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As competition in the job market increases, professionals aiming to switch roles in their careers—or change industries altogether—must find ways to differentiate themselves from the more traditionally qualified candidates. This is especially true for job seekers who lack training or experience in the business they aspire to enter.
Here, Forbes Human Resources Council members share their best advice for how job seekers can gain a hiring manager’s attention in their desired field when they don’t have the typical qualifications. With these strategies, job seekers can learn how to leverage their professional network, online presence and past experiences to gain traction with hiring managers in their chosen occupation.
1. Conduct Research To Anticipate The Company's Needs
Research their competitor, and find one thing their competitor is doing well that they aren't doing but you could do for them. Share how you can bring this competitive skill to their organization. - Michael D. Brown, Global Recruiters of Buckhead
2. Reach Out To People In Your Network For Help
Without a doubt, leveraging your network should be your number one area of focus. Don't be shy about asking for help with informational interviews, introductions or company insights. Don't have a great network? It's never too late to start. Connect now with colleagues, former colleagues and people at your target companies and roles; it will likely lead you to your ideal role. - Tracy Cote, StockX
3. Highlight Your Ability To Grow
The most important thing is to not oversell yourself. Don’t claim to have the experience you don’t have. Rather, be eager and show experience and potential to learn and grow. - Valerie Rainford, Elloree Talent Strategies
4. Build An Online Presence And Portfolio
Create a consistent online presence. Communicate your interests and eagerness to transition into a new role or industry. Create a professional online portfolio or website showcasing your transferable skills and projects. Participate in industry-related discussions or forums on social media. Demonstrate your passion, eagerness and willingness to learn. - Thalia Rodriguez, Tase Creative Solutions
5. Go The Extra Mile After Submitting Your Application
Take extra steps to get noticed. Apply online, but don't stop there. Look at your personal and professional network, is there someone who could offer an introduction? Is there an industry event where you could meet someone from the company? Call the company to follow up, and if it's a local role, stop by with a copy of your resume. Taking these extra steps will show your drive and initiative. - Hazel Kassu, Sudduth Search
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
6. Cultivate A Robust Professional Network
Job seekers can attract a hiring manager's attention by strategically networking. We're fortunate that networking doesn't just require going out to in-person meetings—we have multiple websites and social networking sites to make professional connections. I recently interviewed someone because another colleague messaged me on LinkedIn about their credentials and work ethic. I can't say it enough—your network is your net worth. - Nakisha Dixon, Vercara
7. Attend In-Person Events To Build Connections
Find opportunities to expand your network and attend more industry and professional events. In-person interaction provides hiring managers insight into the soft skills and potential that do not jump out on a resume or LinkedIn profile. If the people you meet do not have a role for you, they may introduce you to others who do or are willing to craft a role that is conducive to your experience. - Halai Shukran, Pluribus Digital
8. Emphasize Adaptability In Your Work History
They should highlight their quick learning and problem-solving skills with examples of how they've successfully adapted to new roles or challenges. Networking and participation in industry conversations can also raise their profiles with hiring managers. Professionals can also volunteer for roles within the new industry to showcase that they are already working in the field to gain experience. - Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.
9. Ask Former Colleagues For Testimonials
Get and display a few accurate and genuine testimonials from current and previous managers and subordinates, which will reflect your style of work. Showcase your continuous learning passion by earning certifications or participating in conferences. Join volunteer groups to demonstrate your helpful personality. - Reema Akhtar, Seer Solutions
10. Demonstrate How Your Skills And Experiences Are Transferable
Maintain a personal inventory of your career experiences and accomplishments that you can easily reference to highlight transferable skills and abilities in relation to a prospective job. Leverage the STAR framework to build this inventory, which encompasses framing career experiences with the relevant situation, tasks, actions and results. This helps tell meaningful stories to hiring managers. - Lindsey Garito, Westchester Country Club
11. Showcase How Your Skills Apply To Your Ideal Job
In this brisk market, differentiation is key. Craft a narrative showcasing how your unique blend of skills transfers to your desired role. Highlight problem-solving triumphs, adaptability and learning agility. These tales of resourcefulness often resonate more profoundly than specific training, signaling to managers your potential for growth and innovation. Networking, too, remains invaluable. - Joseph Soares, IBPROM Corp.
12. Demonstrate Your Knowledge By Participating In Online Forums
Just because a job seeker lacks on-the-job training doesn’t mean they can’t position themselves as an industry expert. By joining LinkedIn groups, writing and posting blogs and articles, and sharing industry news and trends, candidates can demonstrate their interest and expertise in their industry of choice. Also, connecting with recruiters and hiring managers can ensure they stay on their radar. - John Feldmann, Insperity
13. Emphasize Your Enthusiasm To Learn
Expand your “industry of choice,” and make it clear how much you value what you could learn in a potential role. During economic downturns and a tough job market, what’s most important is that you get your essential needs met (for example, payment and benefits). This doesn’t have to be a forever job, but you can gain skills that add value to your career path. Your enthusiasm about that will help you stand out. - Ursula Mead, InHerSight
14. Create A Website To Highlight Your Skills
Link to your portfolio or website so you can showcase a variety of your skills. If you are a developer, designer or artist, this is a great way to highlight your experience and education without overwhelming your resume with that detail. Make sure you have someone proofread your site to correct any errors. - Erin ImHof, CertiK
15. Reach Out To Managers To Build Relationships
Most people want to be helpful, so seek out managers with employers they are pursuing and ask if they are willing to allow you to interview them about their organization, department and personal role in their company. You’re showing interest in them and their business, which can build connections and rapport with someone who may open some doors for you. - Lisa Shuster, iHire
16. Use Concrete Examples To Differentiate Yourself
In the current downturn, differentiate yourself by showing you are a self-starter, a lifelong learner, a team player and someone they would regret not having as a part of their team. You do that by using examples of initiative, being a lifelong learner (such as taking a certification), teamwork (including project work) and, most importantly, that you can operate independently (such as something you did on your own). - Gordon Pelosse, CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association
17. Demonstrate Your Dedication With Projects And Certifications
Start by investing in yourself—pursue relevant industry certifications, relevant projects within your company or relevant micro-internships. Demonstrate that you are motivated to do anything in your control to break into a particular industry or discipline. An employer is far more likely to take a chance on you if you can demonstrate your own initiative and actions. - Dave Barnett, DeVry University
18. Describe How Your Skills Align With The Company's Priorities
Be future-focused and creative: highlight what you’ve gathered about the company’s key priorities for the future, challenges and how you would address those in your role. Create a narrative that highlights how your skills will help both you and the organization evolve in the future. Include powerful metrics, examples and testimonials to make your pitch more credible and impactful. - Nicole Fernandes, Beyond Culture Inc.
19. Stay Committed To Developing Yourself
Display a commitment to self-improvement and professional development. This can be through online courses, certifications, workshops or even self-taught skills relevant to your target industry. Highlighting these efforts shows that you're proactive and eager to learn, traits that employers highly value. - Hassan Choughari, Jaroudi Group
20. Demonstrate An Interest In The Company's Mission
Hiring managers are inundated. I think the candidates who stick out to me are the ones who show genuine interest in the company and its mission and those who are open and honest about gaps in their CVs. If you've done your homework and are open and genuine in an interview, that gives you a huge leg up. Don't play a role. Be you. - Elizabeth Roberts, eGenesis, Inc.
