5 types of career changes and how to spot them.

How many career changes have you had so far?

It’s probably a lot more than you think.

That’s what I learned when I sat down to think about this and figure out what my number is. I was shocked by what I discovered.

18 career changes!

And that’s not counting the random part-time jobs I held prior to my first job out of college like typing invoices for my dad’s printing business and telemarketing (yup I did that).

Before you start going down memory lane, here are the 5 types of career changes and how to spot them.

1.     Role

This one is the most commonly shared definition of a career change. It's when you move from one role with a certain scope of work into a different role with a new scope of work.

There may be some overlap in skills and experience needed to perform the job. However, new skills, certifications or working knowledge may also be required.

2.     Industry

When you hold the same role but switch to a new industry, that's considered a career change. In a new industry you can expect to perform your role in a different manner. Or certain responsibilities may be prioritized or over others.

These changes are driven by industry practices, customer preferences, systems, regulatory requirements, and/or internal processes.

3.     People Management

Your scope of work and how you perform your work will change significantly depending on if and how many people you manage on a team. This is why transitioning into, or out of, people management will impact how you get work done.

4.     Hierarchy

Moving from one management level to another also marks a career change. Especially when you transition from middle management to senior management (or vice versa). You may be expected to weigh in on a decision for organization-wide projects that have significant financial implications.

5.     Employment Type

This type of career change occurs when you decide to completely change your employment status.

Working as a full-time employee is different from being self- employed as a founder of your own company. You may be doing similar work across both employment types, but how you perform the work, where you work, how much you work, and how you get paid for the work looks different.

Now take a look at your resume or LinkedIn profile and examine your moves using this list.

How many career changes did you make? What’s your number?

Thinking about making your next career change? Download the Career Change Checklist ebook to start planning your next move.

About the Author

Leang Chung (she/her) is a Career First Coach and Founder of Pelora Stack. She helps people navigate their career first. She works with first time early-stage founders, career changers, people managers, and solopreneurs.