10 Tips to Launch Your New Resilient Career
Retraining into tech: the resilient career
Influential Tech Coach, Heather Black, shares 10 tips to tackle unemployment by helping you launch a new resilient career…
With job losses now setting in, there is intrigue about what a resilient career might look like. How we can help people to transition successfully? First, let’s start by exploring what resilience could look like.
“There probably isn’t a job that is completely foolproof. However, a resilient career is about finding a job and an industry that less affected by changing market conditions. Now, we never know what is around the corner. No one anticipated the wake of Covid-19. However, we can understand the most in-demand skills. Then, walk towards the sectors where talent is most needed and sectors are likely to continue to grow. I recommend checking out the tech sector as a safe path to follow” says Heather Black, tech coach.
Heather did this in 2010, after her coaching business was affected. It vital she take stock. She had really enjoyed implementing a CRM to help manage her business. After learning about the growth of the Salesforce CRM, she decided to upskill and pursue a new career within the tech sector.
“As a business coach, it was a relatively easy switch to upskill as as a business analyst and Salesforce consultant. Eight years on, I am now running a successful Salesforce Consultancy with 20 staff. I also now reap the benefits of flexibility, a good salary and an exciting and rewarding career.”
The Birth of Supermums
Heather realised that this career could suit so many others. In 2016 she launched Supermums.org. Supermums helps mums to upskill and seek out more flexible, resilient careers in the Salesforce CRM eco-system.
Due to her good work, Heather is now considered one of the ‘Most Influential Women in Tech’ by Computer Weekly.
So, how did she transition with no experience in tech to being a mover and shaker in the industry now?
Changing career can feel like a big risk for most people with so many questions. How do you change career? How do you get your foot on the ladder? Do you need to take a pay cut? How do you upskill in new technology? How do you create a niche for yourself?
Tips
To help answer your questions, here are Heather’s 10 top tips about how she successfully transitioned career and carved out a niche for herself:
Do your research
Investigate what’s the job opportunities are by joining webinars, reading blogs, listening to podcasts, that highlight how people carved out their career in the tech space. You need to find a role that feels exciting and possible for you.
Use your industry experience
Tech solutions sell into industry verticals – initially align yourself to a customer or consultancy that works in the industry that you have most knowledge about. It will feel comfortable as you already understand the relevant processes and performance measures and you can focus on just learning the tech.
Be proud of your professionals skills
Have you been a Director, Manager, Project Manager or Business Analyst in another capacity – then take these transferral skills into a new industry. You don’t necessarily have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
Don’t undersell soft skills
Share your experience and training in communication, facilitation, presentation, sales, team management, leadership, skills etc – these are hugely relevant skills when you are supporting teams or people to embrace tech.
Bridge the gap on your CV
If you have had time out to look after kids, it’s not a gap, it’s just a different type of job. Be proud of the skills you have acquired whilst managing home and kids and talk about them on your CV.
Tailor-make and enhance your CV
Look at job specs, talk to recruiters or training providers, do your research and plan your course of action to upskill and create a relevant CV for your target job.
Learn from the best
Participate in reputable quality assured training that will get the hands on experience and certifications that you need to land the job.
Seek out relevant experience
Research, approach companies and seek out valuable work shadowing alongside a mentor or secure volunteer experience to get first hand exposure to your new industry.
Secure professional references
Whether it’s from your professional trainers, mentors or work experience clients, try to get someone to oversee, assure and verify your learning and application of new skills to get relevant recommendations on LinkedIn.
Stay competitive
Invest the time and finance as needed to learn and secure the necessary certifications to be relevant and competitive. Don’t stop short. Starting a new career in tech will require a commitment to lifelong learning as tech continues to innovate and hiring talent is assessed on the level of their knowledge and certifications.
In summary Black says.. “Remember changing career takes time and effort it’s not a quick switch. You have to be bold, determined and eager to learn. It takes a lot of guts to change your career, it’s like leaving school all over again. Remember that tech skills weren’t around 20 years ago and it’s new for the majority. It’s never to late to change career if you put in the time and effort. It’s time to put yourself into a growth mind-set, overcome your imposter syndrome and coach yourself to achieve success. You’ve got this..”
If you are interested to learn more about a career in Salesforce then read the following case studies of mums who have blazed their trail working alongside Heather at Supermums and see if it’s right for you.
Heather Black
Heather Black is a Salesforce Coach empowering individuals and companies with salesforce technology.
She leads a leading Salesforce Consultancy called Economic Change for the non-profit sector, and also founded Supermums.org , a global initiative which upskills new talent and places parents into flexible well-paid salesforce job roles. She enjoys training and coaching others to achieve their potential in the salesforce eco-system.
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