In my March 6 post, I discussed Career Tips For Changing Industries. Well, I have something to add. I talked with two gentlemen this week who are thinking about changing careers or at least taking a different direction. John, a fellow alumnus, reached out to me because we had met and he follows my blog. He lives in Dallas and has built a career in banking, working with clients in the Petroleum Industry. He knows that opportunities in his field are limited in Atlanta, but it is home. He wants to relocate and find something compatible with his skills and experience. Bill recently moved to Atlanta. He has had a career in finance and accounting and account management with big-name brands. Currently, he is an account executive providing outsourced logistics services. He’s been with his current employer for about eight years but doesn’t see further upside potential, hence the interest in new opportunities.
I had a brief conversation with John early in the week to understand his goals. John said that he had not done much networking, nor had he paid much attention to his resume as his job changes had been secured through people he had worked with before. He is not looking for a career coach and does not think he needs professional help with his resume. In fact, as I came to learn, his resume does need a lot of work. We discussed some preliminary thoughts and agreed to have a follow on conversation after I had a chance to review his resume.
After a review of his resume, I sent him a copy of The Executive Resume Cheat Sheet. I knew it would be revealing. He reviewed that document before our second conversation. He acknowledged the work ahead of him in that regard, so our next call was brief. I reinforced key points about effective resumes and added a few additional observations. I suggested that he think about career options to explore while he worked on his resume. I also suggested that he purchase my modestly priced book “Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.” I know, it is a shameless plug, but he could really benefit from the wisdom offered in that book. It is safe to say that John is at the front end of this process. I believe that his primary goal is less about changing careers than moving back to Atlanta. That desire is driving the question about his career.
I met Bill Friday evening. My networking partner, Faith, invited him to our event. While sharing a bottle of wine, Bill told me about his background. He provided an excellent overview of his career and his thoughts about moving in a different direction. Bill’s goal is to advance his situation by building on his experience and accomplishments. He is not location focused, as Atlanta offers a lot of opportunity in his field. He does need some help building his network in the market. I offered some ideas for his consideration, and we agreed to further the conversation.
Both of these professionals must be careful to protect their current employment as they seek out new opportunities. John’s situation is complicated by his motivation to relocate. It is possible but unlikely that he will find an Atlanta-based employer willing to subsidize his relocation. Bill’s situation is less problematic as he is interested in the search for a different opportunity within his industry segment. Both of these gentlemen are at the beginning of the process to change their career direction. They need do a complete analysis to validate and clarify their goals and then craft an appropriate plan.
If you are serious about changing the direction of your career, be clear about your goals. Make sure to analyze your situation thoroughly so as to better understand your options. Develop a plan to realize your goals.
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Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
Current Assignments
1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
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