Like 1 in 5 people, you think you've chosen the wrong job and would like to change career? Whether it's a desire for self-fulfillment, the need to develop professionally or a misalignment with your employer, there are many reasons to make a career change.
Professional training for adults is an excellent way to change direction! In fact, 72% of the working population has already undergone continuing education. Discover the key stages in planning this new project!

Before: prepare your career transition

Find about your interests & skills

The first step is to introspect and determine your potential and talents.

Here are the questions you need to ask yourself to find out what drives you:

  • What subjects/themes motivate me?
  • What do I like to do in my life (professional and personal)?
  • What am I particularly good at?
  • What could I do for hours on end?

And those to take stock of your expertise:

  • What are my past experiences?
  • What skills have I acquired?
  • What diplomas and certifications do I have?
  • What are my soft skills?

GOOD TO KNOW
Originating in Japan, the Ikigai philosophy consists in finding a balance between: what you like to do, what you know how to do, and what you can be paid for (market needs). It's the ideal tool for bringing meaning back to work!

Define your professional expectations

Depending on your previous experience, your age or your vision of work, you won't have the same expectations. To make a success of your career transition, think about defining your values and priorities.

Here are a few points to consider:

  • What are my next professional objectives?
  • In what environment do I want to work?
  • How much time and energy am I willing to devote to my work?
  • What are my professional negotiables and non-negotiables?

Reconciling work & personal life

Too often put aside, balancing your private life with your professional life is essential to your personal fulfillment! Here again, your needs and priorities will change according to your profile. Another point to bear in mind: the COVID-19 crisis has brought about a major change in the way work is organized, so make the most of it!

Ask yourself the right questions:

  • Do I prefer working on-site, remotely, or a hybrid of both?
  • What are my time constraints (children, leisure activities)?
  • Can I take a break to carry out a life project?
  • Is it possible to work part-time?

Some companies are even testing the 4-day week! This could be just the thing for you, depending on your obligations and desires.

Get professional advice

There are a number of solutions to help you change careers and choose the right adult professional training:

  • HR", "career" or "professional reconversion" coaches: find out about the methodology adopted, the type of support offered and the certification.
  • Certified guidance organizations: e.g. OCOSP, in the canton of Vaud, which promotes professional integration and puts people in touch with training systems.
  • Specialized counsellors to carry out a skills assessment: this test is an excellent diagnostic tool for defining your professional and interpersonal skills (without forgetting any!). There are a number of ways of financing a skills assessment (company, specialized organization, etc.).

To find out more, find out how your employer can finance your training.

Finding the right program offer

This is the key stage in your career transition!

In Switzerland, there are a number of opportunities for training or further training following professional experience and/or the award of a diploma.

To help you make sense of the training on offer, here are the 4 essential steps to take:

  • Take stock of your needs: training on a specific topic (e.g. public speaking, work organization, IT tools)? Learn a new language? Training in a new field in relation to your past experience?
  • Identify training possibilities: a second apprenticeship? A federal diploma? Post-graduate training or a refresher course?
  • Analyze selection criteria: method, themes, learning objectives, cost, payment terms, duration... read our article on how to choose the right continuing education course.
  • Meet with staff and/or alumni: this is the best way to ensure the quality of your adult professional training. Come along to an open house or request a discovery call.

At Executive Education HEC Lausanne, we offer personalized, in-depth interviews, 100% free of charge. Profile, situation, personal and professional objectives, answers to all your questions... we ensure that your needs are perfectly matched to our training courses. And if we can't help you, we'll tell you (with total transparency and a smile)!

Je réserve un entretien personnalisé

During: making the most of your professional program

You've found the professional program that's right for you? Perfect!

Now it's time to make the most of the advantages and lessons learned to optimize your career change.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to make the most of continuing training:

  • Be proactive: keep an open mind on the concepts covered and don't hesitate to delve deeper into a subject that interests you. When it comes to personal development, curiosity is an excellent quality!
  • Stay motivated: some courses last several weeks, even months, so it's important to stay on course. When in doubt, don't feel guilty! Changing jobs means starting a new life 😊
  • Meet the people involved: most of them are professionals. Take advantage of the opportunity to establish a courteous and professional first contact. They can give you leads, put you in touch with other people, or even become your future employer! Who knows?
  • Forge links with other participants: when you're on further training, adopt the right frame of mind with your "colleagues". As well as making friends, these discussions could lead to professional opportunities.

Whatever your chosen course of study, this is the place to be! So you can train, develop your expertise, learn from others and, above all, create your own network.

Do you feel uncomfortable in this area? Don't panic, here are our top tips for optimizing your networking.

After: how to sell your career change

Congratulations on reaching (almost) the end of your career change process!

Once you've completed your program, the most dreaded stage arrives: convincing a future employer of your career change. Fortunately, we have solutions to help you avoid this headache.

Follow these tips to increase your chances of success at interview:

  • Update your CV: be minimalist in form, and select the most important information (if you have figures, even better).
  • Highlight your program: group work, objectives achieved, certifications, meetings and events attended, etc.
  • Be strategic: emphasize the skills acquired during the program that are relevant to your new position.
  • Find out all you can about the company and the position you're aiming for: that's the minimum!
  • Activate your network: you may know someone who knows someone... who could introduce you to this employer!

Do you have any questions about continuing education? Would you like to make an appointment to discuss your new career path? We're here to help you get started, so get in touch with our team.