Carreer Change FustrationsI was just laid off 3 weeks ago and actually was happy about it. Not by what happened but the fact that I just was not happy. I have been in the same industry for 10 years working mainly sales / Marketing / PR. Since the industry that I have been in hasn' t been as fun as it used to be when I first got in it, not to mention the problems it is having, I decided to take this opportunity since I am young and have no children to make an industry change. I want to stay with Marketing & PR, even corp event planning since that is my passion. The problem is that I think employers are not looking past the industry that I was in. Does anyone have any advice on how to get them to look past the industry and at what I have accomplished? You obviously want to emphasize and highlight your attributes but you obviously have to put your past employers and job duties. Is it your resume that you believe employers are looking at and not taking you past your former industry? If so, then try a different format for the resume in which you list the actual duties that are most closely related to the job for which you are sending in your information. Under those duties, list the companies for which you worked and the start and end dates with a brief explanation as to which position you learned each skill and performed each duty. The point being that your skills will be at the forefront and the individuals reviewing your resume will consider those before they consider the industry in which they were acquired. If there is an application that needs to be filled out after you arrive for the interview, you will need to list the job with duties in the proper section. But, by that time, you will have already been considered as a viable candidate and it shouldn't weigh you down. Include a cover letter with your resume stating your desire to change fields and explaining how you believe your skills can transition to the company you are applying to. Individualize both the cover letter and the resume to the company and position. The funny thing is I have been told my many people that my resume looks good and that is showcases my job duties and talents. I also have a cover letter that explains my interest in changing industries utilizing my skills from the industry I come from. I guess I am just fustrated and wondering if there is anything else I can do. It seems like I have done everything and anything I know. If everything is being done that can be done on the surface, then perhaps you need to be more proactive in your approach to your job hunt. Visit companies that appeal to you from the outside or by reputation and ask to speak to a hiring manager who deals with the type of work you would like to pursue. Another thing that came to mind is that when you look at advertisements or job postings, read the description requirements. The individuals who post the advertisement may have stated they wanted experience in that particular industry to be required and you may need to respond to positions where the experience is preferred but NOT required. | |
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Career Tips
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