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Today’s episode, is about Changing Careers the SMART Way. We are talking with someone who did just that. Holding nothing back, our guest shares his struggles, successes and techniques. If you are in the middle of a career change or even thinking about one, you will want to take notes for sure.
Highlights From the Previous Episode
But before we do, in our last show, episode 013, we talked about how your appearance can make or break you in an interview. Cheryl Dougan is an Independent Senior Sales Director for one of the largest image consulting companies in the country. She shared her insights into making a great first impression. If you missed it, you can listen by going to JobSearchThatWorks.com/013.
On This Episode
We are speaking with Robert Reedy, a Certified Epic Ambulatory Systems Analyst and Instructional Designer. It sounds like something he could have been doing for years. But Robert went through several downsizings in his previous career and shares how he reinvented himself. By not using today’s conventional methods of job hunting, he discovered effective methods that have helped him strategically move into a new career and systematically progress to positions of greater responsibility and reward in his new career. Let’s listen in on the conversation.
(For your convenience, I have included the time stamps for the major topics in the interview.)
11:00 – SMART Goals are those which are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely
12:05- Soft Skills deal more with sensitivity to what others are dealing with, their cultural differences and contextual norms. These are in contrast to the technical knowledge and skill sets.
14:57 – Research the company you are interested in. Make certain they are a good fit for you and you for them.
16:00 – The time to begin your next job search is the first day on your new job. Whether that job is within your new organization or with a new company. Start you looking!!!
17:57 – Gap Analysis
18:25 – Commute and Relocation
28:15 – Articulating Transferrable Skills on your resume.
30:15 – Connections on LinkedIn helped with the transition.
31:57 – Establishing relationships on LinkedIn
33:35 – Selecting and working with Recruiters on LinkedIn
38:16 – Overcoming fear in contemplating a career change
40:30 – Job Boards vs. Networking
45:00 – Most of positions are filled through word of mouth. In fact 80% of all positions filled are never advertised.
Recap
Robert shared his secret sauce for making a career change. He understood that 80% of all positions are filled without ever being advertised or posted on job boards. Robert is progressing in an amazing career that he loves and every one of his positions have come as a result of SMART networking for changing jobs.
Something to Ponder
“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.” – Keith Ferrazzi Thank you for spending time with me today. I truly appreciate it. You can find the show notes including any links and references mentioned today at www.JobSearchThatWorks.com/014.
What are your thoughts?
What would you like to know about networking? Share your thoughts in the comment section of the show notes.
Hi from a brazilian fan, I am an addicted to your podcast… I found it great. The concept is
amazing and the tips WOW!
The MANTRA that sticks in my head after listening
this podcast edition is “Networking is about building a long-term
mutually beneficial relationship” and what I struggle with is how to add value to. Any tip?
Thank you and keep up the great work!
Georgia
Hi Georgia. Glad to have you as a listener.
There are numerous ways to add value. For instance, on LinkedIn,
1. Join groups that are in line with your career goals.
2. Look for discussions within that group that are recent and gaining traction.
3. As a first step, reply to others’ posts with your thoughts. If a question is posed that you have the answer to, post the answer.
4. After replying to a few posts in the group, the members will begin to remember your name. It is time to start a conversation of your own. One of the best ways is to ask an industry related question.
5. Avoid asking for job referrals in these posts. You want the group to know, love and trust you first. That means you need to give to the group.
6. Continue to interact with the group. When you feel comfortable that you have earned the right to ask, then mention that you are looking for a new position. Perhaps you can ask the group for some guidance. Usually when you ask for help, people are willing to give it when they have seen your willingness to contribute.
7. Remember to do this with other Social Media platforms such as FaceBook, Reddit or industry specific discussion boards.
The magic formula … give, Give, GIVE … then ask.
All the best,
Ray
P.S. Remember to remain active in the group even after you have your new position and “pay it forward”.