Reinventing Yourself: Nobody Said It Was Easy BY Dan Klamm

Last summer I left my longtime job with Syracuse University to pursue a new opportunity in the corporate sector. It turned out to be one of the best career decisions I’ve made — and also the one that produced the most discomfort.
I feel compelled to write about my experience making a career shift and I hope that it might provide some inspiration or support for other people considering a big move. Changing jobs is hard, especially if you’re going into an unfamiliar space. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Here are a few tangible tips for making a major career transition as smooth and stress-free as possible:

Make your “ideal job” list and check it twice.

Just like an employer comes up with a list of job requirements to narrow the field of candidates, you can come up with a list of requirements for what you need in your next position. This allows you to focus your energy on pursuing the opportunities that hold the highest potential, as opposed to getting distracted by every bright and shiny object (or job lead) that comes your way.
Maybe you’re looking for team management experience or the opportunity to flex your writing muscles. Perhaps you want to work for an international company with lots of travel opportunities. It could be that you need an entrepreneurial role where you can build something from scratch.  Once you can articulate these needs and desires in a prioritized list, it will be easier to focus your energy on the opportunities of highest potential.
This list can be a work-in-progress. At one point last year, I was interviewing for different roles at a tiny personal finance startup, an educational institution based in Australia, and an artsy graduate school. Interviewing at these places helped me refine my list and pinpoint what I wanted—so when I came across the opportunity at Nielsen, I knew it was going to be a good fit.

Prioritize your relationship with your potential manager. 

There is a lot of uncertainty that comes with a major career move, but your relationship with your manager—one of the biggest pieces of your day-to-day work life—doesn’t need to be a mystery. Use the interview process to gauge your prospective boss’s management style and see if you two will mesh. Is this someone with whom you can communicate easily? Is there mutual respect? Does the person listen? If things go off the rails, would you trust him/her to have your back? How does the manager speak of other team members and how do they speak of the manager? After spending an hour or two with someone, you should be able to pick up on whether your work styles are compatible.
There are so many question marks when starting a new work venture. Having a manager who is respectful, straightforward, consistent, ethical, and supportive will go a long way toward easing any stress you may feel. (Thank you, Kristie Stegen!)

Take stock of transferable skills—know that you won’t have to start over from scratch. 

When making a career change, don’t lose sight of your existing skills, past experiences, and inherent traits. Gaining knowledge of a new industry or training on a computer system might take some time, but things like communication skills, critical thinking skills, and professional judgment are transferable—and they will carry you pretty far. Even in the wildest career jumps (think: marine biologist-turned-gym teacher), you won’t be starting over completely from scratch.
I can remember coming home after the first day of my new job and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information I would have to learn; names, systems, processes, and entire job functions were foreign to me. What I realized over the following weeks was that I had a ton to learn, yes, but I brought a lot with me too.

Once you decide to make the leap, commit 100%.

I am a huge proponent of gathering information and being analytical about your career, but once you decide to make a move, it’s important to switch off the “am I making the right choice?" part of your brain and switch on the “time to kick butt” part of your brain. The first few months of a new job in a new industry can be intense and exhausting; there’s a lot to absorb, learn, and do. If you’re still questioning whether you should’ve taken the job, a few hard days at the office might cause you to throw in the towel—which would be a shame, considering that it takes most people at least six months to a year before hitting their stride in a new position.
A bunch of my friends started new jobs around the time that I did last summer. I still remember some of the conversations that we had—sharing stories of triumphs and tribulations, adjustments, and stresses. One of us had a particularly tough day and a friend said, “Well… you could just quit.” While well-intentioned, this comment was pretty counter-productive. Once you commit to a career move, make sure to surround yourself with people who will support you in making it a success—and know that it’s perfectly OK to be selective with whom you talk to (and how much you share) about work.

Embrace awkwardness.

When you leave a job or industry where you spent many years, you leave behind the network and built-in reputation that helped you thrive there. It can be scary to realize that, in many ways, you’re starting over from square one with relationships. But this presents an opportunity. When you’re new to a workplace, you have a great excuse to reach out to folks and introduce yourself, ask tons of “stupid” questions, and put yourself in uncomfortable situations where you can learn.
Over the last year I’ve been in a number of scenarios where I am the least knowledgable person in the room and I’ve been in a number of rooms where I don’t know anyone else. For me—coming from an organization where I was a "go-to person" and a “super-connector” of sorts—this was a major adjustment. But I can confidently say that putting myself in these tough situations has almost always resulted in personal and professional growth.
Reinventing yourself through a major career transition isn’t a one-and-done decision—it’s an ongoing effort. I am happy that I took the leap last year. As I quoted then, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” So… what are you waiting for?!