As part of our Career Hacks series, we explore ways to use career hacking to reboot your career. Not sure where to begin? Hacking isn’t just for coders. Use a hacking mindset to reboot your career.
What’s a hacking mindset? Forget creating lengthy to do lists. The basic principle of a hacker is to start somewhere and see what works. Kind of sounds like throwing spaghetti on a wall to see what sticks? Instead, see it as an opportunity to try out different things that fit your skills and interests without making a big commitment.
If you have you been thinking of making a career move there are many ways to start hacking.
Do what you know already and take on a side gig
Take something you already do well and become a freelancer for a few weeks. You will soon find out if you have the discipline to work new hours and commit to deadlines. You might also discover some downsides of freelancing such as waiting to get paid in which case you’ll also need to work on financial planning.
Learn something new
If you’re thinking of doing something completely new, this will likely require learning something new too. There are many online courses that are offer free or low cost solutions such as Udemy or Udacity where you can learn the skills you need in as little as a few hours.
Network or find a mentor
Connect with people already in a career you’re interested in doing. Ask someone to mentor you – this can be a simple get together over coffee or brunch on the weekend. Many seasoned professionals will be flattered to mentor someone seeking their expertise, maybe mentoring was one of their own career development hacks.
Consult or Volunteer
Many organizations are seeking skilled volunteers in HR, marketing, tech, or business strategy and would be delighted to benefit from your expertise. In turn you can learn about a different industry or market without making a long term commitment.
Find a Buddy or Partner
Two heads are better than one. Do you have an amazing business idea in tech but not the sales skills to pull it off? Find a buddy or partner who compliments your skills to divide and conquer.
This article is part of our Career Hacks series; job search and career advice to help you hack your career moves.
Arche helps people architect, navigate and advance their career path with expert advice and tools to support your job search, interview preparation, professional branding, salary negotiations, and career advancement.
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