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Three Ways to Transition to a New Career
by: Steve Hall
As a Certified Personnel Consultant working for Find Great People
International in Greenville, South Carolina, I receive telephone
calls from people who are considering a career change. For some,
transitioning to a new career is easier than others. Some
professionals already possess a foundation of skills to make the
transition easier. I'll give an example. An unemployed network
engineer and hobby electrician decides to become an electrical
contractor for new construction. His transition might be easier
because he needs minimal training to enter the new field. But others
require training, or additional schooling, which can sometimes be
costly.
Strategy for Changing Careers
It's best to take a strategic approach when changing careers. The
first step is identifying a career of interest to you. Then, visit
jobsites like Careerbuilder.com,Monster.com, and Hotjobs.com and
search for job postings by keywords or titles relating to your newly
desired career field. Next, read through the job postings
identified, analyze them, and try to determine the knowledge,
skills, and abilities employers are searching for in this field.
Once you've researched your chosen career, deepen your knowledge
through class work or mentoring with a friend whom you respect and
whose experience might relate to that field. In order to advance in
your field of choice, an undergraduate or advanced degree may be
necessary.
Speak to a Recrutier
Another way to make an effective career change is to contact
someone like myself - a recruiter or "headhunter" who specializes in
your desired field. The purpose of your call is to gather
information about your chosen profession. For example, at Find Great
People International, we have recruiters specializing in
manufacturing, information technology, health care, apparel, finance
and accounting, and professional temporary staffing. It may be
helpful to jot down a list of questions before your call. When I
speak to someone about changing careers, the individual usually
acknowledges they do not possess the skills or experience to do the
job yet -- but they are eager to break in. I evaluate their skills,
based on a series of questions. Sometimes they'll have a foundation
for the new career and that's a starting point.
Education: a Positvie Step
Schooling or training is a wise first step for many who shift
careers, provided they have the money to pay for it. There are times
when I recommend a national training center with locations
throughout the U.S. Or, since I specialize in the IT field, I'll
suggest a technical training institute, or a technical college that
offers supplemental training. Some certifications and trainings in
the computer field can range between $8,000-10,000. This may seem
steep, but the truth is most places of employment will not hire you
without some sort of training.
Step Into Your Field in a Better Job Market
There is a third, bolder angle, which works better in a more
robust job market. Simply investigate companies in your field of
interest, contact them directly, and ask them if they are hiring
entry level. If you are lucky enough to speak to a hiring authority,
or someone in a position to be helpful, use the time to sell
yourself on the transferable characteristics you possess as an
employee.
Transferable Characteristics as an Employee:
- · complete projects on-time and
within budget
- · work well with people
- · reliable and dependable
- · follow-through skills
- · computer skills
Highlight Former Profession
Do not overlook the generic qualities of your former profession,
when presenting yourself to a potential employer in a new field.
These include verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, and
are considered portable skills. If you feel you are lacking in some
of these key areas, then think about acquiring these skills through
training. I have often recommended something like Dale Carnegie's
course, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." If the cost for
this course is prohibitive, then consider acquiring some books or
audio tapes which help to build these skills.
To maximize success in your new field, I suggest that during the
education or retraining process, you become a member of a
professional organization. Plug yourself into an association, either
local or statewide, related to your specific industry niche. Go to
the monthly meetings. Get to know people. Start selling yourself by
way of relationships and friendships. By the time you've finished
your education, you'll have a network of people who will be aware of
your skills and availability.
Select any one of the three methods I'm recommending, or combine
aspects of all three. You'll be well on your way to landing a new
position. Your new field might not open up to you right away, but if
you are persistent about it, you should be successful.
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About The Author
During the past 14 years, Steve Hall has been a consultant
with Find Great People in Greenville, S.C. He has successfully
found several hundred great people for clients all over the
Eastern U.S. His focus includes Retail, Manufacturing,
Consumer Goods, Insurance, and Financial Services. For the
past five years, Steve has averaged an interview-to-hire ratio
of 3 to 1, compared to the industry average of 7 to 1.
In November 1994, Steve achieved his Certified Personnel
Consultant (CPC) certification. He is one out of approximately
90 in the state of South Carolina with this designation. In
addition, he has served as President for the State Recruiting
Association and is a tenured member of the Board of Directors
for that organization.
Steve Hall received his BS in Marketing Management.
shall@fgp.com
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