Adapt to survive

A leopard can’t change his spots, but you might have to in order to survive.

How much of a stretch would it be to move from a stagnant or “dying” industry (take radio, as an example) to an evolving industry online? How many of the same skills could someone in radio production use in the production of podcasts or other online audio content?

If you’re finding it hard to get ahead in your present career, perhaps because the industry you’re working in is on its knees, or because it’s particularly vulnerable to undercutting by cheaper competitors, it makes sense to start looking around for ways you can use your current skills and strengths.

List your skills
Start by working out what your skills are: the specific skills you need to do your job, and the transferable skills. Think in terms of wide categories, such as leadership / mentoring, communication, or research / planning skills; as well as the specific technical, practical or creative abilities you need in your job. You might be able to apply both types of skills to other roles or sectors.

Be clear on what you want and what you can offer
Acknowledging that your role is under threat of extinction can give you a great sense of liberation. You’re no longer psychologically tied to pursuing certain opportunities just because you trained or developed skills in them. It’s a good time to work out what type of job, company or industry would give you career satisfaction.

This is often a time when hiring a good career coach helps. Otherwise, even a simple list where you write down what you want or don’t want from a job can help define your thoughts.

In tandem with your list of requirements, think objectively and commercially about what you can bring to an organisation or business. Why would anyone hire you? How can you market your skills and strengths to a potential employer? What unique edge do you have over other applicants?

Target inudstries and companies
Which industries will need someone with your background? Professional experience in most print industries (publishing, journalism, radio etc) can translate well online. A Guardian Q&A on new roles in journalism discussed some of these opportunities recently.

Keep an eye out for emerging trends, such as green technology. The sector may be different, but traditional functions such as marketing, sales, IT, finance (and even manufacturing up to a certain point) are still required. Transferring your role out of one sector into another may require you to upgrade your skills, so research how much time / money you’ll need to spend to get up to speed.

Then start pinpointing companies and organisations which satisfy all the above criteria. It’s much easier to concentrate your job search efforts once you’ve established the best match for your talents. It means that your networking efforts are more targeted and, crucially, that your CV and interview performance is more convincing.

Photo credit: digitalART2