Networking helps transition from hard-to-explain job

I recently talked with a job hunter who built a successful career in product management. She had dramatically increased profits and market share for her employer and was hoping to transfer her skills to a new field. Her interests leaned toward technology and consumer products fields, but it was clea

r that this motivated job hunter had the talent to make an impact in almost any industry.

Her job search started out well. She created a solid resume and intriguing cover letter. She joined networking groups. She did everything right, including reaching out to specific companies rather than merely posting her resumé online. But her efforts hit a brick wall. Not a single job offer.

Here’s why: For 12 years, she designed products, distribution methods and marketing campaigns for an adult entertainment production company. Her specialized experience seemed to make hiring managers nervous. It was obvious that she needed to come up with a creative way to market herself to employers.

Lots of job seekers face similar obstacles. The bikini-clad women who serve coffee to motorists. The managers who run these businesses. At some point, these folks may want positions with different types of companies. How can they bridge the gap between their past experience and future goals?

Of course, this particular job-search challenge extends beyond adult-focused entertainment and service fields. Think about the bartender applying for a senior management position. The property manager who wants to become a teacher. Not too long ago, I worked with an anesthesiologist who wanted a job in pharmaceutical sales. Many people have tough-to-explain jobs in their backgrounds. In fact, anyone who wants to change direction from one industry to another will probably have some explaining to do.

Here are some tips to help you tear down the brick wall:

Feel no shame.There is no reason to be ashamed of your past experience or decisions. No one has a perfect career (or a perfect life, for that matter). We all make mistakes, take wrong turns and change our minds. If you don’t like something about your previous choices, that’s OK. Just choose something else.

Don’t allow the past to dictate your future. Instead of concentrating on your old experience, develop a new, forward-thinking strategy that will boost your confidence, improve your presentation and allow you to break into a new field. Show off your transferrable skills. Highlight your strengths. Demonstrate that you will drive profits and increase efficiency for potential employers.

Meet new people. The fastest way to land a new job is to spend time with people who perform the work that you want to do. Make networking your No. 1 priority. Figure out where the insiders hang out. Go there. Introduce yourself. Listen to what they have to say. Networking isn’t easy. It takes time. But believe me, it is well worth the effort. Once you have an inside edge (real, trusting relationships with people in the business), the brick wall will crumble. Doors will open. Job offers will come.

Here’s my advice in a nutshell. If you have a hard-to-explain job in your background, I suggest humility, strategic networking and a powerful value proposition that shows employers — hands down — what you will bring to the new company. Go for it.

Send your questions to Eve.GetaJob@gmail.com.