50: An inside track to a career change

Sometimes you don’t have to go far to make a career switch. My guest today is a great example of how to change careers without changing companies. 

Mia Villarreal went from social media strategist to product marketing manager—within the same organization—in only a couple of years. 

In this episode, Mia shares how she first got into VMware, a global software developer, in 2020 as a contractor—a move that gave her access to the company culture and cross-functional teams before she was even a permanent employee. 

Mia walks us through the inside track she took to change careers within VMware—from leveraging in-house platforms to tapping into her internal network. 

She also recalls how her mentors and trusted colleagues helped her navigate her impostor syndrome about transitioning to product marketing when she had no direct experience. 

Episode Highlights:

• Getting your foot in the door as a contractor

• Is your company culture conducive to a career change?  

• Accessing in-house resources

• Getting help with impostor syndrome 

• How to ask your manager for support with switching roles

• What to keep an eye out for possible openings within a company

• Setting up coffee chats – how to approach people and what to cover

• What to do in the first 30, 60, and 90 days in a new role

• Leaning into your strengths when making a career switch

Resources Mentioned: 

Product Marketing Alliance: https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/

CliftonStrengths Assessment: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx

Career coach Alicia Wolfe: https://www.integratewell.co/

Additional Episodes:

Need more help with impostor syndrome? Check out these episodes:

Ep 49: Need some A.I.R. with your career change?

Ep 11: Impostor syndrome and other roadblocks to a career change

Music credit: TimMoor from Pixabay

Podcast info:
What's your career switch? What do you think about this episode and the show? Tell us at careerswitchpod.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.