Many of us grew up with parents who worked in the same field for their entire careers and possibly even at one place of business for all or most of those years. But in the twenty-first century, switching fields mid-career has become more common and easier to accomplish. Whether you’re making the move to follow a new passion, earn a better salary or establish a better work-life balance, these tips will help you pivot and find work in the new industry.
Leverage your skills
Even if you’re switching fields, you have experience and skills that will serve you in a new job. Make a list of everything you’ve done and know how to do and list all these skills on your CV. Emphasize what you already can do, as opposed to what you hope to learn. When speaking to a recruiter or interviewer, remember to state your skills with confidence and provide examples of how they will be relevant in your chosen field.
Israelis tend to value initiative and experience more than degrees, so use that to your advantage. Don’t be afraid to apply for a job, even if the requirements state that they are looking for someone with a degree you don’t have. If you demonstrate why you’re right for the job, there’s a big chance that they will overlook your education.
Take a course
Despite the fact that you can get a job without any education in that field, you’ll increase your chances of getting hired if you’ve taken a relevant course. There are many vocational courses in Israel that can be done while working full or part-time, in the evenings or one day a week. Some are online and studying can be done on a flexible schedule.
Networking is king
So many Israeli jobs go to people with protexia (connections), so networking will serve you well when breaking into a new field. Someone who knows you personally, or even someone who is connected to a friend of a friend, is more likely to give you a chance than a person who’s never heard of you. Meetups, webinars and conferences are a great way to meet people in your new industry. It’s totally acceptable in Israel to ask someone you think would be a good connection to get on a short Zoom or phone call or to meet for coffee. Make them an offer that respects their knowledge and their time and, obviously, buy the coffee. If you can suggest how meeting you benefits them as well, don’t hesitate to do that.
Israelis tend to use LinkedIn to make business connections. Spend some time beefing up your profile to reflect the kind of job you’re looking for and the skills you bring to it, connect with relevant people and post interesting (but not arrogant) content. Taking a course? Reading up on your chosen field? Learning something new? All of that is fodder for social media posts that will make you look good to a recruiter.
Compromise on your first job
You may not be offered your dream job on the first try, so consider taking a job that’s a stepping stone toward where you want to go. For instance, take a job in sales support to get you closer to sales, or become a substitute teacher on the way to getting a full-time teaching position.
Another way to break into a new field is to take an entry-level position with low pay, so that you get the requisite experience that will help you get a higher-paying job later on.
Pivoting to a new field is certainly doable in Israel. It takes some networking, studying, leveraging and compromising, but if you have patience and trust the process, you can work your way up to your dream job.
