Changing career paths can be daunting—but also incredibly rewarding. If you’re looking for a more lucrative industry or following a long-time passion, knowing where to start is often the hardest part.

LinkedIn offers tools to guide you, from exploring new directions to connecting with potential employers. The App Store spoke with Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn’s editor-at-large for jobs and career development, for advice on navigating a career pivot.

The first step to finding a more fulfilling or profitable career is doing some digging—both internally and externally. Seaman says, “People can ask themselves questions like: What did I want to do when I was younger? Or is there something that’s drawing me in one potential area?”

Once you have a field or two in mind, Seaman suggests searching for those roles on LinkedIn’s Home tab; the results under the heading People will include connections within (or just beyond) your network who work in those fields and could tell you more about the work.

“Reach out and explore what you think would be the biggest questions you have,” says Seaman. Hearing from real people can help you get a feel for whether that field is right for you.

Once you’ve determined your direction, it’s time to show potential employers why you would be successful in this field. Even if most of your work experience isn’t in that industry, you can use your LinkedIn profile to highlight your relevant skills and your passion.

Start with the About section. “You want to set the tone for how hiring managers and recruiters view you,” says Seaman. “That section can do the heavy lifting to say, for example, ‘I am coming from a more traditional accounting background, but I want to move into data management and this is why.’”

He stresses that it’s important to still include all of your work experience in your CV—those experiences could help you make a connection with a new employer—but you can shape the descriptions to show what you’ve learned and how it might benefit you in your new path.

Highlight your relevant abilities and accomplishments in sections such as Skills, Projects, or Volunteer Experience. The Featured section is a great place to showcase creative work—articles, photos, videos, or presentations you’ve produced—even if they were done as a hobby.

Seaman also encourages jobseekers to post articles related to their chosen field or join conversations with relevant industry groups, which will show potential employers that they’re truly interested and thoughtful about the work.

“Make sure it’s all coming together to tell the story that you want the hiring manager or the recruiter to know,” says Seaman.

Many jobs require specific credentials or certifications, so getting that education and updating your profile to reflect it—even if it’s still in progress—is key.

With LinkedIn Learning, you can take courses on everything from software development to leadership skills, then showcase your certificates on your profile. LinkedIn’s annual Skills on the Rise list reveals which skills are in high demand, including AI literacy, public speaking, and conflict mitigation.

Not sure which skills you need to work on? Find a position you’re interested in and with LinkedIn Premium, you’ll see an AI feature below the Apply button that can assess your fit for the role, analyzing your profile and the job listing to determine how well you meet the criteria and suggest areas you might need to brush up on.

“This works two ways,” says Seaman. “Either you don’t have that skill and you really do need to apply some new learnings to your career or maybe you do have that skill and it’s not on your LinkedIn profile yet.”

In any job hunt, having a strong network is key. But how do you build a network in a field you haven’t worked in?

Start by exploring the My Network tab, where you’ll find suggestions based on your city, work and education. You’re likely to come across some second-degree connections—people you share a mutual contact with.

“You can see who your mutual connection is,” says Seaman. “So that opens the door to say, ‘Hey Frank, I just moved and I don’t really know anyone here, but I see that you’re connected to Jessica here and she works in an industry that I’m interested in. Would you be able to make that introduction?’”

Having someone else make the introduction lends credibility. “They know that you’re a real person, you have skills and they’re not afraid to vouch for you or at least make the time for you.”

Below each job posting on LinkedIn you’ll also see “People you can reach out to.” This is a great place to find connections based on your work and education history so you can reach out for informational interviews about the work.

“At the end of each discussion,” says Seaman, “ask them to introduce you to others who work in that area to keep learning and expanding your network.”