In this new blog series, our mbaMission Career Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.
Once you have identified your target industry and function, how do you know if you are a feasible candidate? Consider taking the following actions:
- Read job descriptions of positions posted on your target companies’ Web sites. Write down themes of sought-after qualifications (e.g., experiences, skills, attributes).
- Review the LinkedIn profiles of people who are working in your target roles. Look at their experience section for information on where they worked before their current role (e.g., industry, function, and company) as well as at their skills section.
- Conduct research on companies’ hiring processes/needs, culture, and compensation. Check out news stories and social media postings.
- Talk to people in your target roles. Set up networking conversations, and seek advice as someone who is looking to make a transition into their role or industry.
In addition, we suggest you start reading relevant industry trade publications to learn about the major trends and players in the industry. Many of these trade publications have robust Web sites and produce daily or weekly emails to which you can subscribe. The following list features a few ideas by industry sector:
- Technology: TechCrunch (www.techcrunch.com), Silicon Valley Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com/sai), Recode (www.recode.net)
- Start-ups: Crunchbase (www.crunchbase.com), Startup Digest (www.startupdigest.com), Breakout List (www.breakoutlist.com)
- Health Care: Fierce newsletters, SmartBrief (www.smartbrief.com)
- Consumer Products: Advertising Age (www.adage.com), Mobile Marketer (www.mobilemarketer.com)
- Media and Entertainment: The Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
- Retail: National Retail Federation (https://nrf.com/connect/newsletters), Women’s Wear Daily (www.wwd.com)
- Real Estate: Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org)
- Social Impact: EdSurge (www.edsurge.com), Global Impact Investing Network (https://thegiin.org/), Justmeans (www.justmeans.com)
Finally, do not forget to track, organize, and synthesize your findings:
- Ask yourself, “What have I learned, and how will that inform my job search process and tactics?”
- Make a list of the qualifications that are required or desired for your target roles. Brainstorm examples of how you demonstrate those qualifications across your professional, educational, and personal experiences.
- Send follow-up thank-you notes to contacts with whom you spoke. Express appreciation for their guidance, and update them on how you have taken their advice.
- Take action! Update your resume and LinkedIn profile, take an online class, identify and talk with more contacts, seek new opportunities at work to build relevant skills for the future, and apply to jobs of interest to you.
Have you been admitted to business school? If so, do you want to get a head start on defining your career goals? Do you need help preparing for job interviews or learning how to effectively network with your target employers? Or maybe you want to be a top performer in your current role but are unsure how to maximize your potential. Let an mbaMission Career Coach help via a free 30-minute consultation!