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Changing careers A few months ago, my friend Sandy came to me with a dilemma. Unhappy with her job, she had gone back to school. There she discovered that she didn't just want another job, she wanted a new career. But at 40, how could she make up for lost time? Would she be able to get a job – at her age and without any experience in the field? As she talked through her situation, I could see that she had made up her mind to go after her dream despite the difficulties. She was prepared to start over, with all this entailed – a huge pay cut, the discomfort of junior status, the "grunt" work of an entry-level job. She was even willing to volunteer or take an unpaid internship just to get a foot in the door. But could she convince an employer to give her a chance? And how could she compete with college seniors half her age? She had recently read about older students being turned away from internships – because they wouldn't "fit in," especially with younger "traditional" interns! I suggested to Sandy that since the problem seems to be one of perception, the solution could be in the presentation – both to herself and to prospective employers. "You're comfortable working with both younger and older students in your classes, aren't you?" I asked her. She agreed that the give-and-take of different viewpoints in the classroom created a lively learning environment. "Doesn't that same dynamic exist on your job?" Sandy admitted she hadn't really thought about how much age diversity there was at work, and how it can result in better products and services, as well as a much more interesting personal experience. "You also have plenty of experience to offer a prospective employer, at home, as well as at work." I offered. "It's just not industry-specific. You learn as you go, you solve problems and resolve interpersonal conflicts. You have highly developed communications skills. You know how to set and work within budgets and project deadlines." "I never really thought about it that way!" Sandy replied. "Sometimes, neither have they! You have to show them just how rich your experience is." We worked together to craft a "learning history" for Sandy to use together with a more traditional resume. We listed skills and experience inventories in place of job inventories. We focused on what she had learned – at home, on the job and in school – and how she had applied this knowledge – also, at home, on the job and in school. We even wove it into a story to replace the typical "laundry list" of work experience. In the process, Sandy identified her weaknesses as well as her strengths. This helped her see the gaps she needed to fill through her education. We hope this document will help her convince a future employee to take a chance on her. But she also plans to use it as the basis of her proposal for gaining life experience credit at school. And if she decides to go to grad school, it'll help her develop her admissions essay. Even if she never presents it, it has already had a profound effect on her own thinking – and her level of confidence. 3/6/02 TOP |
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