Successful 'Recareering' Here are 10 tips to help you get the interview and win the job when you're

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Successful 'Recareering'Here are 10 tips to help
you get the interview and win the job when you're
looking to change careersBy Emily
KellerInformational interviewing is a vital
tool, particularly for people seeking a second
profession, or "recareering" as it's now known.
The process can be daunting. It takes a different
set of skills from the ones you use interviewing
and networking in your current field.
To succeed at informational interviewing, experts
and career changers offer the following tips
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1. Use your network It distinguishes you from
entry-level job seekers and makes employers take
you seriously. Think of colleagues, co-workers,
former students of your MBA program and
university, vendors, past business acquaintances,
and family. You meet people in your daily
interactions, they can become contacts. "I think
if you don't have any contacts, you should
consider the cold call," says Laura Gassner
Otting, author of Transitioning to the Nonprofit
Sector Shifting Your Focus from the Bottom Line
to a Better World. "But I'd say if you don't
think you have any contacts, you probably haven't
looked hard enough."
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2. Be a translatorEmployers want examples of
your transferable talents. "For me, the most
important thing is to try to understand what
their current skill set is," says Marietta Cozzi,
vice-president of staffing for Prudential
Financial. She points out that medical
experience makes an interviewee an attractive
candidate for underwriting.
Alexander Chernev, associate professor of
marketing at the Kellogg School of Management,
recommends charting instances in which you
demonstrated attributes like leadership,
creativity, and teamwork at each job you've held
and school you've attended.
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3. Avoid cliché answers to cliché
questions. Although the interview is likely to
start with "Tell me about yourself," be sure to
provide a unique and colorful answer that
distinguishes you from other candidates, Chernev
says in Mastering the Job Interview Your Guide
to Successful Business Interviews. For example,
a mountain climber who helped a fellow
mountaineer in crisis could use that story to
show leadership, management skill, and teamwork
to a consulting company. A poker player could
tell a potential employer she is skilled at
sizing up the competition.
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4. Be specific It is better to be honest about
what you're looking for, and not looking for,
than to appear desperate for anything. In an
informational interview you are looking for
advice and information start by being specific
and let them know what your focus is. Be open to
honest feedback dont assume everyone is going
to agree with you or your direction.
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5. Do your research Read industry journals and
annual reports, and study the company, product,
and financial information for every company
you're interested in. Know their industry and
competitors. Is says volumes about you, and none
of it positive, if you are unprepared for an
informational interview. With all the information
available at your fingertips on the internet,
there is no excuse for being unprepared. Once
you've done your research, don't hide behind your
computer. All that information won't do you any
good if you don't seek out the face-to-face
interactions that are vital to networking. Rememb
er you are dealing with industry professionals
if you expect to be taken seriously, you need to
be knowledgeable.
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6. Stay organized Steven Goldberg, former general
counsel and executive V.P. for a marketing
company, is known around Boston for the one-inch
binder he carries to interviews on his quest for
a senior management position in social
enterprises, venture philanthropy, economics, or
education. Otting says the binder impressed her
so much that she passed his name along to other
well-connected professionals in the field.
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7. Get out there Volunteering, joining
professional organizations, and attending
industry events will allow you to make contacts
that could lead to interviews, and will also
refine your knowledge about an industry or
profession.
Professional conferences and workshops are
excellent venues for networking. If you have
someone you are interested in networking with,
invite them for coffee, breakfast or lunch. A
meeting doesnt necessarily have to take place in
their office. They may welcome the break. Above
all, be appreciative of their time and
willingness to meet with you.
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8. Have a career-change advisor, someone you
can go to for advice Job searching can be, by its
very nature, a challenge. It can be particularly
trying when you're looking to change careers. The
networking process is a critical component to any
effective job search but, for many people its a
daunting undertaking.
Your advisor can help keep you on track and
provide direction, focus and encouragement. If
you are in an MBA or Masters program, the Career
Services staff can be invaluable. They work with
recruiters and hiring managers, they know the
marketplace and can work with you on your
networking efforts. They can direct you to the
best contacts.
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9. Talk to everyone you know meet new
people Informational interviews can happen
anywhere, from the golf course to the elevator,
and you never know who can be helpful to
you. People love to give advice and help others.
You are looking for information youll decide
what is helpful and what isnt. Be open to
meeting people anywhere, on your next flight or
in a social setting. Family members know people
who know people. Let people know youre
changing careers and ask for their input and
advice.
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10. Ask about next steps Always end with, "Is
there anyone else I should talk to?" advises Bill
Coleman, senior vice-president of compensation
for Salary.com. But don't let your desire for
contacts consume the conversation. People who
thought you were looking for information and
insight can be turned off if they feel they're
only a conduit to someone else. Networking is a
professional skill that can enhance your career
options, provide insight and direction, and help
you strengthen your contacts.
Always keep in mind that in any networking
meeting, that manager is giving of their time to
meet with you. Thank them for their time and
follow up with a handwritten note, not an email,
expressing your appreciation. If they have agreed
to work with you in your efforts, dont leave
them in the dark. Keep them apprised of your
progress and, when you land that offer, let them
know. Keep them as part of your professional
network.
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This information contained in this slide show was
adapted from a presentation in Business Week.