The magic formula for landing your first Change role

I have amazing students in my epic Leading Successful Change program. Many of them started out as Project Managers, Learning and Development professionals, Marketing experts and Communications people hoping to make the change to Change. So I thought I'd share how I made the move and what other LSC'ers have done to make the move successfully, too.

#1 Tell people!

I didn't keep it quiet that I wanted to move to Change - I told my leaders and colleagues before I left my last role, and shared my plans with friends, family, and any Changies I bumped into. This strategy has also worked well for a few of my LSC students, who have managed to land Change roles or roles with a Change component because they openly shared their development desires. Now obviously, you need to consider if this will impact your current boss or employer's view of you and future opportunities - but the right leader will support your career decisions, and the wrong leader... would you really want to keep working for them?!

#2 Figure out what level of Change role you should pitch for

For most people moving into Change, they automatically assume they should go for a Change Analyst role. But going for a junior role can actually hinder rather than help your positioning in the market if you are already very senior in your profession. Understand the role and responsibility at each level and build your confidence to go for the highest level possible.

#3 Optimise your CV for Change

Have you ever heard that saying: "Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have"? You could say the same thing about your CV. When you update your CV and optimise it for Change and the level of Change role you want (even if you’re not planning to apply yet), it builds intrinsic confidence. You're going to need the CV to apply for roles anyway, so you might as well optimise it as quickly as you can and get the dose of confidence that's thrown in. You can actually add on my ready-to-fill Change CV Template when you purchase my Intro to Change Management webinar here.

#4 Actually apply for Change roles

This might seem like a no-brainer but I know there are many people out there who say they want to move to Change but never actually do anything about it. Or they apply for a couple of roles, get rejections, and give up completely. If I'd done that, I wouldn't even be sitting here writing this for you. Job hunting is totally a numbers game and the reason I landed my first Change role within 3 months was simply because I applied for roles on hyperdrive (like I mentioned in my previous blog post here, I REALLY needed a job!). You need to apply and keep applying. This is your career, your livelihood, your life - you owe it to yourself to go the distance. And who knows, you might be super lucky and land one of your first applications. That's why just starting is so important.

#5 Be flexible

In Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) we say: "There is no failure, only feedback." Loosen the grip you have on who, what, why, how and when and be flexible in how your future unfolds.

You might need to listen to feedback and adjust your approach.

You might need to apply for roles that are slightly different to what you had in mind.

You might need to hone some skills or experience.

All this is absolutely ok - you're becoming the person you want to be to have the career you want to have. 

#6 Believe it's possible

When I made the move to Change, I didn't know ANYONE who had moved from Marketing to Change Management before. But they knew me! My very first Change leader had made exactly that transition and she believed it was possible for me. She convinced me in my second interview that I was ready - because I was like... "Am I?!" No one ever started their career in Change Management - they ALL have come from somewhere else. So if it's possible for them, it's possible for you and I believe you can totally make the change to Change if you want, just like my leader did for me. 

One of the best ways to make the move to Change is to learn how to DO change! I’m super thrilled to announce that my free Change Tools Masterclass has just opened up for registrations. This week-long epic event, with brand new future of work-focused content, will be filled with my tried-and-tested templates that I use every time I’m leading change with Australia’s biggest companies.

I’ll step through each template and use live demos to fill them with the information that matters most for your change. Especially in these times of economic uncertainty, when layoffs, redundancies, and restructures are rife!

We kick off Tuesday 14 March and you can register your free spot now:

CLICK HERE to register your free spot on my epic Change Tools Masterclass

Lata xx