Fall is on the way, and with it comes my third annual Defector Academy monthlong challenge, Defectober.

When I developed this Defector Academy offering in 2018, it was designed to combat one worry I heard time and time again from aspiring career changers: “I don’t know where to start.”

It’s a valid worry. Between deciding what to do next, how to explain what you know how to do, how to stand out from others with more traditional experience…and likely do so in isolation, for fear of judgment of others? It’s a lot.

Defectober breaks all of those concerns into daily tasks, spread out over the course of five weeks – plus rest days, because they’re allowed! – and arranged thematically to help the knowledge from each week build into the next.

And this year, we have another tool added to the Defectober arsenal: a LinkedIn group.

This year’s participants will have the opportunity to interact with one another in a dedicated space, alongside prior Defectors who can share their experience from the other side. It’ll be a place to find support, motivation, and additional resources during the month – and beyond!

Enrollment is open now ($39 gets you in, with add-ons available to enrich the experience), the LinkedIn group opens September 23rd, and the challenge starts bright and early (for me, which is 10am ET) October 1st.

Join us, won’t you?