5 Hacks for Getting a Job in a Totally Unrelated Field
With advances in health, medicine, and lifestyles, people are living longer. That means that people are also working longer, and very often, not in the same career they originally thought they would follow. Many people graduate in one subject but work in an unrelated field. It may be that they didn’t know what career they wanted when they chose their major, or maybe their mind has simply changed. The question is, how do you get a job in a totally unrelated field when you don’t have the right educational background or qualifications?
Here are some hacks that might help.
1. Take a personality test
Sounds obvious, but sometimes knowing what you don’t want to do is not the same as having a clear idea of what you do want to do. One place you could start is by taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. This test of based on psychological types described by Carl. G. Jung. developed by Isabel Briggs Myers, and her mother, Katharine Briggs, it has stood the test of time, and continues to help people understand which of the 16 personality types we fit into. Are you an introvert or extrovert? Do you learn intuitively or by sensing? Are you logical (thinking) or feeling when you make decisions? Are you a judger or a perceiver?
The results of the test can help you understand what kind of person you are and what kind of work you might be best suited to.
2. Make an appointment with a career coach
Career coaches help us get over the obstacles or hurdles that are holding us back in our working lives. These professionals work with you in a safe and confidential space to explore new ways of thinking and being. A life coach can help you figure out why you want a change of career, and think through practical steps to take. Although this service will cost you some money, it is definitely worth doing.
3. Network on Linkedin and other internet-based work groups
Networking is useful in any scenario, and it does not even have to be in the flesh, which is great for those of us who are less than brazen. Dedicated portals like LinkedIn offer myriad possibilities for you to explore a new career, including access to job adverts. The in message facility on LinkedIn means you can be informal. No need for cover letters and CVs. You can be frank about wanting to change your career and just put the word out there.
Importantly, you can open or enter into discussion with people you have never met in real life, but who may be able to help you in your career.
“Once I realized that I no longer want to work as a recruiter. On Linkedin, I found a resume writer vacancy, despite I knew that I had no writing experience I had a talent for matching people with jobs. Nevertheless, I approached Resumesplanet.com, an online writing service, and immediately got a job. It gives me such pleasure knowing I was able to contribute to someone getting hired, and I can work from home!” — shares Heather Mays.
4. Study on
The internet is awash with certified and uncertified online courses offered by major higher education institutions around the world. Coursera is one of the most respected portals offering access to the world’s best education. Do you want to study business science? Or learn data analytics? Become a marketer?
Study in your own time online, meet other students in your chosen new field, and earn a certificate if you pass the exam. A future employer will be impressed with your dedication to changing careers.
5. See if you can fit in elsewhere in your company
If you are happy in the company you are working but need a change of career, you might do well to speak to your manager and human resources division about possibilities for change in the company. Many companies would rather retain talent than search for new employees. Explain why you want to move and what value you think you could add to different parts of the company.
You will not be the first person who follows a career in a field different to the one you studied and qualified for. Remember, whatever your field of study, you will have gained transferable skills. Make the most of focussing on these and how they will translate to your chosen career. And be open to all opportunities. Be prepared to start at the bottom and be prepared to try something different that you may never have even considered.
