Career Change vs. Career Transition, and How a Career Coach Can Help

Change is stressful whether it is intentional or forced upon you. In your career, you will go through many changes.

“There is nothing permanent except change.” ~Heraclitus

Some you will gladly choose and plan for, some that will be completely unexpected and unwanted. “Career change” and “career transition” are often used interchangeably but they are not the same. To help you have more clarity in adapting to, coping with, and planning for change, I’ve listed the differences below:

Career Change

Intentionally changing job -

• Function - set of responsibilities/tasks

• Industry - type of business services/goods

• Function & industry

A career coach can help you decide what you really want and create an action plan to rebrand yourself for a successful career change.

Career Transition

Keeping the same kind of job but transitioning out of want or need from -

• One job to another (same function & industry)

• One location to another (same company)

• One supervisor/team to another

• One organization structure to another

• Working for an organization to working for yourself (or vice versa)

• Working part-time to working full-time (or vice versa)

• Working remotely to working onsite (or vice versa)

• Working a job to retirement (or vice versa)

• Working full-time to being laid off

• Studying in a full-time graduate program to working full-time

• Not working full-time to re-entering the workforce

A career coach can help you cope with the mix of emotions, evaluate your expectations, align your life with your values and priorities, manage the impact on your lifestyle and relationships, and adjust your mindset and behaviors for a successful career transition.

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Whichever kind of change you’re going through, working with a career coach can provide the organization and confidence you need to move forward. I am primarily a Career Coach but I also have training and experience in counseling and consulting to help clients with career changes and career transitions. Check out my services if you’d like my help.