Changing careers is a daunting step for anyone, especially if you have been invested psychologically and financially in your previous career. Career change is often forced upon us by circumstance, rather than as a conscious choice. There are many factors which may lead to the decision. The most common is lose of our present job.
When this happens our first response is to look for a position of similar or greater value. Then we discover that we are going to have to compete in a totally different marketplace than the one we experienced the last time we looked for a job. We find that our technical skills may be out of date. Our years of experience can stand in the way of gaining entry in a company when we are competing with the politics of internal promotions. Our salary history, no matter how desperate we are for a paying job, may price us out of the market.
After weeks, months and in some cases years without success in finding a place in our old career, it is then that we realize that a career change may be the only answer to our situation
I find that clients and friends who find themselves in this position asking me for "job leads." I ask them how they have prepared for this change in career. I tell them that generating leads is useless if you have nothing to offer. You need to get your ducks lined up before you try to sell yourself. You need to develop trust with those you are seeking help from and this requires work. Trust must be earned.
The salesman who leaves his samples, brochures, and order book at home will not get the sale. The lead will be wasted since the sales-person has no specific tools to make an offer or to close the sale. And while the lead/prospect may be sold on the idea, once sold they may buy the product someplace else. That is the prospect is sold on the solution, but not on you.
If you are seeking leads for yourself, then you need to address these questions for yourself and do the research required to answer them. It is your responsibility to communicate your answers to potential employers and to those that you are asking for leads. These questions are:
1. Who are you?
2. What do you have that is unique?
3. Who uses that uniqueness and for what purpose?
4. Why do you think you are the right person for organization and/or job?
If you can't answer these questions by yourself, then maybe you need professional help. You need to hire a "sales representative" or a "marketing person" to help you generate the leads you are looking for. There are job placement serves and job boards, alumni offices, professional associations that list jobs openings. Some charge you to help you, some charge the employer for posting the job, and some charges the employer if they find and make a successful placement. If you need more in-depth counseling and/or mentoring, a personal career coach may be the answer
Networking in the field(s) and areas where you have knowledge, experience, contacts, reputation, interests, and competencies is where to start. But don't expect that this will result in a quick sale.
You need to realize that when you are asking for help there is cost involved for the helper. For example, I will only refer individuals to a contact or client if I know who that individual is and what they can do for my contact or client. If I were to send a total stranger who might embarrass me, I might risk losing my creditability with the contact or client. This is something I am not going to do.
Changing your career is like any other sales job. You have to sell yourself as a person first; the organization (your professional/vocational qualifications) you represent second; and, then the product (why you are the solution to the employer's personnel need.) yourself last. That is how you build the trust you will need to succeed whether for a referral or an actual job application.
When this happens our first response is to look for a position of similar or greater value. Then we discover that we are going to have to compete in a totally different marketplace than the one we experienced the last time we looked for a job. We find that our technical skills may be out of date. Our years of experience can stand in the way of gaining entry in a company when we are competing with the politics of internal promotions. Our salary history, no matter how desperate we are for a paying job, may price us out of the market.
After weeks, months and in some cases years without success in finding a place in our old career, it is then that we realize that a career change may be the only answer to our situation
I find that clients and friends who find themselves in this position asking me for "job leads." I ask them how they have prepared for this change in career. I tell them that generating leads is useless if you have nothing to offer. You need to get your ducks lined up before you try to sell yourself. You need to develop trust with those you are seeking help from and this requires work. Trust must be earned.
The salesman who leaves his samples, brochures, and order book at home will not get the sale. The lead will be wasted since the sales-person has no specific tools to make an offer or to close the sale. And while the lead/prospect may be sold on the idea, once sold they may buy the product someplace else. That is the prospect is sold on the solution, but not on you.
If you are seeking leads for yourself, then you need to address these questions for yourself and do the research required to answer them. It is your responsibility to communicate your answers to potential employers and to those that you are asking for leads. These questions are:
1. Who are you?
2. What do you have that is unique?
3. Who uses that uniqueness and for what purpose?
4. Why do you think you are the right person for organization and/or job?
If you can't answer these questions by yourself, then maybe you need professional help. You need to hire a "sales representative" or a "marketing person" to help you generate the leads you are looking for. There are job placement serves and job boards, alumni offices, professional associations that list jobs openings. Some charge you to help you, some charge the employer for posting the job, and some charges the employer if they find and make a successful placement. If you need more in-depth counseling and/or mentoring, a personal career coach may be the answer
Networking in the field(s) and areas where you have knowledge, experience, contacts, reputation, interests, and competencies is where to start. But don't expect that this will result in a quick sale.
You need to realize that when you are asking for help there is cost involved for the helper. For example, I will only refer individuals to a contact or client if I know who that individual is and what they can do for my contact or client. If I were to send a total stranger who might embarrass me, I might risk losing my creditability with the contact or client. This is something I am not going to do.
Changing your career is like any other sales job. You have to sell yourself as a person first; the organization (your professional/vocational qualifications) you represent second; and, then the product (why you are the solution to the employer's personnel need.) yourself last. That is how you build the trust you will need to succeed whether for a referral or an actual job application.
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