Looking for a new job? Start here.
If you want to get a new job, you are not alone. Earlier this year, CNBC reported that 96% of workers want a new gig. Do you want to get a job in a new industry, or transition to a position with greater responsibility? Just like getting a big promotion, finding a job in a new industry will require you to go beyond your experience. Remember, experience isn’t a prerequisite for changing careers. Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, sold office supplies door-to-door for seven years in her twenties. Before he launched Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post, Jonah Peretti was teaching middle schoolers how to use Microsoft Office. How did that qualify him for a career in media? Clearly there’s something more important than your experience, when it comes to finding a new job. These innovators, your boss and your CEO all share a common characteristic: they didn’t talk themselves out of new opportunities. They gave themselves permission to try something new, and they discovered opportunity along the way. Could imagination be what’s needed, when you want to find a new job? Seems like that would be a great place to start. Here are three more powerful ideas, to help you get a job in a new industry.
1. “Tell Us About Your Experience” is the Wrong Question
People use the past to predict the future, even though the investors on Shark Tank will say that “Past performance is no indication of future results.” When recruiters and managers ask about your past experience, there’s another question that’s really on their minds. Because, ultimately, what every company needs is always the same – and it’s not necessarily past experience. Every company needs solutions providers – people (just like you) who can identify challenges and provide solutions. Companies hire people who can help create future outcomes, and new experiences for their teams and their customers. What is the solution that you can provide? It may be reflected in your work experience – and it might be something that is a part of your hobbies, your side hustle, or your personal passion. “Valuable experience” doesn’t just happen at your job. A better question than “Tell us about your experience,” is always, “Can you help us?” While the past can help us to predict the future, remember: the past reminds us, it does not define us. You are more than your past. You have the ability to change. People get promoted, people change careers, people can adapt. Do you have new skills to share? Notice how you can help, and you just might be helping yourself in the process.
2.Understanding Why Transferable Skills Matter
According to the US Chamber of Commerce, the United States has 9.8 million job openings and 5.9 million unemployed workers. That means that even if all of those roles were filled with the existing talent pool, there would still be four million vacant positions. Transferable skills can help you to access new opportunity, and opportunities are all around us. Don’t fall into an industry trap, where you think your achievements are industry-specific. All soft skills are transferable – like emotional intelligence, for example. And understanding leadership and empathy is something that every employer needs. Innovation, by definition, doesn’t come from what you already know (otherwise, it’s not a new idea – it’s not innovation). The ability to innovate – to find something new – is the most important transferable skill of them all.
3. Communication is the Key to Finding a New Job
In a recent article, USA Today says that communication skills are vital. Indeed, in the age of AI, our ability to interact on a human to human level is crucial – especially in the job interview process. The stories you tell will teach people how to treat you, how to pay you and how to follow your ideas.
Here are 10 must-have communication skills to showcase in the interview process.
- Inclusivity.
- Empathetic listening.
- Remote collaboration.
- Analytical expression.
- Written communication.
- Verbal communication.
- Group communications.
- Training.
- Persuasion.
- Problem-solving.
Notice that none of these characteristics are industry-specific. For every skill you wish to demonstrate and convey in a job interview, especially if you are looking for a new job in a new industry, consider how stories support your skills. “That reminds me of a story…” can be a powerful starting point – just like, “I’ll never forget the time when…” Practicing with a friend, a mentor or a coach can help you to become more natural at connecting your prior experiences to new opportunities. (When the conversation matters, it’s a great idea to be prepared). Give yourself permission to try new things – especially if you want to create new results.
