| My Jobs Have All Been Similar |
Most careers are not planned. In fact, for many people, their careers "just happen to them." Sometimes this means they move from job to job, either in the same company or with different employers, without gaining any appreciable increase in authority or responsibility.
If that has happened to you, and you are now determined to make a major move forward, you should be prepared for some potential employers to view your lateral job shifts as indicating a lack of either ambition or talent. Fortunately there are a number of steps you can take to deal with the problem.
Mindset
Remember, it is never too late to start moving upward. Your lateral job shifts may simply indicate that you worked for the joy of working, and spent little time promoting yourself for advancement. There is no necessary connection between your lack of advancement and your ability to contribute, which may at this moment be greater than it ever was.
If it is not, you can decide at this moment to start making contributions at a higher level. If you are determined to do so, and to do whatever it takes, you will eventually get the opportunity, either with your current employer or a new one.
That's because right now you have the sum total of all your skills, knowledge and knowhow developed over the years, which you can apply with renewed vigor to the problems and challenges that will surely come your way, as companies the world over look for and rely on top performers to help them grow and prosper in a dynamic, fast-changing world economy.
Resume
Use a summary at the beginning of your resume which highlights your major achievements and what you were able to contribute. Choose a format which emphasizes those achievements, rather than just the functions you filled. If at all possible, place more emphasis on your most recent position, even if it had no better achievements than earlier positions. This is consistent with most employers' desire to know "what you've done lately."
By giving more space and attention to your most recent one or two positions, and summarizing earlier jobs briefly, your recent positions will graphically take on more significance, giving the impression of advancement. Attempt to portray the jobs as a planned progression.
Interviews / e-mail / Letters
In the interview, you can turn this liability to an advantage by observing that you've been a loyal employee who has always moved into positions that addressed the challenges most important for the company. You enjoyed it, and the knowledge that you were making significant contributions was satisfying. Point out that recently, however, you have looked ahead and do not see the opportunities for growth and advancement that you feel your record of contributions has warranted.
Conclude by stating that your motivation for the job change is to find an organization that not only needs your talents and ability to deliver results, but also can present a series of challenges that will lead to increased responsibility and job satisfaction over the long term. Emphasize that you are not looking for just a job, but a career track in a company where the problems and opportunities are well matched to your talents and experience.
You can also ask a question about the personal traits that will be most important in the person who wins the job. By introducing these into the equation, you will help your cause if you are ready to share examples of how you used those same traits to deliver specific benefits to your former employer. You can then point out that you're a close match both in terms of skills and personal characteristics.
Be careful! Some aggressive interviewers may show a tendency to take advantage of you by offering less money or holding back title. Don't be talked out of your determination to get ahead because you are over-anxious to begin with your next opportunity. You may have to work a bit harder on your negotiating skills, but it will be worth it.
Actions
Examine your past contributions closely, and prepare several action-oriented stories that demonstrate your personal strengths and get across your talent for moving rapidly to get results and deliver value in the types of situations that the employer can relate to. Some of these stories can illustrate your abilities in certain job functions, and others can illustrate the personal strengths you think will be important for the type of job you seek. Many stories can illustrate both.
Look for as many specific result indications as possible. Be prepared to give a wealth of evidence in the form of these memorable action-oriented stories which illustrate your ability to correctly size up situations and take actions that get the desired results again and again.. This will reassure the prospective employer that you are valuable, ambitious, and determined to do even better things for your next employer.
Develop and coach enthusiastic references from selected individuals you can trust inside your employer organization if you can, as well as a number outside of it, e.g., customers, suppliers, sales reps, consultants, etc., who will be happy to attest to your energy level, action orientation, ability to deliver results, and loyalty Review your resume with these references, and make sure they keep a copy available to scan when and if they are called.
This step will enable you to make the statement in an interview that, "You've heard about Joe Smith from Joe Smith, but you really need to hear it from some of the people who know me best, and I strongly urge you to call them." That will erase any lingering doubts about your lateral job track.
Conduct research on any industry and companies you are targeting, using the Internet and/or resources in the Business Reference section of a good library. You might even consider going so far as to write a small article about the major trends in that industry as they affect someone in your function, whether it is purchasing, sales, production, marketing, finance, customer service, information systems, or any other function.
In this way, you are not only showing initiative and ambition, but also creativity and an intense interest in the future of the company and its industry. You're also showing enthusiasm, an important factor in any hiring decision.
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