Careers blog: Navigating career transitions 

When was the last time you talked to a professional who has remained in the same role and company for over 15 years?

Employees in the UK are estimated to change between five - seven jobs in their working lives (Office of National Statistics (2021)). It is likely that for Gen Z and Alpha this might be higher. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics reports that the average American has 12 different jobs throughout their career. About 60% of UK employees consider career changes in mid-life, when priorities get re-balanced.  Research by Aviva (2024) suggests that the career changers feel that it was worth the efforts, despite challenges with skills gaps and job hunting. 

If you are looking for inspiration, consider examples like Jeff Bezos, who was a Wall Street executive when he started Amazon from his garage to build the business into one of the world’s largest retailers. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, was an executive in Apple and PayPal and leveraged his knowledge of network theory to build the platform we use now. Chris Anderson, Head of TED, was initially a journalist and publisher leading an organisation with a profit driven ethos and became the leader of a mission- driven organisation, promoting knowledge and community building.

Transitions happen within our alumni community too and I reached out to alumni to get insights on the best strategies for career transitions. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Imane Radouane, MBA Class 22-23 and Naiya Sehgal, MSc Business with Marketing Class 22-23 for their contributions.

Leverage on what you already have
Imane, who is now an ESG and Impact Senior Associate at DPI says:

“Build on your strengths and differentiation points to find an open door in the target industry. For me it was the work in Africa and the languages I know. I wanted to go to ESG and impact in finance but kept my focus on institutions operating in emerging markets.”

Identifying your transferable skills and unique differentiators is a good start. Imane saw where her previous experience and ability to speak multiple languages were going to help. We often ask students to share a career achievement with a partner in order to help them discover strengths which they might not have been aware of. You can do this with any trusted friend or speak to us to guide you through your skills identification. 

You will also need to do research into your target industry to be able to map what its requirements are. You can do this through informational interviews with people working in your desired function and industry. According to Imane: “You learn a lot even if you don't meet your future employer”. Lots of industry and company information is now available online, you can read industry and company newsletters and reports, and you can get familiar with job descriptions to understand the required skillset. As an alum, you have access to GlobalData - profiling all major companies, industries and geographies, GlobalData is a fantastic resource and is one of the most prolific publishers of business information today.

Using industry-relevant terminology, reframe your past experience and achievements. Use AI to help you with this. For example, if in a previous role you managed supplier relationships, you can easily reframe this into: ‘Developed and implemented strategic supplier partnership programmes’ when mapping to consulting.  

Update your CV and LinkedIn with the newly re-framed skills and achievements.  Imane says: “Find points in common between your experience and that required for the next move, for example establishment of processes, coordination of some kind, and orient your CV towards those key words.”

Look out for opportunities to gain exposure
Naiya, who is now a Marketing Manager at SKN, shares: “I transitioned from software engineering to marketing management, and my top tip is to actively engage in your field of interest. Start wherever you can—through volunteering, internships, or simply sharing insights. When I made the switch, I began by creating and managing my own blog and social media channels, which helped me explore my skills and passions.”

Seek out opportunities to contribute to projects that allow you to build the skill, gain experience to advance in your desired field and also to experiment. You can volunteer your expertise in cross-functional projects or additional initiatives in and out of your existing organisation.

“Change happens not by grand design but through experiment and adaptation.” (Herminia Ibarra, “Working Identity: Unconventional strategies for reinventing your career”)

Your research into the industry will identify additional qualifications or learning you might need to complete. Check out the Executive Education Programmes at WBS and other providers. You can also complete your further training online and often when I speak to alumni they share their ongoing learning with me, examples include project management, data analysis and financial management courses.  

Establish your personal brand
Naiya tells me: “I pursued an MSc in Business with Marketing at WBS, which boosted my profile, expanded my network, and deepened my expertise. Consistently sharing your knowledge not only builds your personal brand but also opens doors to new opportunities in your chosen field.”

Don’t overlook or underestimate WBS Alumni networking opportunities. Check out the Professional and Global networks and join the conversations. 

Building your personal brand is key and you need to be in charge of that. As Dorie Clark says in “Reinventing You: Define your personal brand, imagine your future”: "If you don't take control of your personal brand, someone else will define it for you."

You can start building your brand by creating a narrative, which reflects your abilities and aspirations. This can be done in three domains:

• Industry knowledge - market insights or comments around challenges in your target industry, your predictions of how AI will impact this field
• Technical expertise - sharing best practices and case studies, use of specific tools to improve processes
• Thought leadership – sharing your views and insights on the bigger picture, including industry perspectives and strategic visions, innovative ideas and even recommendations from your dissertation research. 

And remember use a professional tone and an engaging style including relevant key words and hashtags.