Embracing change
Tips help professionals who are switching careers ace job interviews
Millions of people change careers every year. In decades past, professionals might have worked for the same company for the majority, if not the entirety, of their careers, but today it’s not uncommon for men and women to change jobs several times before reaching retirement age.
It’s important to note that changing jobs and changing careers are not necessarily the same thing.
Professionals who are considering a career change will have to consider a host of factors that men and women who are changing jobs within the same career field may never have to contemplate. Such factors may include returning to school and establishing lifestyle changes designed to make living on less income more feasible.
Professionals who are changing careers may also need to develop a strategy for handling job interviews. When changing jobs as opposed to careers, job seekers can draw attention to their resumes, essentially letting their experience speak for itself. But while experience is often a feather in a job candidate’s cap, professionals who are changing careers may need to focus more on their future than on their past when interviewing for a new career.
Check out the following tips designed to help career-changers ace the job interview.
Draw attention to skills that will apply to your new career.
All of your experience and skills likely won’t transfer to your new career, but that doesn’t mean you’re going in with an empty briefcase. Make a list of your most transferable skills, and develop an interview strategy that highlights those skills and explains how they can be applied in both the near future and over the course of your new career.
Use your professional contacts to your advantage.
Even if much of your work experience won’t transfer to your new career, your professional network might still be valuable to a prospective employer. The longer you’ve been working, the larger your professional network likely is, so highlight those contacts in your interview, and illustrate how you can put them to good use should you be hired.
Showcase how you’ve adapted to change in the past.
Much of the business world moves at a breakneck pace. That pace has become even faster, thanks to advancements in technology that routinely affect how businesses operate. Even if you’ve never previously changed careers, you’ve likely had to adapt to change. Make a list of changes your employers have instituted throughout your career, highlighting how you adapted to those changes and benefited from them in the long term.
Remain positive throughout the interview process.
Even if you’re changing careers because you’re unhappy or unfulfilled in your present line of work, avoid badmouthing that industry and your past employers. Doing so will only reflect negatively on you and will raise a red flag with prospective employers. Instead, explain your reasons for pursuing a new career path in terms that excite potential employers about your candidacy.