Ask Me Anything (AMA) about changing careers to Change Management

From my very first year working in Change Management, people have asked me how to make the career change to Change. I was a Career Coach back then, and I’d simply made the change myself by doing the usual - updating my CV and applying for Change Management roles. I’d spoken to an internal Change Manager at the organisation I worked for about Change Management and she inspired me and suggested I go to the free Change Management Institute networking drinks. I went to those drinks and met lovely Changies but it’s not like I landed a role through that channel or even through my network. I made the career change to Change on my own and lonesome and through my own merit, given the chance by a beautiful leader who saw the potential in me and hired me without any formal Change Management experience into my first Change role. 

Ever since making the change myself, I’ve been an inspiration to others wanting to make the change, too. Before I’d even been working in Change Management for one year, people started asking me what Change Management is, how to make the move, how to land their first Change role etc. It’s where my Intro to Change Management webinar came from. Because what I discovered is that not everyone is so lucky to have a recruiter or a leader take a chance on them and give them their first roles in Change. 

So here’s some of the top questions I get about changing careers to Change Management:

Q. Do I need to have experience to work in Change Management?

A. No - you can use your transferable experience from your current and previous careers. However, you will need to know how to map that transferable experience, shine and showcase Change-relevant experience, and adapt and align previous experience to your new field of Change.

Q. Do I need to have Change Management skills to work in Change Management?

A. Yes - but you likely have a huge portion of the transferable skills required to work in Change. You just need to know what they are, how advanced you are with them, and what gaps you may need to close.

Q. Do I need an accreditation or certification to work in Change Management?

A. No - some professions require a license, certification or accreditation to work or operate (or it’s simply prudent to do so). Change Management isn’t one of them.

Q. Will I need to take a pay cut to work in Change Management?

A. Maybe - I don’t know your current salary or day rate. But what I can say is that Change Management is a highly-paid, female dominated profession and I got a pay rise of $15,000 when I moved to Change and tripled my salary in the space of 3 years, a big part of which was by making the move.

Q. Will I need to take a more junior role in Change Management, even if I’m senior in my current field?

A. Maybe - to get a foot in the door you might need to take a more junior Change role. However, if you’re very senior and experienced, applying for junior roles could muddy your value and you might not be successful so you may need to pitch in higher. 

Q. Can I get a Change role without learning end-to-end Change delivery?

A. Yes - but you risk feeling like an imposter, lacking confidence to lead properly, showing up armed with models, theories and methodologies rather than practical, fit-for-purpose Change tools, templates and techniques, and causing projects to seek alternative resourcing or give up on hiring a Change professional altogether if they can’t see the value.

I share in detail not just my career change to Change Management but all five of the career changes I made before the age of 35 in my new first-ever book “Pioneer Your Career Change”. “Pioneer Your Career Change” isn’t a book about making the career change to Change Management specifically - you could use the processes, tools and techniques to make any type of career change you like. 

To celebrate the launch of the book, I’m hosting an online Book Club where you can get real support and your questions answered as you move through the lessons and activities in the book. 

The Book Club kicks off next week with a live event (well... a Kick Off Party actually!) on Thursday 14 November and I’d love to have you join us:

CLICK HERE to join the free Book Club and come to the virtual Kick Off Party

Lata xx