How to change careers: Discover how Nadia embraced change to find a career she loves

Changing jobs within your industry can be a real challenge, but changing careers completely can feel hugely daunting. Knowing when and how to change careers is crucial to finding a role where you feel fulfilled and supported while at work.

One of our wonderful Business Support Managers – Nadia Williams – quite literally leaped from careers. From an international triple jumper to finding a new career in facilities management, her journey can help inspire those considering a career change.

Figure out what career will make use of your skills and interests

Before you start searching for new roles, figure out what your skills, passions, and interests are. Even if you don’t have the current skills for a particular role, find a business that will encourage learning and growth within the role so that you can upskill. At Churchill, we have a continuous culture of progression so that everyone can feel supported to learn new skills.

Nadia Williams started in Facilities Management 10 years ago, while she was still an international athlete. Competing for both England and Great Britain, she found that her sporting talent and competitiveness helped her to thrive in an organisation like Churchill through a career change.

She started off as a helpdesk administrator and eventually worked her way up to Preventative Maintenance Manager. Nadia embraced the versatility of Facilities Management, and she’s achieved professional development multiple times while at Churchill.

Nadia said that her skills as an athlete helped her in changing careers. She says that there are a wide array of transferable skills, from the track to the office.

“My sporting competitiveness drove me to always do well at work and I incorporate the focus, structure, and organisation needed in sport into my working days.”

As well as this, she found that her various roles in facilities management gave her the freedom and balance to also pursue her competitive challenges.

Once you’ve written down the skills that you’d like to develop or learn / the skills you already possess, pinpoint your strengths and interests (that you want to embrace in a new role) and write them down. Some examples of these skills and interests you might have:

• Leadership skills
• Teamwork skills
• Care and compassion
• Working creatively

Writing down your skills, interests, and strengths can provide insights on how to change careers. Matching your positive attributes to your role will ultimately help you feel empowered and rewarded in a new career.

Research roles that match your interests

Narrowing your options down to a few possible routes will help you to feel less overwhelmed when figuring out how to change careers.

Throughout Nadia’s different roles in the facilities management industry, she took advantage of both her natural attributes, nurtured skills, and skills she’d refined as a professional sportswoman. She also got experience in a variety of different sectors within facilities management, such as finance, health, and safety, HR, and cleaning, which gave her a better picture of what she wanted from a career.

Trying out different roles and responsibilities either within your own job or in a new job can mean that you find new interests and skills you didn’t know you had. If you’re currently in a role, think about the parts of your job that you enjoy and consider what roles are available for you to do more of that.

Teamwork played a big part in Nadia’s sporting career. This is an essential skill to have in a lot of jobs, especially facilities management. Due to this, she seamlessly fitted a good deal of skills into her various roles at Churchill, and she now helps induct new colleagues into the team.

Make a plan and go for it

Once you’ve firmed up what you’re looking for, or even tried out a few different roles and responsibilities in your current role – it’s time to make a plan.

This may involve staying in your current role until you’ve learned some more transferable skills, or it may mean switching careers as soon as possible so that you can find a rewarding new challenge. If you’re ready to start applying, read our job-hunting tips to help you find your perfect career.

Change careers here at Churchill Group

It’s our mission to be inclusive, human, and empowering. We have a wide range of vacancies to suit a variety of interests. If you’re interested in applying for a role within the industry, or if you’re looking to learn more about how you can change careers please view our vacancies today.