9 Suggestions to Start Preparing for Your Career Transition

When you’re unhappy with work, it takes a significant toll on other areas of your life. So much so, that it’s hard to find time to focus on finding something new.

When I meet with physicians to discuss the challenges they are facing in their career, one of the questions I ask is, “How long have you been thinking about making a change?”

Many have been thinking about it for several months to years before getting to the point where they were ready to take some (serious) action.

For me, the time between making the decision to transition to a nonclinical career and actually making the leap was 3 years.

And while many physicians are ready to be in a new career having a better experience of work yesterday, it can be incredibly helpful to think about what you can begin to do now to prepare for your eventual transition.

Here are 9 suggestions to get you started:

• Get clear on why you want to make the transition. This is going to be your source of motivation when things feel hard. If you’re clear and can confidently convey why you want to make a change and pursue something different, you’ll be able to share it with family, friends, colleagues, and your future employers. If you don’t believe it, no one else will.
  

• Focus on what’s ahead. When you feel like you’re barely surviving the day-to-day grind, it’s easy to understand why you’d want to find a way out as soon as possible. But making a major decision from a place of desperation could backfire and land you in a situation that is equally bad if not worse. It’s helpful to spend some time thinking about what you’re purposely moving away from and what you’re intentionally moving towards.

• Know your timeline. This is key to ensure that you have adequate time to plan - savings (give yourself a cushion by putting away a portion of your earnings each month; decide how much emergency savings will provide you some comfort - 3 months, 6 months, 1 year), the amount of time you’re contractually required to give notice, etc.
  

• Know your number. What is the minimum salary you need to cover your living expenses? This doesn’t have to be the number that replaces your current salary.  Remember that there are other benefits that may translate into cost savings such as insurance (health, life, disability), paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick days), etc.
  

• Know your non-negotiables. Are you willing to travel, if so how often and how far (i.e., locally, regionally, nationally, internationally)? Are you willing to relocate? Do you want to be a people manager or an individual contributor? Understanding your deal breakers can help you avoid getting into a situation that will not be a good fit for you.
  

• Boost your networking efforts. Reach out to colleagues and peers privately via LinkedIn, email, or text to let them know what your passions are and the type of career opportunities you're open to. Begin to increase the frequency of contact with mentors. If you don’t already have one, create your inner circle, including mentors, advocates, and sponsors. Networking can help you find out about positions and opportunities before they’re officially posted. Don’t forget about family, friends, and neighbors too. The more eyes and ears you have out there working on your behalf, the higher your chance of finding what you’re looking for…or maybe something even better than you’d imagined.
  

• Conduct informational interviews. This activity is something I encourage all of my clients to do when exploring new career directions. It will help you learn the ins and outs of positions and/or paths that you are interested in exploring further. This can give you a better sense of what the day-to-day role is like, what skills are required, and an inside window to the culture of the organization. Ask the interviewees about their story and how they transitioned into their current role.
  

• Follow physician leaders in nonclinical roles. This is a great way to learn about trends in a new field. Follow these leaders and influencers on social media. Look at where they are quoted and/or published and subscribe to those industry publications, and other relevant resources to help build your fund of knowledge before your career transition. It will get you familiar with the industry terms which can be like learning a new language (remember learning medical terms in the beginning). It will also help you be more conversant during interviews.
  

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• Identify your transferable skills. Even though you may be transitioning to a new role/industry, remember that you are not starting from scratch. The education, training, and experience you have gained from your work in medicine will help you qualify for positions where you can leverage those valuable skills. As you review available positions during your job search, this will help you to clearly see where there are gaps so you know what skills you need to acquire. Transferable skills are the things that you learned and demonstrated in your medical education and training, as well as your clinical experience, that also apply to your new role. These may include communication skills (written and verbal), project management, leadership, time management, organizational skills, prioritization, etc.
  

So, the above suggestions are a place for you to get started as you prepare for your career transition. 

Let me know which of these actions on the list you’ve already started or plan to implement first. If you have one you'd like to add to the list, please let me know.

And if you’d like some support as you prepare for your own transition, feel free to reach out. I offer a complimentary (confidential) career consultation for physicians and healthcare professionals where we can discuss your unique situation. You can schedule one by clicking here.