Before you swerve into a different lane, a lot of research and planning need to be done to make switching as smooth as can be.

As with any journey, it is important to know where you want to go. It is important to identify the specific industry you want to move to. Don’t just move to any other industry. Be sure that you target an industry you can be genuinely enthusiastic and invested in. Employers want to hire employees who they see are motivated to the work that supports the vision and mission of their business. You must therefore be able to demonstrate both your interest and commitment to your target industry and employer.

Its’s  not uncommon for people who haven’t worked in your current industry to have some knowledge of stereotypes of people that come from your industry. For instance if you are coming from a creative industry, the hiring manager might have profiled artists as someone being deficient at time management and unstructured, when in fact there are artists who are very structured in their work and project management habits. Because of stereotypes they will more likely see and hold on to the differences rather than similarities in the industry and roles, unintentionally creating a bias against your application. It is therefore important to know and understand your industry stereotypes so you can effectively counter them at the interview with specific examples and show similarities between your industry and the one you are targeting, as well as the job you are leaving and the role you are pursuing.

Make  sure you research on your target industry. Get to know the culture and expectations, market and practices of industry you want to move to so you can present how your experience and present skills fit well into the new arena. Highlight how your specific background would actually be an advantage. If you are a professor and are moving to corporate training, then show how your knowledge of teaching methodologies and program design can actually add to your job performance.

It’s also helpful if not vital to know and speak your target industry’s language. Industries sometimes come up with their own specific jargon when they are in essence similar across industries. Know the language of your target industry and use it in your resume and in your interviews so it’s easy for your potential employer to see how you can fit into their organization. Substitute the language of your target industry when communicating skills and details from the industry you are leaving. For instance, if you are a sales manager in a corporate entity and would like to shift to the social development industry, you could use the term resource development manager instead.

Even  when using the target industry’s language, it’s still only natural for your prospective employer to doubt your ability to adapt to your new environment, culture and role. It’s important that you put them at ease and demonstrate your agility. Give specific examples how you were able to succeed in carrying out a newly created role or a role that wasn’t adequately defined for you. If you can, show how you were able to independently lead and complete a project in a different space or market. This will assure your prospective employer that you can navigate the new role in a new industry with minimal guidance or supervision.

More often than not you find access to your target industry by connecting through your network. It’s possible that someone in your network would be able to introduce or refer you to your target industry or prospective employer. A referral won’t necessarily land you the job but if your network can effectively communicate their confidence in you to tackle a new environment well, then you start off your candidacy with a positive note, instead of a negative one since you are coming from a different industry.

Of  course, there will be some instances when shifting to a particular industry is a much farther reach than anticipated. Perhaps your target organization is one that hires only candidates with industry-specific experience. In such cases, it might be helpful to move to a related or connected industry before moving to your target industry. Do the research to find out what are the related industries, peripheral markets and vendors. It will take a longer time but working in the bridge industry for 2 years before shifting to your target industry will give you more credibility, industry-related experience and allow you to expand your industry contacts.

Changing  industries will be a challenge. But if you no longer find joy with your work and think that moving industries will reinvigorate you and your career, then go ahead and pivot with the proper preparation and planning. Good luck!