How to find your way as a job seeker

Job seekers take different paths while looking for work. While some people take a spontaneous approach toward their job hunt, others develop a plan. Priscilla Encarnacion falls into the latter category. She recently posted about her job search and career transition on LinkedIn.

What struck me about Priscilla’s post was that she appeared to have mapped out a detailed plan. After chatting with her, I thought many of you could benefit from her story — especially if you’re thinking about switching careers.

Priscilla’s path

Priscilla, who graduated from law school last year, told me that she didn’t feel like the field was the right fit. “My gut was telling me that this wasn’t what I want to do in the long run.” She decided to look for a fresh start in a new industry.

“I took it to square one and wanted to learn more about myself,” she told me.

In addition to what she learned about her likes and dislikes while working as a lawyer, Priscilla said she started taking several self-assessments to help point her in a new direction. Those came in all shapes and forms, such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and the well-known workbook “What Color Is Your Parachute?”

She then kept track of everything she knew and learned about herself on a computer. “I made it in tables and a listed everything that these resources told me were my strengths.”

After doing some research on O*Net, which was developed to teach people about different jobs, Priscilla decided to explore and learn about human resources.

Applying for jobs

Priscilla said she started immersing herself in the field to make sure it was the right fit for her. Then, once she knew, she started applying for jobs. She also started networking through traditional channels and asking people for informational interviews.

As for applying to jobs in a new field, Priscilla told me that she learned — with the help of a career counselor — how to identify her transferable skills. “You have to see what you did in the past and how that gives you the confidence to work in that new field.”

Priscilla said that she hopes to show employers that she has the drive and openness to learn what she doesn’t already know. “That underlying personality is something they can’t teach you.”

In her post, Priscilla wrote about the worry that set in after not hearing back for weeks after applying to jobs. “Then, almost out of the blue, I started hearing back and my connections started converting into opportunities,” she wrote.

Yet, she told me that she doesn’t want people to think that this is the norm or that she’s stumbled upon a magic formula for job searching. “I didn’t just get my dream job by applying online once. It’s a process. It’s been a long process.”

What she did right

While Priscilla didn’t stumble upon a magic formula, I should note that she followed so many of the best practices I’ve heard about from experts.

For example, she hired a career counselor at the beginning of her journey, which is something suggested by WorkItDaily.com CEO J.T. O'Donnell. She is leveraging her transferable skills to apply for work in a new industry. Katzman Consulting President Melanie Katzman told me about that in the first edition of this newsletter. Lastly, Priscilla acknowledges the highs and lows of job searching, which Boston College Professor David Blustein also told me about that in a past edition. 

It's important to note that Priscilla is also being open about her job search. Discussing unemployment and job hunting isn’t easy, but it’s crucial. After all, people can’t help you or connect you to opportunities if they don’t know you’re looking for work. Plus, your story may comfort other job seekers.

 “A lot of my security comes from other people’s stories,” said Priscilla. “It helps you to know you’re not alone.”

Did you plan out your job search? Why or why not? Join the conversation.

? The follow-up:

The holidays can be stressful — especially for job seekers. We discussed how to navigate the job market over the next few months in the last edition of #GetHired. Adrienne Tom, a job search strategist and founder of Career Impressions, said it’s a myth that companies don’t hire over the holidays. In fact, she encouraged job seekers to continue their search during that time since some companies try to use up their budget before the end of the year. Additionally, Tom told me that holiday gatherings are the perfect opportunity to network with people. Of course, she said people could use the time to recharge if necessary. Here’s what people are saying about surviving a holiday job search.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

Criminal background checks may soon be less of an obstacle for some job seekers. In the U.S., many lawmakers are pushing to wipe or hide millions of those records, reports The Economist. Roughly 100 million Americans have criminal records, which can stand in the way of them joining the labor market and getting their lives back on track. California’s governor recently signed a law that would automatically set aside or seal records for certain convictions and arrests, following the lead of Pennsylvania and Utah. Several other states are considering similar policies and laws. Here’s what people are saying about the push.

Local and state governments are looking to hire. Data show that those public employers are seeing an uptick in retirements, reports Axios. Some local and state governments are also reporting that some employees are moving up their retirement dates. What’s worrisome for those governments is that they can’t seem to hire replacements. An analysis of LinkedIn data showed hiring was down more than 5% for public administration jobs between June 2018 and May 2019. A tight labor market and lackluster pay may be contributing to the weak hiring numbers. Jobs in state and local governments make roughly 4% to 8% less than their counterparts in the private sector. Here’s what people are saying about the trend.

Putting a quirky experience on your resume or profile may pay off. That is especially true is that experience requires a skill that would be useful for that role, suggests SHRM’s HR News. A person recruiting or hiring for certain roles in finance may be intrigued if an applicant said they are a champion poker player, for example. These out-of-the-box experiences can also humanize you and pique an employer’s interest. Of course, going too far outside the box can lead some recruiters or hiring managers to pass on your application. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Up next:

Your job search may be focused on finding a career in a new industry. Or, it may be focused on pursuing your long-held dream. In the next edition of #GetHired, I’ll be talking with some of the authors behind Masters at Work, which is a book series from Simon & Schuster that discusses how people become successful in different professions. We’ll talk about the common traits they shared and the steps they took to land their dream jobs.   

Also, I’ll be sitting down this week with Anna Tavis, PhD; and Amanda Augustine on #GetHired Live to answer your questions about the modern job search. Don’t forget to follow the LinkedIn Editors page and watch for a LinkedIn Live notification at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.