Switching Careers, By Harvard Business Journal (article extracts)
It can be daunting to leave one role and start something new. We spoke to the hiring managers who recruited them to better understand how each candidate stood out among the rest.
We found that employers are now looking for candidates from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, and are willing to make accommodations to acquire top talent. For job candidates, this is good news. For anyone switching careers, here’s a four-step framework, based on our research, to get you started.
Consider what (and who) motivates and inspires you. Start with some self-reflection. Seventy-eight percent of the people we surveyed said that identifying their motivation helped them land a role that was better suited to their long-term goals. Ask yourself:
- What do I like most about my current or past roles?
- What do I not like?
- What kind of growth opportunities do I want to see in my career?
- What’s missing in my role or industry; how would a new industry help find that?
- What drives me beyond industry, perks, or day-to-day responsibilities in my current job?
Say, for example, that you’re trying to move from a career as a salesperson to a digital marketer. As you answer these questions, you may discover that your interest stems from the boom in digital media and the new growth opportunities in that sector. You may figure out that you want to expand your sales skills by learning how to better market products on social platforms. Or perhaps you just want to move from a consumer goods company to an organization focused on an area you’re more passionate about, like digital learning.
Take stock of your current skills and those you will need to develop. Don’t be nervous about pursuing a new field. Sixty-eight percent of our survey respondents who successfully adapted to a new industry said that making this kind of switch isn’t uncommon or even particularly difficult. The first step is to identify your current skill set, and the new skills you may need, and then find ways to bridge that gap.
Many industries require skills that overlap and can be applied to more than one position. Transferable skills like strong writing, leading and collaboration, emotional intelligence, and even technical skills like Excel and coding are useful across sectors.
If you need to develop more job-specific skills, consider taking short online courses or certificate programs before you apply for the role. YouTube tutorials are a helpful resource to look into. If you’re looking to enter a more specialized field, like law or social work, that requires an advanced degree, consider a part-time or online program, while continuing to work full-time. Whatever efforts you take, they will signal to your employer that you desire to learn, work hard, and adapt to challenges.
Top 11 Skills Employers Look for in Candidates By Indeed Editorial Team, Jan. 2025
Highlighting your most marketable skills on your resume and cover letter allows employers to quickly see what you have to offer as a candidate. The more relevant your skills are, the more attractive you’ll appear to hiring managers. Even though each position may require specific skills, there are also core competencies that span across all professions.
Tailer your application: Customize your resume to match the requirements of each job posting.
Use specifics: Provide concrete examples of how you’ve used your skills in previous roles.
Quantify your achievements: Use numbers and statistics to demonstrate the impact of your skills.
The most sought-after skills by hiring managers – Go to the link for detailed explanations:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/skills-employers-look-for
- Communication skills: are often an important part of any job.
- Leadership skills: Leadership is one of the skills that many employers look for in candidates.
- Teamwork Skills: are an important asset to any employee who is part of an organization or who works with other individuals in their daily operations.
- Interpersonal Skills: allow you to interact with and work well with others.
- Learning/Adaptability Skills: Learning skills help you to learn new things and adapt to new situations within the workplace.
- Self-Management Skills: allow you to manage your time and be as productive as possible within the workplace.
- Organizational Skills: help enhance an employee’s productivity, time-management and goal achievement.
- Computer Skills: Nearly every occupation requires the use of a computer in some capacity.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Problem-solving skills help in managing challenging situations at work productively and positively.
- Open-mindedness: Open-mindedness is an important skill for anyone who is entering into a new position.
- Strong work ethic: A strong work ethic is an excellent skill to highlight when applying for jobs.
