Keys to Breaking in
to a New Career

- Learn the language. Every profession and every industry have their own terms and acronyms. For example, what one industry calls a “client”, another will call a “customer”. Translate your skills and background using the words a manager in your target industry will understand.
- Ask your network of contacts to introduce you people who have broken into 1/2 your target industry. Find out how they did it and ask them for suggestions about your approach.
- Do a search on the internet for PowerPoint presentations to learn the burning issues in your target industry and profession. Professional conferences are places where the industry experts meet and share ideas about current challenges or opportunities. Often the presentations are posted on the conference website. Do a Google search with the industry or profession’s name, the term “current trends” and “ppt”. In addition being able to articulate current professional issues in an interview, you will also learn the names of experts in your target profession who might make good insider networking contacts.
- Ask people who could hire you what makes someone great at the job beyond the “minimum qualifications” and “years of experience”. Do a gap analysis between the specific needed skills and knowledge that make an employee perform among the top 10% in your dream job, and compare it to your background. Focus on closing the gap with professional reading, targeted classes, and describing your skills and experience to fit the manager’s needs.
- Focus on the hidden job market where the competition is less and there are a greater number of opportunities through high quality networking efforts and industry research.