Tips for Building Careers Beyond Traditional Roles

I used to think career success was a ladder – until life taught me it’s more like a winding path. Embracing detours has been one of the most valuable lessons in my career journey. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝟭𝟬 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿: ➡️ Be Open to Unexpected Opportunities Growth often comes from roles you didn’t plan for. ↳ Say yes to projects outside your comfort zone – they may lead to your next big move. ➡️ View Setbacks as Stepping Stones A career “pause” or shift isn’t failure; it’s redirection. ↳ Reflect on what a setback taught you and how it prepares you for what’s next. ➡️ Build Skills, Not Just Titles Skills you pick up in one role can unlock opportunities in another. ↳ Focus on mastering transferable skills that keep you versatile. ➡️ Network Beyond Your Industry Career paths often connect through unexpected people. ↳ Invest in relationships outside your current role – it’s often who you know that opens doors. ➡️ Prioritize Personal Growth Over Promotions True career fulfillment comes from alignment, not titles. ↳ Ask yourself, “Is this role helping me become who I want to be?” ➡️ Accept the "Side Step" as Forward Movement A lateral move can be strategic if it brings you closer to your goals. ↳ Seek roles that build critical experience, even if they aren’t an immediate step up. ➡️ Stay Curious About New Fields Sometimes your passion doesn’t align with your degree or background. ↳ Explore areas of interest, even if they don’t “fit” your current role. Curiosity can lead to big shifts. ➡️ Create Value Where You Are Meaningful impact can open doors faster than climbing ladders. ↳ Focus on making a difference in your current role, even if it’s not your end goal. ➡️ Pace Yourself – There’s No Deadline Success is a marathon, not a sprint. ↳ Trust your timeline and avoid comparing your progress to others. Career paths are deeply personal. ➡️ Remember – Growth Can Be Nonlinear Each role and experience adds layers to your unique path. ↳ Embrace every twist and turn; they’re all part of your story. The straight-line career is a myth. Embrace the detours – sometimes, they’re where you find your greatest success. Quote: Gary Tan -- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost to remind others that career paths are unique. ➕ Follow me Nico for tips on designing an intentional and fulfilling career path.

7 Steps I Used To Change Careers (From Healthcare To Microsoft) With No Experience: 1. My Pivot Story I started my career in healthcare, working as a medical device sales rep in North Carolina. Two years later, I landed a role in tech sales at Microsoft in New York City. Here are the steps I used to make that career change without any formal tech experience: 2. I Started With Clarity Before I sent out resumes, applied, and networked? I focused on getting crystal clear about the specific types of roles and companies I wanted to work for. Juggling the possibility of multiple job titles and industries is overwhelming and stressful. When you have a single north star, you can invest 100% of your time and energy into it. 3. Then I’d Found People Who’d Done It Before I crafted a list of criteria I wanted for myself: Specific Job Titles Specific Companies Specific Locations Specific Salaries Then I used LinkedIn to find people who met those criteria AND came from a non-traditional background like mine. 4. I Used Those Connections To Craft A Blueprint How do I build the right experience? How do I position my non-traditional background? What mistakes should I avoid? I used the connections I just mentioned to gain clarity on all of those things so I could craft a plan for building the experience I needed to fit the skills and narratives companies would buy into. 5. I Created My Own Experience I wanted to work in advertising technology (think Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc). Rather than hoping someone would give me a chance to get experience? I went and created my own. I took courses, volunteered my skills for local orgs, then used those success stories to freelance. Employers want results, not education from career changers. 6. I Focused All My Energy On Networking Online apps didn’t work. People would take one look at my resume and not see any traditional experience. When I networked with people? I could have a conversation with them. I could tell my story in my own words. And I could prove my value as the relationship built. That generated referrals and advocates. 7. I Used My Background As An Advantage Sounds crazy, right? Most applicants had cookie cutter backgrounds. I told a story of how I had to learn this all myself, from scratch. I’d bring a new perspective, new takes, and new ideas to a take vs. simply adding someone with the same thought process as everyone else. That’s got buy in from a lot of stakeholders. 8. I Created Projects To Prove My Value When I landed interviews? I’d brainstorm ideas for how I could impact those and package them in a 5–7 slide deck that matched the company’s branding. I’d send it to my interviewers as proof of the ideas I could bring. Showing them > telling them. —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~3.5 months with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r