Marketing Yourself to a Position you Held Many Years Ago
One thing that COVID has done is compel people to re-examine their lives and their priorities. Perhaps this personal introspection is a hidden benefit of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within that space, many have decided to explore new career paths to better align with their values and goals. As Albert Einstein said, “In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity”.
As my clients explore a new, and hopefully last, career chapter in their lives, I am often asked, “How do I market myself to a position that I use to do really well many years ago?” It is a question worth thoughtful consideration, and the answer is never simple. To help answer that question, I guide them through a series of discovery questions, starting with these three.
1. Why do you want to get back to that position?
The answers will reveal where your sincere passion lies. Identifying your purpose and motivation for a career change will help solidify a commitment to your goal and the transition efforts. In addition, that energy and passion will be clearly communicated in your cover letter and interview.
2. What have you done in the last ten years that align with the position you are seeking?
While your title has changed over the last several years, your more recent roles and responsibilities can transfer quite seamlessly to a new position. Showcase what you’ve learned while working for other companies or industries. If you find that you have not been performing that work in your “day job”, look to similar work you’ve done as a volunteer, with a professional association or religious organization, or in side projects. These activities can all be strategically showcased in your resume.
3. What can you offer an employer over someone who has been doing this work in the last ten years?
In addition to reality checking whether you have the skills to do the job today, it is crucial that you identify what will differentiate you from the competition. Two things typically emerge from this discovery: you have the ability to obtain many of the skills by participating in online training and your soft skills are your differentiator.
If you are truly passionate about and committed to your goal, you will be disciplined enough to achieve that goal. The work required will likely include preparing a new personal branding pitch, networking with individuals in your desired field, re-sharpening or developing new skills, and re-strategizing your resume and cover letter. For more useful tips on getting prepared to return to a previous career, check out this article by the BBC.
It may not be easy, and you may need to work harder at marketing yourself than the candidate who has been doing the work more recently; however, it is possible to successfully transition into a new career— no matter what stage of life you’re in.
Looking to transition into a new (or old) career? Allow Talent Dharma to guide you through the career transition process to make every activity meaningful to your goals. Contact Alisa Bondurant at [email protected] for more information.