This question has become increasingly frequent among friends, young professionals, and coworkers after seeing my career transition from sales to product.

I’m no expert but here’s a bit of what I’ve found to be helpful.

Research the role
Talk to people in the field you’re curious about. How did they get there? What do they like and dislike about the role? What are the top skills needed to succeed? As you have these conversations, consider if the type of person this role attracts is generally someone you’d enjoy working with.

Join groups
Find online groups where people who work in the field are organized, try and do mock interviews, get referrals, learn what topics are top of mind in that space, etc. (If you’re looking to get into product, I recommend Product Buds)

Get hands-on experience
If you don’t already have experience in the field a good way to get some is by pitching a startup, volunteering to help with projects that your friend or connections are working on, and creating relationships with the department you’re interested in at your current place of employment. (I benefited from Lucid’s internal mentorship program to find someone who worked in the field I was interested in, which led to observing / helping with projects.)

Read
What are the top books to read in the field? Read, watch videos, and become a student of that space. 

If you’re looking to break into a new role or just want to open your horizons around what potential roles are out there, I’m happy to make an introduction, where it makes sense, to friends in my network.