I go about it?

“Really think about what your interests are and what you’re good at,” says Catherine Roan, managing director of career change experts Careershifters.org.

“Be very blue sky about it. Then start talking to people. Even with very drastic changes, the majority of people will get their new role by networking.”

Whatever you do, do not just jump in. “We see lots of examples of people who don’t do their research and wind up just as miserable in a new sector,” she says.

How difficult is it?
Needless to say, this kind of change will require considerable drive on your part and quite possibly the support of family and friends. You should also be prepared for a steep learning curve. No matter how good you are in your current role, there are likely to be very basic things you will not know in your new one. “You want your new organisation to have a decent [induction] programme and it’s good to have a specific mentor,” says Ms Marx.

How do I leverage my skills from my previous sector?

“The key points are relevance and impact,” says Tony Sheehan, learning services director at Ashridge Business School and a former engineer at Arup. “It’s the ability to bring all your knowledge to work rather than just your label. Often, when you change sector, you’ll bring experience that isn’t common and a new way of looking at things.”

He points out that people sometimes value you for skills that come from outside work altogether. “At Arup, we had a, administrative assistant who’d previously worked for a veterinarian and enjoyed horse riding. Even though her title was administrative assistant, she was our equestrian expert and probably worked and advised on 20 equestrian projects.”

Ms Marx adds: “There are parallels and overlaps between sectors, especially if you’re moving into the same functional role, but it would be riskier to change role, sector and organisation all at once.”

Nonetheless, Ms Roan stresses that anything is possible: “We’ve worked with an IT consultant who is now a guide on expeditions to the Arctic.”