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Finding a New Direction
I have been looking for a long term employment since 2018 and had little or no luck. I have been working with a career coach, I paid for a professional resume writer, reached out to staffing companies, contacted recruiters on LinkedIn I have applied for entry level as well as mid-career opportunities, but I am starting to believe I am invisible to hiring managers . I also understand that we are going through a very uncertain economic time, nevertheless I know some organizations are still hiring.
What advice would give me? What am I missing? What has worked for you?
Thank you!
Anonymous
08/04/20 at 12:05AM UTC
Thank you for all these wonderful comments, suggestions and tips. I will reach out privately. I truly love this community!!
Kelley Shields, Career Happiness Coach
Work shouldn't be a 4-letter word.
98
07/25/20 at 9:23PM UTC
I'm so sorry you've been going through this! I agree with the comments above - looking into the hidden job market and focusing on networking are the best strategies for success. (Only 30% of new hires come through people just applying to a job posting.) Unfortunately, not all resume and career coaches are created equal - have they focused on helping you be able to articulate your new direction, show how your previous experience supports that change, and help you build "proof points" that show you have experience in your new direction so that a hiring manager won't view you as a risky hire? There are a lot of things that could be going on. If you want to have a conversation, feel free to schedule a free call with me at www.kelleyshields.com. Good luck!!
KelliHelps senior-level women make career changes
1.46k
07/23/20 at 3:44PM UTC
What is your career coach doing with you? Have you taken a step back to really decide what you're meant to be doing? It takes some self-discovery but is the #1 most important part of finding a job (and one you'll be happy in for awhile). Let me know if you need additional help.
JENN O'TOOLLeadership and Career Transformation Coach
100
07/21/20 at 7:55PM UTC
You don't say how different the new direction is from your prior career, but I'll assume that your career coach and resume writer have pointed you in the right direction. The comments above regarding networking are also correct. But I wonder whether or not you have created (and mastered) how to tell the story about your "new direction" that helps connect the dots for the people you meet in networking and informational interviews as well as when you are applying for positions.
It is very difficult to unlearn the stories we tell, but if you can fins a compelling way to introduce yourself and set the stage that inspires people to look at you beyond your resume/last job, you will have an easier time getting connected to what you are looking for.
Instead of " Hi, I'm Emily...up until 2018 I was a ____ in the ____industry. Now I'm looking for opportunities in [field]..." you need to come from a place of 'who you are' rather than 'what you do'.
Maybe something like "In my previous life I spent a lot of time at a computer working by myself. I have a passion for digging into problems and identifying missing pieces or errors and making recommendations for how to improve processes for gathering and storing data and research so that it's more usable. But I have discovered that I don't like working alone and am actually best when working jointly with others on creating better processes for the future. After I left my last position I had some time to really think about how and where I could use my talents that would also allow me a more collaborative work environment. I've identified some roles, including Technical Solutions consultant, that would allow for a direct transfer of my technical and problem solving skills into a more customer facing role that would be a much better fit for my personality."
You didn't say what your field was so I just made up a scenario, but that is how you need to craft a story to tell about yourself in networking, in your cover letters, on your LinkedIn profile...
Once you do this, you may need to take some extra steps to reach out to others at the companies you apply to (recruiters, leaders in the functional area, the potential hiring manager if you can identify who that might be...and tell your story in a direct message that might help get you past the ATS auto-reject process.
Hopefully some of that helps you...
Aly BrineHelping Corporate Hippies thrive on LinkedIn!
1.59k
07/16/20 at 7:32PM UTC
I agree fully with the networking responses above and wanted to provide a little different, little more hippie spin! I believe you should start with the inner work before you do the outer practical work. So asking questions like: Are you searching for the right positions? Are you clear on what you're searching for? Have you taken the time to assess if this could be a redirect happening for you? Are you actually subconsciously blocking yourself from your own success? I know that sounds counter intuitive because, of course, you want to be successful but where in your search could you be sabotaging yourself?
Rachael FlugCareer Coach and Recruiter
158
07/16/20 at 6:56PM UTC
I agree with Emily. As a career coach, I focus almost entirely on networking, informational interviews, and other methods as a way to get in the door. This will almost always guarantee at least a person will see your resume. If you are only blind applying, it is very likely that a real person will never see your resume.
If you would like some guidance, brainstorming ideas, etc, I would be more than happy to connect and have a coffee chat (completely free of course)!
Emily KesslerOrg. problem solver using design thinking
199
07/16/20 at 6:17PM UTC
Fairygodboss hosted a webinar on the Hidden Job Market that I thought was very informative. You can watch the recording here: https://fairygodboss.com/events/I4LOy8XYR/finding-the-hidden-jobs-market
I'd recommend spending more time on networking, conducting informational interviews, and meeting people who either have the job title you're seeking or work in organizations you admire. You can do all this networking by phone or video chat.
Good luck!
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