Chris Voss on Starting a New Career

Chris Voss is a leading authority on the art, science, and practice of negotiation with twenty-four years of experience in the Federal Bureau of Investigation—many of them spent as the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. In 2008, Chris transitioned to the private sector, founding the Black Swan Group. As CEO of the Black Swan Group, he trains business leaders, public servants, and other individuals to become highly effective negotiators in their own right.

When expert negotiator and bestselling author Chris Voss first got a job with the Kansas City Police Department, he was thrilled. It wasn’t until they dispatched him to a new location he began to feel like he might want to pursue a different path.

“They sent me from this place with all this street life to another part of town that [was] almost all residential. And this [was] much more meticulous, much more methodical work. . . . [It wasn’t] my cup of tea. I mean, I want much more stimulation. I'm not a ‘focused for long periods of time’ kind of guy.” — Chris Voss

After a brief period of burnout, Chris applied to the FBI. Once he got a job in the Bureau, he realized his true passion was for hostage negotiation. To gain experience for the position, he began to volunteer at a suicide hotline part time. After doing so for several months, he got a full-time job as an FBI negotiator.

Finding a different job can bring you a great deal of fulfillment. These are just a few of the pros of embarking on a new career path:

• Greater sense of purpose: A career transition to a different industry can be a very important step for your professional development. Switching from an unsatisfying job to a path you feel fulfills you allows you to live with a much greater sense of purpose.
• Personal growth opportunities: Meeting your career development goals can benefit you on a personal level. Facing new challenges will help you grow as an individual. Reach out to trusted friends and mentors for advice along the way, too.
• Potential perks: Career changes help you meet all your needs. Perhaps you’d take a pay cut in exchange for a remote work position. Maybe you’re looking for better health care benefits or a more welcoming work environment. You also might have a better chance of obtaining a big pay increase from switching jobs than you do staying in the same spot.

Starting a new job search comes with a handful of negatives, too. Here are a few cons to switching career fields:

• Increased stress: Finding the right career can be a stressful experience. Change feels uncomfortable for many people, and leaving your day job to seek a new role can make you feel unstable for some time. You need to be comfortable with uncertainty to pursue a career shift.
• Less seniority: Job hunting is just the first phase of changing careers. After acquiring a different position, you’ll have to prove yourself at your new job just like you did at your old one. You’ll also need to start from scratch on building social relationships with your coworkers.
• More legwork: Sending out job applications and cover letters can be exhausting, especially in comparison to staying in the established routine set by your current career. Informational interviews with human resources teams might prove stressful as well.

At one point, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss was once a job seeker looking for a career change just like you. Here’s some of the best career advice he has to offer:

1. 1. Acquire transferable skills. You can acquire new skills for your next position while at your current job. When Chris volunteered at a suicide hotline, he began to see how he could transfer the negotiation skills he was learning to various scenarios. “I can remember at the time thinking, ‘This can’t just be for crisis hotlines,’” he says. “‘This has got to be applicable to everyone.’” Consider talking with a career coach about ways you can leverage your current skill set to chase new opportunities.
2. 2. Follow your heart. At a certain point, it will become clear to you whether a new career path is the right move. Then it just takes a leap of faith. “I didn’t really realize how much I was going to love it until I got there,” Chris says. “It was the show. It was the big game. The head of the office said, ‘We’re in the Super Bowl every day in New York,’ and that’s the way it was.” When you get this feeling, you’ll know you’ve found your dream job.
3. 3. Gain experience. Chris had to prove himself to the FBI’s negotiation team before he could get a job working with them. “There’s got to be something I can do,” Chris says he remembers telling the interviewer. “She said, ‘There is. Go volunteer on a suicide hotline.’” After doing so for five months, he honed the skills necessary to succeed in the negotiation field for years to come. Shadowing someone in the new industry you hope to join can also prove useful.
4. 4. Look for the right opportunities. When seeking out a new career, keep an ear to the ground for the right opportunities. Chris applied to the SWAT team and the FBI at the same time. “Whoever gives me the best offer first, that's where I'm going,” he says he thought to himself. “And the FBI hired me, so I took the job with the Bureau.” Setting out on a new career path is sometimes about being in the right place at the right time with the right skill set. Prepare yourself to make the right move as soon as it presents itself.

When an emergency arises, quick thinking can make all the difference. Get the MasterClass Annual Membership for exclusive access to hundreds of classes, including Crisis Story, where Chris Voss, Chris Hadfield, and others share how they took decisive action when it mattered most.