Changing career path at senior level

Richard Mulindwa Kavuma, who was at the time of his resignation, the Editor, the Observer newspaper, chose to quit active journalism and try venturing into something different. At the time, Kavuma had reached the peak of his career. He had by 2017 gained 20 years’ experience in journalism. Today, Kavuma is building a career in public relations. “It was simply the quest for a new challenge that drove me to quit journalism and opt for something else. I have always thrived on challenging myself to do my work today better than yesterday.

And I felt I had done everything I could do at the Observer,” he shares.
Making a career transition at a senior level can be intimidating, particularly if you are looking to move into a new industry. Before you switch careers, there are a number of things you need to ponder over.

What am I most passionate about?
Before you make the move, it is important to reflect on your priorities and think about what drives you. In Kavuma’s case, he knew he wanted something different from what he was doing as a journalist. But still, he says, when transitioning, one has to remain close to things they are passionate about.
“One of the other thing one has to do is to remain close to the things they are passionate about. Most successful journalists I have met are passionate about their work. Remaining close to your heart can ease the transition,” he says.
Additionally, identifying what one is passionate about, according to Nathan Balirwana Mugalu, a career guidance expert, can easily help one draw a plan what kind of career they can opt for.
“Finding a career where your interests and professional skills align is crucial to maintaining long-term satisfaction after the move, especially if you’re making other sacrifices to get there,” Mugalu says.
He also adds that this can also help one focus on job search and target employers that are the best fitted for them.

Evaluating potential employer’s impact
Ask yourself if the employer you are considering is making a difference in your sector of interest.
“When looking for a purposeful career even at a senior level, it’s important to evaluate the impact of potential employers to make a proper plan on how you can make impact in the new career path. Ask questions in job interviews about how organisations measure impact, how they grow, and how they remain financially sustainable,” says Mugalu.
He also adds that it is important for one to get a sense of how the organisation they want to work for is run.

Performance indicators
He says one should ask themselves questions like: “What kind of information are they putting out there about themselves? Do they have key performance indicators that they’ve tracked for a long time? What sort of financial information have they published?”
“Considering the scale an organisation covers is also an important factor to consider, Mugalu says.
“If an organisation is growing and able to replicate its work across many different countries, it’s a sign that it’s filling a social need and creating a big impact,” he adds.

Lifestyle
Ask yourself if the move will give you the lifestyle that you desire.
“A career may result into big life changes both positively and negatively. It’s therefore important to think ahead of time about what this may involve. This is especially true if you’re considering switching from the private sector into international development, where organisations tend to focus on creating an impact instead of delivering profits. Having a clear sense of your salary expectations and lifestyle priorities beforehand will help the transition go more smoothly,” says Rachel Ndyanabasa, a career coach.
“You have to be honest with yourself when making these kind of career decisions, there’s certainly going to be a change, whether it’s monetary, or a change in location where you move from a big city to smaller city. You have to be very clear about what is important to you and your quality of life, and then take it from there,” adds Ndyanabasa.

Work environment
Find out if the new work environment is fit for you.
“Job interviews, especially at a senior level, should be two-way conversations where both parties decide if they’re a good and fit together. You should interview your potential employer just as much as they’re interviewing you. Ask as many questions as possible about your future role, as well as the organisation’s broader culture – things like management structures, work environment, diversity, inclusion, and the path to promotion,” says Ndyanabasa.
She also adds that one should ask to meet with more people who work in the organisation. This helps one give them a clear understanding of how the organisation works.