Crossing Over
#ageisjustanumber is trending. And how! 91-year old Barbara Beskind has created headlines for being hired as a technical designer at top Innovation firm, IDEO in Silicon Valley.
And no, the job did not land in her lap. She applied, wrote a compelling letter and convinced them of her candidature. Her story is very inspiring for many of us with difficult job searches and career transitions, whether voluntary or involuntary.
As the world continues to rapidly embrace the digital and mobile revolution, industries are closing down, new are springing up and a lot of jobs are becoming redundant.
Change is painful. Change takes time. Change causes resistance. But change also leads to growth and evolution, a precursor for the development for all mankind.
Taking a cue from Barbara’s example, I am going to write about Career Transition or Career Change. Having made a successful career transition myself, there are some things to remember when you are attempting to make a cross over.
Firstly, understand why you want to change. Conduct a thorough self-assessment (a Career Coach can provide a lot of value here) to understand if there are compelling reasons for change. Understanding those reasons will also help you perfect your pitch for later during interviews.
Perform a reality check! Research, research, research! Job search is essentially a research process. The grass is not all green on the other side. Conduct Informational Interviews with people in your target field to understand what they do on a daily basis. Chances are that about a large chunk of their daily responsibilities might include tasks that you do not like at all. Such interviews also help understand what skills or strengths does the target profile require, so you can take steps to bridge the gap, if any.
Just desire is not enough. Offer proof of your interest and competence. The hiring manager runs a risk that you may lose interest in the new profile after you are into the role a few months. Alleviate their fears by proving your capability and establishing a path to learn new skills and knowledge; make an inventory of transferrable skills from previous jobs and accomplishments.
Only Insiders get hired! Learn to speak their language. Understand their pain points and how you can offer a solution. Read the Industry’s trade journals, network with like-minded people, join focus groups, take relevant courses, part-time jobs or volunteer work in the new industry or profile. Social media like LinkedIn or Twitter give you a platform to follow the careers of top performers in your target market. Be professionally active on these forums by making a meaningful contribution.
The problem for hiring managers is to categorize career changers. It is easy to hire you when employers can place you in their organization, kind of fitting a round peg in a round hole. That is harder for career changers and the onus is for them to make the hiring managers see the ‘fit’.
Sincerity and persistence count a lot but they are not enough. They have to be backed up with an effort to do everything it takes to convince the hiring manager that you are a ‘safe bet’. They do not want to take the risk and it is foolish, at best, to hope they will.
It is not wrong to dream or hope but it is foolish to think that you will be hired on your faith and desire alone. Do not underestimate the effort that it takes to change a career. Having been through a difficult career transition myself, I can tell you that it is not easy. It is mentally and emotionally exhausting. But, at the end, it’s just a phase. Follow a good structured methodology, take a help of a Career Coach if required and do not give up on your dream. Because in the end, it is truly worth it!
