What Getting a Job and Car Insurance Have in Common - Copeland Coaching

What Getting a Job and Car Insurance Have in Common If youve ever switched jobs, you know it can be hard â€" really hard. Im not talking about getting the same job at a new company. Switching from one type of job to another can feel impossible. Have you ever been on a job interview and started to wonder if the hiring manager was simply checking off boxes? This can be tough when you dont perfectly fit into a box, but you know youd do a great job. If youve ever thought this was happening, youd likely be right. Ive often wondered why it is that hiring managers use such a basic way to measure a candidates abilities. They simply look to see if a candidate has done a particular task before â€" not how skilled they are at it. The problem is, if were being honest, there arent many great ways to measure candidates. Measuring potential candidate success is tricky and time consuming. So, many hiring mangers do the only thing that makes sense. They look for someone who (on paper) looks like someone else. They look for someone with the same background as those who have worked well in the past. They look for what typically works. This is a similar method that car insurance companies use when they sell you car insurance. They look at how likely you are to get into an accident. But, they dont know you. So, they look at how likely someone like you is to get into an accident. Insurance companies look at factors including age, gender, marital status, and car make and model (among other things). Insurance companies are trying to reduce their risk overall. They want to insure people who have the lowest average risk of failure. Thats the same thing many corporations are trying to do when they hire. Theyre trying to minimize their likelihood of failure. On average, they want new hires to do well. So, what can you do if you dont fit into the box? What can you do when you know youd be good at a job, but you dont meet the typical profile of someone in the job? There are multiple routes to consider. Some people opt to go back to school for an additional degree, or to get a certification of some kind. But, if you know the education is not necessary, you may want to consider another route. Look for opportunities to get involved in a small way in the new field youre interested in. You might take on an extra project at work, or volunteer for this type of work at a non-profit in your community. Network with those in the field youre interested in. And, look for an open minded hiring manager. Theyre out there. It takes a bit longer to find them. The more jobs you interview for, the more likely you are to find someone who will give you a chance, despite your non-traditional background. I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here. Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If youve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Happy hunting! Angela Copeland @CopelandCoach