“Get into an admin job”.

It was the go-to answer of careers counsellors across Australian high schools. Admin jobs were the standard answer to young women who had no idea what to do next.

Fast forward a decade or so, and you find yourself stuck in an admin job, that’s frankly, a bit boring. You’ve found yourself on a career path that involves, well, more admin. Maybe managing others, doing admin. It’s comfortable. The pay isn’t amazing, but it covers the bills and the people are nice.

But, you can’t help feeling stuck in that rut. How do you transition from admin to a more specialised and lucrative career without turning your whole life upside down? Planning.

How to plan for a career transition out of general admin

It will take time to reinvent your career, but that nagging “stuck” feeling makes a fine motivator. Planning the next phase of your professional life will likely mean upskilling and upselling yourself. Planning that process carefully will make your career transition smoother and faster in the long term.

Examine your options

General admin is an excellent place to choose a specialty. When you look at your to-do list, what do you choose first? Maybe it’s always the HR tasks? Perhaps you prefer the systems and organisation jobs? Maybe it’s the research side of things? Which part of your current job do you favour?

Your current role is your resume. Fifteen years’ experience in administrating a related field will land you interviews and lend you credibility when you move to your new career. So, how can you use your current role to build a case for a better role?

Shelter in place or seek a place of opportunity?

Is there room to grow with your current employer? It’s lovely working for a “mum and pop shop” where the people are like family, but you may forever be locking yourself into a “girl Friday” role. Does your current employer offer room to move up or “sideways” or do you need to transition to an admin role in a larger firm?

Nurture key relationships

Once you’ve identified where you’d like your career path to lead you, take a look at who is working in that department now. If you’re considering a more specialised career in Governance for example, identify which roles might suit you. Who do the current staff answer to? Talk to their manager, learn more about what would solve the department’s problems. Learn about the future of the department and where they may expand.

Talk to HR about your career path (most HR departments will be delighted to hear they can potentially hire within and may even have arrangements in place for study leave or even to help fund your studies). Most of all, get yourself on the hiring manager’s radar.

Look at your realistic options

If a full-time degree isn’t in your budget, look at the minimum qualification you can attain to get your foot in the door. Certificate and diploma level business courses can give you advanced standing for university degrees later on.

For now, look at the path of least resistance. Use your current experience to apply for certificate courses with recognition of prior learning to fast track (and cost cut) your certification. Your career change might be a lot quicker than you think.

The uphill of the upskill

There’s nothing more daunting than returning to study after a decade or more. Sure, you’ve probably done a few in-house training courses, but a full certification probably feels completely overwhelming. Rally your support network. Get your besties onboard. Your boss, colleagues and HR department. Your family, your partner – a cheer squad to help you overcome those “too hard” voices in your head. Line up any help you will need, from childcare, to proofreading, to maths tutoring (yes, most business courses will require some maths). The biggest barrier to your career change may well be your own hesitation.

Versatile admins make excellent specialists

Never forget your secret weapon. Use your years in admin work to launch a better approach to your new career. You’ll come equipped with specific insights into the processes and inefficiencies in your new department. That makes you a rare asset to your future manager.

Don’t discount the value of your career to date – you can use it to secure your place on a new career rung!