QI will be finishing a BSc degree in Information Systems in December, and have questions on where to go from here. This is a second career for me, so I have plenty of work experience, but as a new graduate in the industry I am faced with competing with 20year olds for graduate job opportunities. Besides that, I am also expecting to be compensated not only for my degree but my previous work experience. Job opportunities through [my university] seem geared towards young people starting out, and I am not sure where else to turn.

This question was one that we felt would really benefit from an answer 'from the coalface'. We turned again to Frog Recruitment, a savvy recruitment company that treats its clients and candidates with equal measures of respect, to help answer this Managing Your Career question. Frog also sought extra comment from Vision Recruit, an innovative recruiting consultancy focused on mid-senior positions in the IT&T market. Read on!

 

AWe loved your question. We are seeing more of the exact situation you describe. Firstly, congratulations! It's fantastic that you have taken the step outside of your original career to pursue an alternative direction. It shows you have 'guts and determination'! Now, let's set you on your new career path…

We (all of us) are currently working in a market characterised by a global shortage of talent. Transferable skills are considered important by some employers, but this is certainly an area where many employers have yet to wake up and smell the coffee. Add to this New Zealand's ageing population and it is easy to see that the market is about to become hugely challenging.

Your task is to deliver your complete offering to a prospective employer in the simplest way possible.

We have noted here some tips on how you might approach your next step. The dilemma you describe is twofold. Firstly let's address how you can market yourself, then let's address to whom you should make your approaches and how.

It's all about marketing

Start with the CV…Your CV is your marketing tool. It must clearly demonstrate your skills and experience. It should also profile your transferable skills - what you are bringing from your old career into your new one. These might be as straightforward as disciplines you have learned, through to your ability to audit the accounts of a $50m turnover company.

Who can help? We recommend you explore using a Career Coach to help with this piece of work. A good career coach will assist with articulating all that you have done before and how that might translate into a new position - and then document this in a CV format. A number of our candidates have chosen to go through such an exercise and have praised the assistance received. It allows you to review all of the relevant skills gained over a diverse career history and focus on all those unique but transferable skills gained.

Write a succinct covering letter…it's important to remember that a cover letter gives a great first impression of you. It will give an employer or recruitment consultant hints about your communication and communication skills. Plus, the style will be an insight into your personality and professionalism. It may also be an indicator of how serious you are about working for this organisation.

Remember that employers and recruiters are reading through many resumes for a single position, so the cover letter is an opportunity to stand out before they look for more details.

Make it easy for the person reviewing your details…spell it out. Simplicity is the competition winner!

For more information, Frog has some tips for success that are well worth a read, no matter where you are in your career!

Where to turn?

Networking: As well as living in an age of acute talent shortage, we also live in the age of 'social networking'. This particular phenomenon isn't limited to the internet…it's all about leveraging your networks, we say!

Who do you know from your previous life? Have a quick think and don't be afraid to contact them. You might find that these contacts are great 'coaches'.
Not only do they have direct communication with their Hiring and Human Resources Managers, they are a fantastic source of information about employment in the organisation they work for.

Agencies: they're not all created equal. Do your research, but don't waste your time spreading yourself thin. A great agency will embrace your previous experience and if you are able to clearly articulate your life experience, qualifications and transferable skills as well as your salary expectations, then they may well be able to assist.

Have your cake and eat it too?

Without knowing your previous career and the types of transferable skills you do have, we added this note of caution. Be prepared to demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate your abilities.

We checked in with seasoned ICT expert and recruiter Jo Clegg, from Vision Recruit for additional expert opinion.

Jo said, "Without knowing how much work experience, and in what field it can be a little tricky offering an accurate opinion. For instance, if your previous life was as a doctor, and you went for a role at a software company focused in the Health Sector, or to a role within one of the District Health boards, then you'd certainly be able to leverage off that previous hard won experience.

You certainly will be in a competitive market, and one where those fresh-faced young 20-year-olds are happy to start on $38k for an entry level developer position, so unfortunately you may have to adjust your expectations to the realities of the marketplace. However, I have certainly seen second career graduates enthusiastically grabbed by employers, as they don't have to worry about the basics of introducing them to working life. I'd suggest using an agency [such as ours!] rather than the graduate programmes, or the online job boards for your job search as you may well have more luck there."

Key takeouts

• write a succinct covering letter
• ensure your CV reflects your degree AS WELL AS your previous experience
• make it easy for the person reviewing your details
• look to work with agencies who will recognise your transferable skills
• repackage your skills with the aid of a Career Counsellor or Organisational Psychologist if you feel you need to
• be realistic about your market worth!

 

Acknowledgement

The above views and advice were provided by Katherine Hall, Development Manager of Frog Recruitment. with extra comment from Jo Clegg, Consultant at Vision Recruit