In September 2016 I was "subtly nudged" out of a position after ten years and four months of hard, dedicated work with a privately-owned company. The pay was ok - not great for the responsibilities I shouldered - and there was usually a couple bonuses each year. I have a design degree and I was pigeon-holed into being a drafting jockey. I've now experienced several rejections in my job search, which entailed multiple interviews for a few of the positions. It's hard remaining upbeat. I enter the interviews with a hopeful, positive mindset, but honestly it's getting me down now.
Nearly every job for which I've applied wants a candidate with experience in a different design software: 20/20, Revit, Sketchup, Inventor, Illustrator, Virtual Architect - to name just a few. I didn't intend to get a degree in Interior Design to be anchored at a desk as a draftsman, my field of study has so many other areas of skills but all employers seem to want is CAD jockies. I don't want to be just a draftsman as I have many other skills and talents that are transferable across multiple disciplines.
Answers
Hi Mark, your best chance of success is to face the storm of the job market with an unemotional view that any business will look at what's called ROI-return on investment. Regardless of how stellar your resume and skills have been for past experience, all the market cares about is going forward. Having said that, stay positive by knowing you are not alone, your situation is very common. Someone entering the job market today will have 6-7 different jobs over 2-3 different careers. It's all about having the confidence to reinvent yourself as the old opportunities die and new ones' emerge. Believe in yourself and others will as well. A few thoughts to consider:
1) if all the interviews you went on required different technology skills than you possess, then you need to upgrade to those skills if you want to stay in that field. Get feedback wherever possible on how you can improve. Don't take it personally, just honestly face the job market.
2) consider reinventing yourself, either into a new type of job in your current career or changing careers completely. Sound scary? You can do it. I'll give you some thoughts on how to approach it.
3) Transferable Skills --make a list of all your transferable skills--Google the term and you'll get lots of examples to get you going.
4) Traits-make a list of all your traits that make you valuable as an employee--again, do a search on the word to give you ideas.
5) Interest Profiler : mynextmove.org is a website that will let you explore interests and possible fields. Don't take it literally--it's a guide.
6) Personality Testing -again, a guide, go to: Personality-testing.info -- click on --RIASEC test
7) Successes -make a list of your top 7 successes in life to date--whatever they were, big or small, see what it might tell you.
8) Holland Career Code guide --go to Truity.com/search-careers , it is again, a guide of what fields may align with your skills and likes. Don't take it literally, other options are there as well.
9) Best Jobs / Careers --there are endless on line and print articles on growing fields in demand , the skills needed and the pay associated with it.
10) Talk to trusted family and friends for advice and ideas.
11) once you start to get ideas, then you will need to think about any new education that is required and how you will approach the new employers. that can be a separate discussion.
In closing, Good Luck Mark! you are not alone in this challenge and I would be happy to provide you ongoing guidance in your journey. Best Regards, Mike
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I will be very brief here, in direct answer to your question. A quality and prudent employer will hire to your TALENTS and potential, and then, only secondarily consider your experience. Thus, shift your mindset from WHAT you have done; I.E., experience, to what you are good at doing; i.e., YOUR talents. Need help with either identifying those talents of yours or using the right words, go to this FREE website. If you need help with interpreting the results, let me know - glad to help!
Mark: If you haven't already - please follow Mike's advice! I would also encourage you to remember (in addition to updating software skills) to create multiple resumes which are specific to the position for which you are applying.
You've worked for a smaller private company, wearing many hats. View companies that are growing which would allow you to start in any capacity and grow upwards! Best Wishes! Deborah
Are you available to speak today? Please kindly advise
I wish more hard working, loyal, dedicated guys would start your own business and take control of your own future via planning than doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. I mean "lucky break". I am biased towards business ownership because that is what has made me successful with a fraction of your skills. I am a franchise guy but you are in an arena where you could probably address problems in the industry and start a business off of it. People like yourself are so tied to the profession that getting cash in the door quickly might not even be a problem. Mr. Cottell is obviously a guy who knows what he is talking about. Listen to that and take proactive measures. Finding a new job is reactive. If you want to talk franchise brands across industries than give me a shout alex@stonefran.com. if you want to start your own thing, then visit (The Bunker Labs). Whatever you do make sure you are the one controlling where you end up.
Good Luck bud. let me know if I can help.
Hi Mark, you, as you might guess are not alone in your quest to reinvent and re-purpose your professional life. I would urge you to follow the advice given by Mike Cottrell. He hit all the important points you should engage in through your search. Good Luck!
Maybe you could teach courses at a community college or for adult education, if you like the field of education. It might take additional studies but it could be well worth it. Also, you could find some type of work coaching youth if you're talented in these areas. Other areas are social work, helping destitute and needy people. If however, you are more technically inclined, you could get a job for a retailer in their IT department.
Its all about skillset. Even MBAs without skills are not being hired. If your current skillset is not demanded by the marketplace, then you need to retool your skills.
Check Robert Half to see the roles that are high in demand.
https://www.roberthalf.com/workplace-research/salary-guides
Obvious is that the roles that are paid the most are the ones that are most in demand.
In today's marketplace, technology is the driving force behind the hiring. Your skills need to relate somehow to a technological focus.
Cybersecurity engineers or Artificial Intelligence analysts can pull down more than $200k in base annual salary.
Good luck.
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