I’m in the accounting field for a small nonprofit and have decided to get into fundraising. I’ve talked to a lot of people about this, and would like to pursue it. Do you have any practical advice on HOW to go about doing this?

There’s a lot in your question, and I’d like to tackle it in two parts, namely THE DECISION and THE TRANSITION. This column will deal with the decision component of your career transition, and the next column will look at the more practical elements of the transition itself.

Lessons from Monty Python’s Flying Circus

The Monty Python comedy group had a sketch in which an accountant goes to see a vocational guidance counsellor, and is advised against moving from his current accountancy career directly to a position as lion tamer. However, the accountant feels that he is more than qualified, as he has his own lion taming hat. There are two lessons for career changers here:

Lesson 1: Know what lions are. In other words, do your homework and know what you’re getting into. Our poor accountant, in this case, has a very incomplete picture of what a lion tamer actually does, in the mistaken belief that anteaters are actually lions. Once advised what lion tamers actually do, he decides to look at alternate plans. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind along the way in the face of new information – it can save you time, money, and grief.

Lesson 2: Have more than a nice hat. You may feel that you are extremely qualified in your newly-chosen profession, but recognize that you may not have everything it takes. Having a defined strategy to demonstrate to others that you truly have more than the bare minimum will make your ultimate transition much more painless. In short, be realistic. Simply because you know that you’re a great person who really desires a career change isn’t enough by itself. Consider whether you would put your automobile repairs into the hands of a person who only has overalls and a brand new toolkit as qualifications. Not likely. You must play the prospective new role in all aspects even before you get there.

All career transitions are not created equal

Some transitions are easier than others:

Accountant to Lion Tamer: HARD
Junior Accountant to Senior Accountant: EASY

In your case, Accountant to Fundraiser: SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE

Why are some transitions easier than others? Simple. The core elements or activities for the new role are similar to those you have mastered in your current job. The key to success in career transition is to understand where you already have the skills and aptitudes you require, and where you have gaps.

Think about your VIPS – Values, Interests, Personality, and Skills

Spend some serious time thinking about your own core values: what’s important to you in your life and career? Financial success, a feeling of contributing to society, or helping others less fortunate? Intellectual stimulation? A great social environment?

Look at your interests: What activities do you actually enjoy doing? No job will be a picnic all the time, but you should enjoy the actual work you are doing at least 70 to 80% of the time. Personality can be a difficult one to measure, but most of us can determine some fundamentals pretty easily. We know, for example, if we are more outgoing or shy or more introverted; fastidious or casual; controlling or easy-going; etc. Try to be as objective as you can – there are no wrong answers.

Skills are usually much easier to quantify, and encompass things such as written communication abilities, numeric dexterity, knowledge of specific software packages, etc. Pay particular attention to your transferable skills: those abilities that are common requirements for many different occupations, such as written communication, MS Word, etc.

Make a list of your VIPS. Your objective is to find an occupation that matches as many of your VIPS as possible.

Next, look at the core elements or activities, based on your current knowledge of your prospective career, that you feel are required to truly succeed. Make sure your plan to transition makes sense to you, from a financial, career, lifestyle, and any other perspective that is important to you at this stage in your life.

Get advice

You don’t know what you don’t know. Now is the time to learn as much as possible about your prospective career. Use the Internet, current practitioners, books, and career colleges – any resource that will further your understanding of the position and its requirements. In your case, talk to fundraisers and ask for their advice and honest opinion of your chances of successfully transitioning.

Get some more advice

You can never get too much input at this stage, but make sure you are getting a balanced view of the career option in mind. For example, talking to four burned-out fundraisers in a row is not a fair representation of the profession as a whole.

This may all seem like a lot of work, but laying out this groundwork can make a huge difference later in the ultimate success of your transition. If you still feel at this stage that your prospective career is for you, you’re ready for the next steps.

My next column will look at the more practical elements to successful career transition.

Michael Mayne, M.B.A., CMA, is Managing Partner and a Certified Professional Career Counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a Career Transition, Counselling, and Outplacement firm. Michael has been involved in the not-for-profit sector for many years, and is Past President and Treasurer of ALS Canada. To contact Michael, visit: www.catalystcareers.com.

To submit a question for a future column, please e-mail it to careercoach@charityvillage.com. No identifying information will appear in this column.

Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.