Picture this if you will…
An ExecuNet member who was trying to transition into a new industry finally networked to an interview with the president of his target company. The president was resistant to hiring this executive because he didn’t have industry experience, know the language, or have the contacts in this particular sector.
“Where do you rank your company in this industry?” the ExecuNet member asked the president.
“We’re the best,” the president quickly replied.
“Then why would you want to hire from a weaker competitor?”
He got the job.
You’ve got to get hiring managers and recruiters to think differently. Companies tend to want executives who have thrived in their industry and have metrics to prove their success. It’s still a buyer’s market out there so you need to connect the dots from their problems to you. Breaking down their resistance to going outside the industry is a good place to start.
Transferring to another industry is a top challenge for job seekers when they think opportunities in their current sector are depleted; they are looking for new challenge; or they want to penetrate areas where they see more growth. But recruiters and hiring companies are often not so open-minded, hiring candidates from inside the same industry instead.
Changing sectors can be difficult, but it’s far from impossible, if you have the right positioning and networking strategy. ExecuNet members shared how they successfully made the switch:
- “Focus the conversation on their needs and how they see you fitting in.”
- “Coming from a different industry has actually been beneficial. I have been able to introduce new ideas and a different vision for the company than an insider might have, and we have nearly doubled revenues in three years as a result.”
- “It is the personal contacts and conversations, and knowledge of a reputation for effectiveness that open the hiring authorities’ minds to the contributions that a person can make.”
- “Stress the similarities in your cover letter, and remain silent on the rest.”
- “Show the interviewers that you understand the applications of the knowledge you bring to the table and that you can help them monetize that knowledge.”
- “If the employers are not coming to find you, go to where they are.”
What has been your experience with changing industries?
