MAKING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER CHANGE
Most people focus on their resume when making a career change,
but actually that's the least important aspect of a successful
change.
Most people who have made the decision to change their careers
face the same problem: How can I get hired when I don’t have
relevant experience?
It is true that not many companies will hire you as a graphic
artist if you simply send a resume outlining your ten-year career
in tax accounting! Even the best resume cannot hide the fact that
your previous work experience has not qualified you for the position
you seek.
The good news!
The good news is that there are ways to gain entry into your
chosen profession.
As Nicholas Lore explains in his exceptional career change book,
The Pathfinder, “you gain admittance into any group, social
or professional, by creating agreement.” In other words,
people are accepted into a group (or career field) because other
people agree they belong. Agreement is developed through the things
we say, the way we act, the knowledge we have etc.
If a struggling,
unpublished writer says “I hope to be a writer some day,” she
has already made it clear that she does not consider herself to
be a writer. Others will agree with her categorization and accept
that she is not a writer. But if she writes every day, submits
short stories to small publications, attends writer’s conferences
and writes free articles for websites and local newspapers, she
is now beginning to create agreement that she is, indeed, a writer.
Become what you want to be.
The goal therefore is to become your new profession. Don’t
wait until someone hires you before you think of yourself as a
computer programmer. Start to think of yourself that way now. Begin
gathering the knowledge and experience you will need. Surf websites
and chat rooms. Join associations and networking groups. Talk to
other programmers. Read books. Practice. And most importantly,
build a body of work. In other words, you must act as you wish
to be perceived.
A real life example - how Jeff Davis made a career change.
Jeff Davies was a nurse by profession,
but he was also
a talented
musician. He wanted to get into the video game industry, writing
soundtracks and creating sound effects but he had little success
when he first sent out his resume. The few responses he got were
standard ‘no-thanks’ emails.
Eventually, a friend suggested that Jeff take a different approach.
Instead of sending in his resume, he created a demo reel of music
he had written for famous video games. In each case he replaced
the existing soundtrack with his own music. Then he started to
network his way into the industry, attending game industry conferences
and trade shows. He met people and kept a database of his contacts.
He subscribed to industry newsletters to keep up to date with technological
and industry developments. He created a website and sent a link
to key industry figures. He received several calls praising his
creative approach although no immediate job offers. Once a month,
he stayed in touch with his network of contacts by sending a short
email with a snippet of new music attached as an MP3 file.
After four months, Jeff was called in to interview for a position
as an entry-level sound engineer with an independent game developer.
The call came from the company’s creative director who had
met Jeff a year earlier at a trade show. The company is not Jeff’s
ideal employer as they make games for children and Jeff is much
more interested in role–playing action games, but he plans
to stay there for a year learning all he can and then start to
apply to the larger game companies.
Jeff’s success was well-deserved. He took a proactive approach
to his career change and dedicated much of his spare time to demonstrating
his skills. By the time he was hired, he already thought and spoke
and acted as a video game sound engineer.
What lessons can you take from Jeff's story?
Jeff’s story highlights that career-changers must take a
different approach to job search. If you are frustrated with your
own job search, try following Jeff’s example:
- Get started. Don’t wait for someone to pay you to be
what you want to be. Just do it! If you want to prove you can design
logos, for example, volunteer to redesign the logo for your friend’s
small business. Or simply redesign some existing corporate logos
for demonstration purposes.
- Learn everything you can. Read
books, join associations, go to education events and trade shows.
Read newsletters. Visit
industry web sites and chat rooms. Learn the language and
jargon of the industry you want to enter. Stay up to date with
the newest
trends and technologies. Become an expert.
- Make contacts. Build
a network of influential people within the field you want to
enter. Find creative ways to approach them
and maintain the connection once it is made. For example,
why not offer to write an article for a trade magazine or website?
You can choose a topic which gives you a reason to contact
key
people within the industry.
- Find Creative Approaches. Do
not rely on the standard resume and cover letter. This will almost
always fail when you are trying
to make a shift to a new career. Most people will scan your
resume to see how your past experience matches with their current
needs.
Therefore, applying to job postings is unlikely to help you
make the change to your new field.
Making a career change is both challenging and exciting. The biggest
problem you will face is the resistance of others who doubt your
qualifications in your new field. The key is to stop looking for
your dream job and start doing it. Eventually – like Jeff
- you will gain acceptance and your transformation will be complete.
This career change advice is provided by Louise
Fletcher, who is the President of Blue
Sky Resumes, and author of the eBook, The
Complete Guide to Resume Writing. Louise is also Managing
Editor and Co-founder of the preeminent careers blog, Career
Hub. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and many of
her resumes have been published in the JIST "Expert Resumes" series.
She has contributed to many online publications including About.com,
Monster.com, The Ladders, and Net Temps.
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