What now?

Question

After almost 20 years in the hospitality industry, Covid-19 has changed the face of the career ( to me it’s more my lifestyle)  forever.   I mainly work in meetings and events, and I’m so unsure of it will ever come back to how it was before. I’m not concerned that I won’t go back to my job, and looking for another in this climate with so many other candidates will be very difficult. I want to consider a career movement - if not a full change. I’d like to go look at being a trainer, educator for the workplace, in hospitality or otherwise- but I have no clue how to start. Go back to school? It will take too long and I need income- certificates- I’ve done one so far. Just need some advice how to navigate these uncertain times.....

The Career Counter · Answer

Hi Ariadne! It sounds like you have an idea of what you want but probably need to do some research like Miranda suggested. A great place to research jobs and also people doing those jobs is LinkedIn. You can either do a search for jobs or people. Enter in keywords like 'training & development' and other relevant search terms.  If you find someone who is doing a job that sounds awesome, reach out and ask for an informational interview (a 10-15 minute conversation via email, phone, or Zoom) where you can ask professionals questions like how they got started, what their job entails, and if they have any tips for breaking into the field. I just wrote an article on my blog about career change. Feel free to check it out: https://thecareercounter.com/considering-a-career-change-ask-yourself-these-five-questions-first/
Good luck!!

Miranda Wilcox · Answer

Ariadne, congratulations on opening up to new possibilities! Going back to school may not be necessary. You can learn more about expected qualifications by looking at job postings and/or talking with people in the industry. You may want to consider a class and/or certification. That would help you prepare for a training role and give you credentials you could use on your resume. As you and Kelli suggest, a training role could leverage some of your existing skills and experience.

Kelli · Answer

Hi Ariadne - I love it when people realize they don't have to be in the same career or industry forever. I imagine your skills could translate well into something with training and development - it's all about presenting it the right way on your resume and during interviews. I'm happy to help you if you need some guidance. Feel free to schedule a call with me if it would be helpful: https://bit.ly/freecareeradviceconsult

Laura McCann · Answer

Great idea!  There will always be needs for training and development.  Check out the Association of Training & Development, www.td.com.

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