Tips on changing career industry

Hi everyone!

I’m Daniela Naranjo, I'm truly excited to join this community. I could really use some advice from you guys on how to navigate this resource. I've got a solid background in non-profit project management, education/training, customer service, recruitment, and stakeholder management.

As an immigrant, I feel I had a clear career path, managing a non-profit and teaching at a university in my homecountry, Venezuela. Since moving to the US, I've taken on various roles, like being an executive assistant at a printer dealer, a recruitment and enrollment coordinator, and an ELA teacher in elementary school. These roles weren't what I originally planned, but they've definitely made me more creative, flexible, and resilient.

Now, I’m super excited about transitioning into a customer success or project management role in the startup world. Despite applying to many companies, I haven’t had much luck with responses. Any tips on how to stand out or navigate this career shift? I’d love to hear your insights and experiences!

Thanks a ton!

minaabdulla·Jul 16

Hi Daniela, I’ve navigated a career transition and can share tips / thoughts and ideas. Feel free to add time with me here https://calendly.com/minaabdulla-elevate/30min

DaniNaranjo·Jul 18

Thank you so much for your generosity, Mina! I'm scheduling right now. Can't wait to chat!

marcyherr·Jul 24

Hi Mina, I also would love to chat about your career transition if possible? Thanks!!

sofiazaman·Jul 17

Hi Mina, thank you for the message! I'd love to chat if this is an open invite?

Iynna·Jul 17

Hi Dani!it's amazing that you've managed to do so many different things in your career - all the jobs you've done i call them "school of life" - these are the kind of experiences that just teach you not only about yourself as a fellow contributor to society but also as a professional! As far as your pivot into Customer Success - are there reasons why you think this would be the best fit? to be clear, i am both curious and wanting to understand how you came to that conclusion ie. what parallel you drew from your previous careers/jobs that you think will be relevant for a role in CSM? these points will need to be crystal clear both on the interviews and on your CV to clearly understand the transition across roles.Besides that, i am going to give you the generic yet powerful advice that applying only to roles will not always get you anywhere, given how much supply of candidates there is today. you'll not only need to get an in, you'll need to build those relationships as well so people can get to know you. Elpha is a great place for it but there are also slack channels that might be relevant for you (check this thread out by @asalatto https://elpha.com/posts/j9nt7t72/slack-communities-have-been-a-huge-resource-for-me-lately-are-you-part-of-any) And then check our job board to see if anything piques your interest elpha.com/jobs and elpha.com/c/job-board

DaniNaranjo·Jul 18

Hi Iynna! Thank you so much for giving me advice, resources, and encouragement. I think a weakness I actually have is the skill to network, honestly I'm just starting to do it here at Elpha. I think CSM would be a good place to join into the tech industry, since the main skill I have developed with all my different previous jobs is the capacity to build and nurture relationships with many types of stakeholders providing trust and engagement. Also I have strengthened my ability to work with many tasks and projects at the same time while keeping the attention to details. I love to feel that I'm serving people while helping them being successful, which make me think this could be a great space for me to restart a professional path. Do you think this makes sense? If you have any suggestion about other roles that I could consider on this transition I would be happy to receive them. Thank you again for responding and being so generous with your knowledge!

Iynna·Jul 18

This makes a ton of sense, Dani! CSM sounds like a great fit. Another to look into might be account management, it does require a little bit more "selling" which it appears will require you stepping out of your comfort zone (since you mentioned networking is a bit tough for you, identifying sales opportunities might also feel uncomfortable).Another avenue is looking for roles that deals primarily internally eg learning and dev for employees or things within HR/talent function. (this might be a cool event to check out https://elpha.com/posts/g28md6zs/future-forward-talent-branding-communication-july-24-2024) Overall good to cast a wide net especially given that you're someone with such a big range of experiences.

DaniNaranjo·Jul 19

Great! This sounds like something I could totally enjoy too! Thanks a lot iynaa, I already registered to the event and I'll be checking out those other positions. Again, thank you so much!

carriewickmandorn·Jul 17

Hi Daniela, Great job figuring out what you are excited to do next in your career! I have changed careers and industries several times and have helped dozens of clients do the same, so they could feel more fulfilled and aligned with their work. I would be happy to chat with you and learn more about your job search and see if I can help. Please feel free to schedule a free 30-minute call: https://www.carriewickmandorn.com/contactI will also be starting a monthly job search support group soon, so let me know if you might be interested in joining. :)Warmly,Carrie

DaniNaranjo·Jul 18

Thank you so much, Carrie! I would love to talk to you about my career path. I'm scheduling a call right now.Also, I look forward to joining the job search support group soon!Warmly, Dani

carriewickmandorn·Jul 19

Wonderful! I'm really looking forward to speaking with you!

sofiazaman·Jul 17

I can definitely relate to wanting to change industries- when I was in the Customer Success world, I found going straight to the source was helpful. Resources like wellfound and y combinator list start ups who have recently received funding and would be looking for revenue generating roles rather than technical ones. Have you tried researching there?

DaniNaranjo·Jul 18

Hi Sofia! Thanks for your advice, it's very helpful for me! I haven't done that, actually I'm just opening Wellfound in my laptop to check it out. Do you know about any other resource I can use? Also, which are the revenue generating roles? Do you mean like sales? Thank you again!

rachelserwetz·Jul 26

Hi @DaniNaranjo! I'd suggest getting to 100% confidence about the direction/change by pursuing the career exploration process until you feel certain. Once you know where you want to go, leverage networking to understand how people break into the career path, plan your next steps around what you learn in the process, pursue upskilling as necessary, and refresh your personal branding materials tailored to your new path. If you need more guidance, here are some resources to help: https://www.iamwoken.com/post/your-next-career-step-isnt-permanent-how-to-see-your-career-as-an-informed-experimentand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9QMUOgaCk&feature=youtu.be. Additionally, on my website I have a 7-step guide focused on how to successfully make a career pivot which will have a lot of helpful tips for you - https://www.iamwoken.com/resources/job-searching#downloadables.PS, I’m Rachel. If you want to discuss further, check my profile to book a call to dive deeper into your goals/challenges

MargaritaA·Aug 07

Hi Dani!I'm also an immigrant and have navigated career transitions multiple times. It's not easy, to say the least—all your social capital is usually left behind when you move to another country. I mentor and coach many people to help with career transitions, so I understand the challenges well. It's a huge step that you already know what you'd like to do next.1. I see you mentioned Wellfound—it's a great platform. I'd advise adding a personalized note each time you apply, explaining why you're drawn to their product or what specifically inspires you about their mission. Also, connect with founders and recruiters on LinkedIn. Consider getting LinkedIn Premium; it allows you to add a note when you connect, which can make your outreach more impactful. In this market, it's often better to send fewer, but more targeted and personalized applications.2. Informational interviews are invaluable for assessing if you have the right skills and stories to fit into a new role. Use LinkedIn to find people who have transitioned or are currently working in areas you're interested in. These conversations can provide insights, connections, and support that you might not find elsewhere.3. Communities are super valuable, especially those that align with your areas of interest. Join active startup communities and other relevant groups. These spaces often have job postings, and you can ask for specific advice and guidance.4. Check out mentorship platforms like ADPList. It’s free and a great way to connect with mentors. While they may not cover all your areas of interest, it's definitely worth exploring.5. When searching for jobs, try to identify roles where you can build a bridge between what you've done before and what you want to do next. For example, consider startups in EdTech that may be looking for a Customer Success specialist—this could be a natural transition if you have related experience.Good luck with everything!

DaniNaranjo·Aug 08

Thank you so much Margarita, this is very helpful!