Recycle Your Skills into a New Career

What skills and experiences do you have that can help you make a transition into a new career? Find those attributes that will qualify you for a new line of work and be prepared to let employers know about them. This was the advice given by Gary Purece, who generously filled in as speaker at the Marin Professionals General Meeting on April 14, 1999, after the scheduled speaker canceled.

What do you have that will transfer?

Giving an example of how find and use this skills-transfer approach, Purece told his "Banker's Story". There was a former banker at one of Purece's workshops who was very pessimistic about being able to successfully maneuver into a career change after being downsized out of his job. Purece was having a hard time eliciting any useful information from him about hobbies, skills, or enthusiasms, until he asked what the man did on Sunday.

Seems the fellow was a mainstay of his church, acted as Chief Financial Officer and controlled a budget of $2,300,000, did fundraising, and pulled-in volunteers for projects. All of this took a lot of financial expertise, initiative, communication skills and responsibility. It turned out this skill set was a perfect fit for a top job at a non-profit organization. He was quickly hired.

Transitions never stop

We should always be aware that transitions never stop. Businesses change -- this is ongoing and inevitable. Be on top of changes within your industry and alert to changes that are imminent in your own organization. Try to stay ahead of the curve.

Take the positive view that the loss of your old position creates a good opportunity to prepare for a new career direction. Corporations are not looking for a good resume. "What are you going to do for me?" is their attitude. They want to know if you can solve a problem for them. Your career needs to be positioned to solve their problems. By using the following techniques, you can develop a good approach to job-hunting and self-presentation.

What Do You Do? How Do You Do It?

Develop your unique selling proposition, and then keep honing it down. Take your 15-second elevator speech and make it briefer and more to the point. For example, Purece's own selling proposition is "I work with people and organizations in transition".

Come up with a brief explanation of how you accomplish your professional functions. For instance, "I developed a series of programs to help people cope with career changes." From that kind of succinct statement, you can go into a "meaningful conversation".

Polish up Your Employability

• Take the Portfolio approach - show or tell them what you've done and the problems you've solved
• Define your Purpose: a combination of your natural talent and your passion
• Find an unmet need - that is a fruitful area to job-search

Gary Purece, a former advertising executive, is now a writer, coach and dynamic speaker in the field of organizational transition and personal change. He was willing to jump in and help us out because he was a MarinPro member ten years ago, and said he likes to "give back" to our organization. He spoke at our February 24, 1999 meeting.