Almost everyone has faced a catch-22 dilemma in their career. Whether you are a new grad or one deciding on a new career move, the prevalent questions are always asked, “How do you start down a new career path without the necessary experience? And how do you get the experience without working in the new career path?” The experience dilemma has always remained at the crossroads of thinking about going in a new direction with the skills you now possess or throw in the towel and let your career dreams drift away.
It can be very frustrating to know you have the desire and skills to do the job you are interested in pursuing but have no way to actually prove this to a hiring decision-maker who is searching for a candidate to hit the ground running. Since you need to get started somewhere in lieu of lacking the necessary experience, it helps to go back to the basics starting with a good attitude and a willingness to do what it takes to get your foot in the door.
Below are five ways to overcome the catch-22 dilemma:
1. Acquiring certifications often helps bridge the gap of experience and increases your chances of being a viable candidate. You can get started in building experience with a little creativity and an open mind toward leveraging the skills you do have, for example, the computer science field. While you may have an interest in technology and have some skills you may need to center your efforts on obtaining a certification toward computer skills that are in demand by employers.
2. Don’t just focus on the job title. Look for ways to gain more creditability by taking steps toward gaining experience rather than the job title. If a lower job title is what you need in order to build experience be open to where it may lead you in the future. Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to move forward.
3. Review your resume and look for areas that cause concerns for hiring decision-makers. Highlight your transferable skills that are relevant to the employer’s needs. Show the employer how you can help solve problems by backing up your accomplishments with results to which they can relate.
4. Don’t undermine your skills and experiences even though they might not be listed in the formal job description. You have more to offer an employer then what you perceive as your liabilities.
Avoid letting job descriptions damper your career goals, the wish list for candidate experience can be often modified if the hiring decision-maker can connect the dots from your prior experience. List all of your skills and identify the ones most pertinent to the job.
5. Being an outsider moving into a new career field helps to have a good understanding of the industry lingo, terms and acronyms associated. The more you sound like an insider in talking with employers, the greater your chances of generating attention. Networking with those working in your career field of interest helps you bridge the knowledge gap and gives you more creditability as someone who is serious about changing directions.
Even though it can be discouraging when encountering a catch-22 dilemma, the point is not to give up on your career goals. There is always a chance you can break into a new field if you listen for what employers need and keep an open mind in being persistent. You might be surprised at how many employers will give you a chance if you stay motivated, use a good strategy to gain creditability and demonstrate potential.
How have you broken through the challenges of a catch-22 dilemma?
