How do I mentor someone who wants to change career?
People rarely arrive with a plan. They arrive tired of the job they have and hopeful about a job they have only read about.
- Read time
- 4 minutes
- Module
- Core skills
- Session length
- 30 minutes
What good looks like.
Start by separating the push from the pull. Leaving a bad manager is a different problem from wanting to be a data analyst, and the fix is different too.
Then look for the parts of their current work that already count in the new field. Most career changes are sold badly, not built badly.
Finish with one cheap test they can run in two weeks: a course, a small project, or a conversation with someone doing the job. A test beats a five-year plan.
A sequence you can follow.
- 01
Ask what they are leaving
The reason for going tells you whether a new field is even the answer.
- 02
Name the target job
Not an industry. A job title someone is being paid to do today.
- 03
Find the overlap
List the tasks they already do that the target job needs.
- 04
Set one two-week test
Something small and real that gives them evidence either way.
What to avoid.
Encouraging a full retrain before they have spoken to anyone doing the job
Treating dissatisfaction as proof that a different field will fix it
Listing every possible route instead of picking one to try
Underselling the experience they already have
Extra tips
Small things that make the half hour better.
Split push from pull
Leaving a bad manager is not the same as wanting a new field.
Name a real job title
Someone is paid to do it today; that is the target.
List the overlap
Most changes are sold badly, not built badly.
One two-week test
Evidence beats a five-year plan.
Take this guide with you.
Download a printable version of this guide: the short answer, the steps, the extra tips, the mistakes to avoid and the questions mentors ask, to read before your next session.
The things people ask first.
What if their target is unrealistic?
Say so plainly, then help them find the nearest version that is realistic.
Should they quit first?
Almost never. Testing while employed keeps the decision reversible.
Next: Mentoring a student with no work experience.
What to talk about when there is no CV to work from.