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Transferable Skills: The Best Skills to Have When Changing Careers

Transferable skills are the best skills to have when changing careers. You can apply these talents and abilities to multiple roles and industries for a successful transition.

Including your relevant transferrable skills in your resume shows the value you can provide an organization. It demonstrates how the skills you developed in previous positions align with the skills required for the position you desire. This encourages the hiring manager to contact you for an interview.

Learn which transferrable skills to include in your resume when changing careers.

Industry Expertise

If you are changing careers within the IT industry, include in your resume your knowledge, skills, and experience that can benefit the company. Mention the amount of time you spent in the industry and the types of projects you worked on.

Communication

Strong verbal and written communication skills are required for virtually any role. You likely will engage with colleagues, managers, coworkers, HR professionals, and other company stakeholders. Effectively sharing your ideas, input, decisions, and thought process is essential for success.

Find effective ways to list in your resume examples of your communication skills. This may include how you explain IT concepts and projects to non-IT professionals so that they understand your work.

Project Management

Overseeing at least some parts of projects is essential for most roles. As a result, including in your resume organization and time management shows you establish priorities, maintain a schedule, and finish tasks by the deadlines.

Consider referencing IT projects you managed. Provide enough detail to explain your role, results, and impact on the company.

Analysis

Your analytical skills are essential for problem-solving. You can use data to make educated decisions and explain your reasoning.

Consider sharing in your resume examples of how you analyzed IT problems to find solutions. Include the impact of your actions, such as increased efficiencies or lower costs.

Adaptability

Because change is part of every company and industry, fast adaptation is essential. This is especially true if your career change leads you to work for a startup. Your role regularly may change based on the company’s needs.

Highlight in your resume situations where you had to quickly adapt to complete an IT project. Include how you think on your feet and perform in high-pressure situations to benefit the organization.

Leadership

Demonstrating leadership skills is beneficial when changing careers. Hiring managers always want to add leaders to their teams.

Include in your resume examples of your leadership skills to stand out from other candidates. Depending on your work experience, share examples of when you lead IT projects, employees, or both.

Are You Ready to Change Careers?

If you are changing careers within the IT industry, reach out to RightStone for help with the transition. Visit our job board today.


Green Flags To Look For In A Potential Employer

Green flags in a potential employer indicate that the organization may be a good place to work. These signs include attractive company culture, challenging work, and opportunities for advancement.

Understanding how to look for green flags in a potential employer before applying for a role, during an interview, and after receiving a job offer helps determine which company may be right for you. This helps you be successful in your new position.

Discover Green Flags To Look For In A Potential Employer.

Green Flags In The Job Posting

Look for these signs in the job posting:

  • A diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture
  • Company values aligned with yours
  • Competitive compensation range
  • Attractive benefits
  • Tailored job qualifications

Green Flags For The Company

The more diverse the employees, benefits, and perks, the more equitable and inclusive the company:

  • Diverse employees in leadership roles
  • Pay Transparency
  • Negotiable benefits
  • Equitable benefits, such as paid family leave instead of paid maternity leave
  • Significant budget for employee professional development
  • Mentorship and/or coaching program
  • Wheelchair-accessible building
  • Gender-neutral restrooms
  • Paid volunteer hours
  • Adequate information to prepare for interviews

Green Flags For Junior Developers

If you are beginning your IT career, look for a potential employer with these traits:

  • Headquarters in a city with at least one IT boot camp
  • Signs on the company’s website or LinkedIn profile that the organization hires bootcamp graduates and junior developers
  • Blog posts on the company’s website or social media pages that are directed at the junior developer experience

Green Flags During The Interview

Seek these elements during an interview:

  • Punctual interviewers
  • Interviewer camaraderie
  • Inquiry about your preferred pronouns
  • Questions tailored to your knowledge, skills, and experience
  • Interviewer engagement

Questions To Uncover Green or Red Flags

Consider asking these subtle questions to determine green or red flags:

  • How is your company involved in the community?
  • What does success look like here?
  • Is weekend work common?
  • How does the team approach tight deadlines?

You also might want to ask more direct questions:

  • Are there any requirements for using work apps on personal devices?
  • If you could fix one thing within the organization, what would it be?
  • Are employees encouraged to raise technical and ethical concerns?
  • If you knew then what you know now, would you still have joined the company?

Are You Ready to Find Your Next Employer?

Work with RightStone to find your next IT role. Visit our job board today.


Career Check-In Time! Are You on Track to Meet Your 2023 Goals?

The middle of the year is an excellent time to check in on your career. Understanding whether you are on track to meet your 2023 goals is essential to accomplish your objectives.

Perhaps you reached some goals but not others. Maybe you have goals that no longer fit your career objectives. These are reasons why you should revisit your goals.

Follow these guidelines to check in and determine whether you are on track to meet your 2023 career goals.

Review Your Goals

Look back at your goals for the year. Determine whether they still align with what you want to accomplish.

Take out the goals that you no longer want to attain. Consider replacing them with new ones. Or, you can dedicate more time to achieving your remaining goals.

Determine whether you reached any of your goals. If so, cross them off.

Consider whether you are putting in enough effort to meet your remaining goals. Remember that some may take longer to accomplish than others.

Measure Your Progress

Use your established criteria to measure your progress toward your goals. Comparing where you were when the year began to where you are now shown how far you have come. It also indicates what you still must do to attain your goals.

If you are not on track to achieve your goals, determine why. Find ways to resolve the issues and get back on schedule.

Track Your Goals

Regularly check in to record your progress in reaching your goals. Knowing where you are at in the process helps determine whether you are on track to meet your goals. If you fall behind, you can take action to get to where you should be.

Review Your Action Plan

Focus on whether you are reaching the deadlines included in your action plan. If not, determine why.

Perhaps the deadlines were unreasonable. Or, maybe you require more resources or support to meet them.

Resolve the issues that caused you not to reach your deadlines. Then, reset your timeline.

Celebrate Your Successes

Reward yourself for the goals you accomplished. You might want to go out for dinner or drinks with friends, enjoy a spa service, or plan a weekend trip to somewhere you have been wanting to visit. This provides motivation to continue to attain your goals.   

Do You Need to Add to Your IT Team?

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How To Find Gratitude In A Job You Don’t Love

Finding gratitude in a job you don’t love can be challenging. Having to fulfill job duties and responsibilities you dislike makes coming to work difficult.

Your adverse feelings about not loving your job can carry over into your personal life. You might consistently come home tired and stressed. This can lead to issues with your family and friends.

Fortunately, you can take steps to find gratitude in a job you don’t love. This makes your work more tolerable.

Implement These Tips To Find Gratitude In A Job You Don’t Love

Maintain A Positive Attitude

Focus on positive thoughts as you work. This may include how hard you worked to secure your job, how much you accomplished throughout the day, or what you plan to handle next.

Maintaining a positive attitude helps create a positive work environment. This is one thing to be grateful for when you don’t love your job.

Emphasize What You Enjoy

Focus on what you like about your job and company. This may include your commute, office location, or manager. Or, it could be your competitive salary, attractive benefits, and perks, or the knowledge and skills you developed that can lead to your next position.

Emphasizing the positive aspects of work helps you find gratitude. This makes having a job you don’t love more bearable.

Take Breaks

Schedule regular breaks throughout the day. Include an hour for lunch.

Use your breaks to engage in relaxing activities. This may include stretching, taking a walk, or meditating. Or, you might read a book, listen to music, or talk with colleagues and coworkers who are on break.

Use all your paid time off. Take vacations with family and friends. Making memories with loved ones helps you find gratitude when you don’t love your job.

Develop Work Friendships

Working with people, you enjoy helps pass the time. You can talk about your interests and experiences during breaks. You might even decide to get together outside of the office.

Engage in Fun

Plan after-work activities that you enjoy. You can focus on them during your work breaks.

You might want to participate in a yoga class or join friends for dinner or happy hour. You could volunteer with a nonprofit organization or engage in a new book.

Setting boundaries between your work and personal time helps maintain peace of mind. Focusing on yourself helps you find gratitude in a job you don’t love.

Need Help Finding Great Employees?

Work with RightStone to hire the IT professionals you need to reach company goals and make your job easier. Learn more today.