The question
After a successful 30-year career in the arts and entertainment sector (both non-profit and for profit) I decided I wanted a change and perhaps contribute to my community in a different way. For the past year I have applied for several executive director jobs in the social services, where my skill set made me clearly a credible candidate. In a couple of instances I was able to get to an interview with the recruiter. However, at the end of the day, the employers were unable to see past my particular experience, and to focus on my transferable skills.
How do I get an employer to think out of the box and at least grant me an interview? I am confident that if I can get into the room, I can address their fears that I am some “flaky arts guy.” I have a track record of significant accomplishment, and can provide references from community leaders.
The answer
You’ve pinpointed a key challenge that many face when shifting careers and trying to break into a new sector. It can be exciting – but tough to break into the new sandbox. Employers are inundated with résumés so if at first glance one doesn’t seem to fit the typical profile, they often don’t take the time to meaningfully consider the candidates’ merits and potential. This just means that you have to work harder to make an impression and to find employers who might be more willing to consider an “out-of-the-box” candidate. This calls for an extra dose of effort, creativity and persistence. Challenging, yes, but mission impossible – no.
Many people have successfully made those transitions. Well before I became a coach, I recall the time I was trying to break into the marketing/PR communications world. I came to the proposition with a distinctly different first career. I was armed with – well, a fitness degree and a lot of unrelated but transferable skills. While I did have some marketing education and experience, I had to convince recruiters and employers that it wasn’t all about bicep curls and core crunches and that I was very versed in the “stuff” of their world, such as brand identities (a marketing term) and more.
I also had to market myself differently. While competing with more traditionally trained and experienced candidates I did manage to land a fabulous role with one of the top international PR firms, which lead to a very fulfilling and successful career. And while I was at a more junior stage in my career than you’ve described for yourself, and the times have since changed with a tougher landscape for job seekers now, many of those lessons still hold true today. Here are a few thoughts for you to consider:
Your first impression needs to break through initial barriers: I like your confidence in knowing that if you could land an interview you will be able sell yourself. However, you can’t wait for that. You need to start marketing yourself effectively well before the interview in order to get the interview. This means your résumé, introductory letters and any initial communications must break through the perceived barriers so that you can get invited to that interview stage.
