how to change careers (without losing your mind)
TRANSCRIPT
How to Change Careers
(without losing your mind)
Hello! Lauren GalanterWeb Polymath
• 10 years in video/web industry• UX Analyst @ Phase2• 3x career-changer• Philly native; lives in Passyunk Sq. with boyfriend and kitty. <3 bikes, books, sci-fi, comics, interior design, tea.
What about you?
• Sanity• My story• Soul-searching• Methods
We’ll Cover
• No fetishizing hyperwork• Sleep, exercise, down time• Go at your own pace
Sanity
Image by kroszk@ via CC Attribution license
My Story
2005 2008 2009 2013 2014
Film / VideoBA, Film & Media Arts, Temple University. Filmmaking, video production, editing, graphics.
Web Video / DesignVideoblogging leads to managing video website.
Web VideoComcast era! Video Ops team for 4+ years. Two promotions. Left as Product Lead.
Web DevelopmentTransitioned internally to Engineering role. Down in level, up in pay.
User ExperienceLeft Comcast Dec 2014 for UX Analyst job at Phase2.
video / design / web dev / process / education / customer experience
Ops to Dev• Education, events• Connecting; sharing desires• One “lucky” occurrence; one chance email
Dev to UX• More education• More events and connecting• Another chance email
Soul-Searching
• Be your own compass• Find your path…for
now.• Find alternative paths• No “wrong” path
• Structure vs Freedom?
• Alone vs Group?
Motivation
Courage
Ingenuity
Methods
Hopscotch>
Leapfrog
Venn Diagramof Career Transition
CurrentJob
NextJob
NextJob
GoalJob*
* subject to change!Skills
OneSmallStep
Internalv.
External
Internal+ -
• Reputation • Network• Knowledge
• Reputation• Red tape
How?• Make friends • Tell people• Meetings
• Job shadow• Education• Extra projects
Your manager = Your ally
External+ -
• Reinvention • Less barriers• Negotiation
• Lack of rep• Bigger leap
How?• Research • Make connections• Tell People
• Meetings• Education• Side Projects• Apprentice
Either Way• Don’t wait to apply • Don’t wait to “be” • Don’t belittle your experience• Don’t stop• Do get (un)comfortable
Redefining Success
NotMoving
Up
Moving Forward
“Whether you think
you can or you think you can’t,
you’re right” -
Henry Ford
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop” - Confucius
“It is never to late to be
what you might have
been” - George
Eliot
Thanks!laurengalanter.com