When making a career change, it can be challenging to gain the skills and experience needed to be a competitive candidate in a new field. This can be especially challenging for those coming from a completely different industry or who have been out of the workforce for an extended period. Often, employers will only consider candidates with specific experience, making it hard for career changers to break into their desired field. 

In this blog post, I will suggest strategies for overcoming these obstacles. With some research and planning, you can find ways to get the experience you need, often at low or no cost.

Ways to Gain Skills and Experience

Many people think first about going back to school to get a degree in a new field. While this can be an option for some, it will only apply to some individuals who have the money and time to pursue a degree program. 

So what can you do instead?

Here are some other ways to gain relevant skills and experience when making a career change:

Take a Course or Get a Certification 

Consider taking a course or certification program related to your desired field. This will allow you to learn about the industry and gain the skills needed to excel in the role without the expense of a full degree program.

Some popular options include:

1. Coursera: Coursera offers 5,200 courses, professional certificates, and degrees from world-class universities and companies. Coursera offers over 1,500 free courses, but you will pay for certifications, guided projects, and degrees.

2. Udemy: 80% of the Fortune 100 companies use Udemy to support internal skills training. Courses start below $20 and cover marketing, IT and software, design, and more.

3. edX: edX offers free and paid courses from some of the world's top universities. You can enroll in classes, boot camps, Executive Education, and Bachelor's and Master's Degree programs. You can take courses for zero cost, but there will be a fee to acquire certification or degrees.

4. LinkedIn Learning: Linkedin acquired Lynda.com in 2015 and has expanded upon Lynda's course offerings. There are many business-oriented courses but also creative and technology-focused offerings. LinkedIn also offered certifications. You get full access to the program with a LinkedIn Premium subscription. You can buy a monthly or annual subscription. Hint: Some libraries offer free access.

5. Google Digital Garage: Google Digital Garage offers free digital skills training from online learning platforms like Coursera. There are over 7,000 courses online for free. Many have a digital certificate that you can earn.

6. OpenSesame: This resource provides business skills, compliance, DE&I, and safety training, among others. It is geared toward organizational learning, yet you can buy individual seats for courses. You can also use OpenSesame to prepare for certification exams, such as for AWS, Citrix, and Microsoft.

7. Alison: Alison offers free online courses and certifications in various subjects, including business, IT, and personal development. A Premium version allows uninterrupted ad-free learning and discounts on any certificate or diploma you want to receive.

8. MIT OpenCourseWare: MIT OpenCourseWare provides free access to MIT lecture notes, exams, and videos. It covers various topics, including engineering, computer science, and business.

9. Codecademy: Codecademy offers free and paid interactive coding lessons in various coding languages, such as Python, Javascript, and Ruby.

10. Khan Academy: While Khan Academy focuses on elementary, middle, and high school courses, this can be a place to find classes on Statistics, Economics, or Computer Science. The courses are free because it was founded to provide educational opportunities to students without access to these resources.

11. Udacity: This site offers technical training in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science, among others. As of this writing, you pay monthly access.

Note: employers may not recognize some as official certifications. So it is crucial to research and check the credibility of the resource and the course before you enroll.

Volunteering

Volunteering can provide a valuable opportunity to gain new experiences and skills. By taking on volunteer roles in areas related to your desired career change, you can gain knowledge, develop new abilities, and add to your existing skill set.

Volunteering can be done in various organizations, including non-profits, charities, schools, community centers, hospitals, and local businesses. Depending on the organization and role, you can learn a range of skills and gain experience. Some examples include:

Non-profits: event planning, fundraising, grant writing, communication, and marketing.

Schools: teaching, mentoring, tutoring, administrative tasks, and event planning.

Hospitals: patient support, administrative tasks, data management, and customer service.

Community Centers: community outreach, program coordination, event planning, and leadership skills.

Let's say you want to change your career from accountant to marketing. Here are some ways to utilize volunteering to transition from accounting to marketing:

Hands-on experience - Volunteer for a non-profit organization and assist with marketing tasks such as social media management, graphic design, and event planning. By taking on volunteer roles related to marketing, you can gain practical experience and develop new skills in this field.

Skill development - Offer marketing advice and guidance to small business owners through mentorship programs.

Knowledge sharing - Teach marketing concepts and techniques to members of your community through workshops or classes.

The plus for volunteering is you can gain valuable insights and hands-on experience in your desired field while contributing to your community and making a positive impact.

Find Someone to Mentor You 

What better way to build new skills than learning from an experienced professional? A mentor can provide guidance and support, offer insight into your desired industry, and provide feedback on your skills. Mentors can also help you develop your skills by:

Assigning challenging projects - A mentor can give you projects that will help you learn new skills and expand your knowledge.

Offering guidance on professional development - A mentor can provide recommendations for training programs, conferences, and other opportunities to build your skills.

Sharing their own experiences - A mentor can share their own experiences, challenges, and successes, which can help you learn from their insights and avoid common pitfalls.

Providing feedback and constructive criticism - A mentor can offer feedback on your skills and suggest areas for improvement, which can help you grow and develop your abilities.

Connecting you with other professionals - A mentor can introduce you to other professionals in your industry and help you expand your network.

There are several ways you can find a mentor. 

Network: Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and participate in online forums to meet potential mentors. You can also reach out to people in your existing network and ask for introductions.

Research: Look for individuals in your desired field with the skills and experience you want to develop (LinkedIn is a good place for this) and reach out to them for a meeting or informational interview.

Existing Relationships: Your current colleagues, friends, and family members may know someone in your desired field who could be a mentor.

Formal Mentorship Program: Some organizations offer mentorship programs to help you find a mentor in your area of interest.

Job Shadowing 

Job shadowing is a great way to gain insight into a specific role or industry. Job shadowing is when an individual observes a person performing a job to learn about the tasks, responsibilities, and skills required. 

Let's say you are an Account Manager looking to transition into marketing. If you shadowed a Marketing Manager, you could learn about the following, which would be helpful for your career transition.

Understanding of Marketing Strategies: By shadowing a Marketing Manager, the Account Manager can learn about the marketing strategies that are used to attract and retain customers. 

Exposure to Different Marketing Channels: The Account Manager can observe the Marketing Manager using various channels such as social media, email marketing, and content marketing. This can provide insights into how these channels are used to reach customers. 

Creativity and Innovation: Marketing managers often have to be creative to stand out from their competition. The Account Manager can learn about how the marketing manager approaches problem-solving and how they develop new ideas.

Data Analysis: Marketing managers use data to inform their decisions and measure the success of their campaigns. The Account Manager can learn about how data is used in marketing. 

Reach out to professionals in your desired field and ask if you can shadow them for a day or a week.

Freelancing or Side Hustle

A side hustle can be a valuable tool for individuals looking to make a career change. It offers an opportunity to develop skills and gain hands-on experience in your desired industry. By taking on a side project related to your desired field, you can demonstrate your commitment and passion for the industry and build a solid portfolio of relevant work.

The practical experience and professional connections you gain through your side hustle can be used to enhance your credibility on a resume, making you stand out as a candidate when applying for jobs in your desired field. For example, if you are an Accountant looking to transition into marketing, starting a side hustle such as managing a small business's social media presence or creating a marketing plan for a non-profit can help you build skills in content creation, social media management, and marketing strategies. This experience can demonstrate your dedication and capability in your desired field to potential employers.

As a bonus, it can also help you build your network and connect with professionals in your desired field. By networking and collaborating with others in the industry, you can gain valuable insights, advice, and recommendations that can help you grow personally and professionally.

 Self-Study

If taking a course or certification is impossible, you can also gain skills and knowledge by self-studying. These are a few of the resources you might use:

• Online tutorials (check our YouTube for many free resources).

• Reading books or articles on a topic related to a new industry or profession.

• Skills development through projects or personal initiatives.

• Attending webinars or online events related to the sector (LinkedIn Lives).

• Joining online forums or discussion groups in the industry.

• Creating a portfolio of work to showcase skills and abilities.

A strong portfolio of self-study efforts and accomplishments can help build a compelling case for why an individual fits a particular role. Your initiative and evidence of continued learning, and your ability to showcase relevant skills can also help them stand out in a competitive job market. Plus, you gain confidence in your abilities, and your confidence can help a new employer be confident in you.

Career changers can access knowledge, experience, and skills in many ways. Employers make a priority those candidates with relevant experience. By taking advantage of online courses, books, projects, mentoring, volunteering, and other self-study methods, career changers can demonstrate their commitment to their new path and increase their chances of success. 

Shelley Piedmont is a Career Coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. I help job seekers prepare for interviews. You can engage me to help you prep for any type of interview. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.