Recession-era college graduates faced a daunting job market. By 2010, only 27 percent of them held jobs closely related to their majors. Fast forward to 2018, when those grads are 30-somethings who long to get back on their chosen career tracks. Scott Shorr, vice president at Robert Half Finance and Accounting, has tips on getting the job you want:
1. Do you see many applicants in their 30s who took any job they could get and got sidetracked into jobs they never thought they’d be doing?
Yes. They took jobs they didn’t want, because, at the time, in the recession, if you had a job you were much more marketable. A lot of them took positions which put them in a different direction or they took jobs selling life insurance, and, now that they’ve been out of their industry for so long, it can be difficult to go back, even if they’d like to. They might be making $60,000-$70,000. You might have a family. You can’t take a step back, because you get used to that kind of income.
2. What’s your best advice for those who want to change industries but have no more money for college?
You could see if you can get your current employer to pay for your education, and then see if they would hire you to do what you learned. You might have to take a cut in pay, but you’ll probably get the first look because you’re in-house. Education is important. My belief is that, in the next 10 years, if you don’t have a graduate education you won’t be competitive because a college education will be like high school. Even a certificate can change things for you ““ because you’re educating yourself for the future versus someone who is not.
3. What if an applicant has some money saved for education?
They could take classes to get up to speed with the technology that’s out there now. In years past, hiring has always been 30 percent skills and 70 percent personality. Today, I would say 30 percent skills will still get you the job, but the other 70 percent is split between personality and technology. They could find a company that will let them do an externship for free so they can get experience.
4. Would underemployed workers be wise to ask their managers’ help with transitioning to something different within their companies?
Yes, if they approach it the right way. Make it a career conversation with your direct manager: “˜Where
do I go?” is going to work better than “Hey, I don’t like doing this.”
5. If they can’t find mentors within their current company, how can they segue to the jobs they want?
You have to help yourself by creating a network of people. Go on LinkedIn and try to link with as many people in that industry as you can and have conversations with those people. Ask for their advice.You could go to the career development office where you went to school and see what alumni are out there who might give you some guidance. Alumni, especially if they’ve done well for themselves, like to give back.
Whatever you have to do to make it happen, you should really do what you want to do, because, at 30 years old, you have another 30-plus years of working. Make a move now. I can list countless people who changed careers in their 30s, but once you hit your 40s or 50s, fewer people look to change careers. I’m 52 and it could be difficult to find a job. It’s unspoken. But it would be difficult, even if I was willing to take less money.”
Scott Shorr is the vice president and director of permanent services at Robert Half, one of the the world’s largest specialized staffing firms.
