Change Industry or Change Job Function First?
Split a career move into industry and job function. If you enjoy the work but want different customers or problems, explore similar roles in another sector. If you want different daily tasks, investigate the new function and how to demonstrate relevant ability.
Build a four-cell comparison
- Name your current industry and function.
- Add one possible industry and one function to form four combinations.
- Use actual vacancies to mark familiar tasks and evidence gaps.
Check one kind of transition per conversation
Ask about tasks and entry routes, noting which axis the person changed. If you want to change both, list the uncertainties separately and choose a small investigation for the most important gap.
A filled example
Editorial example: Tong works in retail marketing and is interested in education. Comparing education-marketing and education-product roles shows that the latter also involves a different set of tasks.
What to do with your observation
| Observation | Next action |
|---|---|
| Enjoy the current function | Investigate it in another sector |
| Want different daily work | Examine evidence for the new function |
| Want both changes | Separate and test the gaps |
A worksheet you can use
Current sector/function: ___; possible sector/function: ___; transferable evidence: ___; gap: ___.
Is changing only one axis always preferable?
Compare opportunities, evidence and life circumstances. The grid is a way to identify what each option requires you to investigate.
Evidence and scope
The comparisons, scenarios and worksheets are editorial tools. The original work supplies conceptual background; apply the guide to your needs and the actual event arrangements.
Ibarra describes career exploration as iterative. Herminia Ibarra — Why career transition is so hard
Sources and further reading
Herminia Ibarra — Why career transition is so hard
This collection in Chinese and English · Life possibilities library