Navigating Career Transitions as a Woman in Business

Whether you’re changing careers, re-entering the workforce, or pursuing a new challenge, there can be a lot of stress attached when it comes to navigating career transitions as a woman in business.

For some women, there’s a drive to find a more flexible work approach, for others it’s about finding something that aligns more with their values and aspirations, or even a desire to upskill and evolve to face a new challenge.

Regardless of the reason, it can be a daunting and challenging process, but the good news is that we’ve rounded up our best tips for navigating career transitions as a woman in business.

Let’s take a look!

Reflect on your previous experience

Changing careers or returning to the workforce can often come with some apprehension about what you’re bringing to the table.

Everything seems intimidating because it’s new, which means that it’s important to take a step back and assess your options first.

First and foremost, the most essential thing you can do in the beginning stages of navigating a career transition is to list your skills and experience that you’ve acquired across the course of your employment history.

(We’ll take a bet that there’s a lot more than you remember that can be noted down!)

The trick here is to focus on transferable skills – what skills do you have that work across industries?

This could include communication, team management, organisational skills, and your overall attitude and conscientiousness to work.

It’s about taking what you already have experience with and adapting it when applying for a new job!

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Seek opportunities proactively

A lot of us get stuck in a passive cycle of applying for jobs and waiting for replies that can seem as endless as it is tedious.

Not only is it soul-destroying, but it also puts us in a very fatigued, negative mindset, rather than fuelling our passion for seeking change in the first place!

A great way to be proactive about navigating a career change is to seek out further learning, such as online training and courses.

If you’re searching for ongoing support, platforms like the ProspHER community provide a personalised learning journey for a community of diverse, empowered women in business – even offering tailored learning and a programme for those looking to start their own business.

In either case, you’re able to challenge yourself whilst growing professionally, which is a much better tone to set for your career transition!

Network effectively

It’s much easier to connect with a person than it is to connect through your CV.

Though your CV and cover letters are important, being around other people and connecting with them on a deeper level is much likelier to provide you with results (and you can make great friends and connections along the way!).

Find local networking events or groups to connect with other women in business, whether it’s in a supportive, mentoring, or networking capacity. Each person you meet will bring something different to the table that could be integral to your career transition.

You may even meet a few women along the way that have successfully navigated a career transition, and being able to ask them questions about their experience is both a major comfort and a source of motivation.

Plus, you should never undervalue the benefit of being around like-minded people when facing a new challenge!

You’ve got what it takes

A career transition is a challenge, but you’ve faced challenges successfully before and grown from them.

Now it’s time to put your best foot forward and use all of the skills and experience you’ve accumulated up until this point to make the change you’ve been seeking!

Take action

ProspHER can help you to reach your full potential by building your confidence and skills to help you thrive – find out more about the ProspHER community here.