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How do I get my foot in the door of a career field?
Home » Careers » Career Management » How do I get my foot in the door of a career field?Posted by Your Guide on September 27, 2005 10:23 AM
As difficult as it can be choosing a career field, that’s often the easy part. The hard part is getting your foot in the door of that career field.
A career field is a wide category, so you will probably need to narrow down your job options. To do this, investigate the industry you are considering for possible jobs. Consider your experience and education, and look for where you might be qualified to work. In addition, look at where the industry is headed. Is it a growing industry? How has it changed over the past five, ten, or fifty years?
Once you have investigated the industry, get more specific, and investigate specific companies and job opportunities. If you are going to an interview, prepare yourself by learning about the company. What are its strengths? How has it grown? What areas does it want to aggressively pursue in the future?
Getting your foot in the door of an industry usually requires putting your foot into literal doors, and at each interview and opportunity, you are on display, so market yourself. Why does the company need you? What do you offer based on your experience and strengths that others do not? In order to market yourself effectively, you will need to know yourself, so make sure you understand and can communicate your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
No matter how well you market yourself, though, you will often be turned down. You’re not experienced enough or you’re over-qualified or there is no position available. Perhaps you’re told that you’re not a good fit or that someone else is a better fit. Whatever the reason for your rejection, you need to be able to handle it. Be resilient and persevere through disappointment. Prepare yourself with some fallback option, and prepare yourself as best you can for the emotional roller coaster.
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