While attending the New Kadampa festival in New York State, as is often the way of life, we met a couple who Sharon and Jack met previously in England. As is often the case, the wives talked about children and the men talked about work—but it was his wife’s.
She is teaching at a university and was thinking of leaving academia for industry. She has undergraduate and advanced degrees in applied math; I thought of her for quantitative jobs and asked:
Does she know what she needs to know to make the change in career? Meaning, has she spoken about different career alternatives and learned about the experience and training she will need to have?
When I was asked how to research new requirements for the field, I politely said that often guidance counselors, academic advisors and others in the career advice industry are lagging the field.
I offered a simple suggestion
Use Google.
Do a Google search for resumes in your new field in your region of the country and call up the person and speak with them? Tell them that you saw their resume on the web, weren’t trying to hire them but wanted to pick their brain.
Ask them about how they broke in and what their firm looks for in the way of training a and experience Ask if there are any industry groups you could point you to that you could join and then thank them profusely for their generosity.
Most people are very generous with their time as long as you aren’t abusive.
And then return the favor when someone calls you.
Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com
© 2006 all rights reserved.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.
To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search job openings, use his free meta job lead tool or to subscribe Jeff’s free job search ezine, Head Hunt Your Next Job, go to, http://www.jeffaltman.com. To subscribe to Jeff’s free recruiting ezine, Natural Selection Ezine, subscribe at www.naturalselectionezine.com For information about personal search services, go to www.VIPPersonalSearch.com.
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).
