One of our readers recently wrote in with the following question:

“I left a  major  home building company after 12 years – after starting in an entry level field position, working up to a position managing the contracting for 40 to 70 million dollar projects.  I was responsible for scopes of work; contract negotiation and coordination.  It was my dream job, but I was unhappy with some ethical issues and left for a new company building low income housing in the inner-city where I was handed more responsibility, control and money.  My new company folded four months later and I have floundered ever since.  Some days I’m confident and hopeful, and others I wonder if a career change is inevitable and I’m just not seeing the writing on the wall. 

To finally get to my question, how, if the change from construction is inevitable, do I market my universal skills and experience (minus a degree) to companies outside my industry.  I know I am good and have the skills to transition, anyone I have worked for or with will tell you that.  How do I get that across?  How do I get the opportunity to prove this?”

Thanks for this great question, as it it cuts to the heart of 21st century hiring.

Allow me to break this down a bit:

First, let’s address the overall philosophy that is inherent in your question.  That is, talent is talent…period.  We are moving away from 20th century recruiting, where managers made hiring decisions based solely on one’s education, credentials, and match-for-match job descriptions.  The smartest employers and most confident, forward-thinking individuals are considering a wider definition of talent application these days.

These companies and individuals are realizing that prior job description isn’t as crucial for predicting great performance as are general core strengths, talents and capacities.

We each have natural capacities to tackle certain tasks.  Even though these talents require some development, from the very beginning, they seem natural to us.  We all have a knack for certain activities – they give us energy and fulfillment.  These talents don’t belong solely to a specific title or position, nor do they belong to a single profession.  These core talents can be applied to hundreds of positions.

Here is an example:  My brother was once (years ago) an excellent Jr. High School Teacher.  He then worked in software account management and development, and eventually for his state government as the go-to guy for pushing through major legislation and integration from their innovative IT department.  A few years ago, an international label & packaging company was in need of a Director of Project Development.  Instead of searching for someone with that exact job description, they searched for the talents they needed to fit the job they envisioned.  They sought someone who had shown a natural pattern of excellence in friendly negotiations among several stake holders, while diplomatically and systematically coordinating the efforts of multiple contributors toward a project completion. 

He was hired, despite the fact that he never had the title or job description of Project Director before.

So, I would recommend the individual who asked the question do the following:
 
Consider your talents carefully, and continue to push forward confidently, knowing that there is a company out there in need of your specific talents.  Diligently pursue companies that interest you.  Find a position that you’d like to fill, ignore what experience they are asking for, and figure out how your talents can be used to do the job well.

Be persistent in your efforts to get interviewed.  Good hiring managers will respond to persistence.  Your chance to “prove yourself” will come once you’re on the inside…sitting in the interview chair.  During the interview, humbly, subtly and respectfully take charge.  Ask how that position contributes to the bottom line and overall company mission.  Once you thoroughly understand the core tasks and goals of the job, boil down your talents to brief descriptions and tell them how they can be used to accomplish the overall purpose of the position.  Encourage them to contact your references for feedback on how you would meet that challenge.

If they don’t hire you after this, move on.  There are plenty of companies looking for this kind of desire to contribute to something great, rather than to just fill a position…