Young Career Changers

[lemonmeringue]

Based on a couple posts I've seen, it sounds like there are a few other 20-something's here like me, who are desperately seeking another career from the one they started.

As some background, I graduated a few years ago in the height of the economic crisis, and after waitressing and taking some continuing ed classes (now useless), I took the first job I could get. It's in sales, in an industry that I - at the time - was very interested in working in.

I'm now realizing that I hate both this industry and sales, and I'm looking for other opportunities that will pay more and allow me to operate on a much higher level. I feel like a 10 year-old could do my current job.

Horrific job market aside, these days I'm really just plagued by insecurities and fears that potential employers will look at my short, unrelated work history and laugh. I graduated from a top college and my peers all seem to have passed the entry level and are now doing very well for themselves. I still feel like I'm doing the work of a much less educated and motivated person.

In short, I'm kind of depressed and would like to hear about how anyone else is coping with the emotional side of this.

[SatvikBeri]

I am on the verge of starting my 4th job in 3.5 years after graduating.

It takes a while to figure out what you want, and no one really cares if you switch jobs often while you're young. It hasn't really affected my job search at all.

[Clint Cora]

It's fairly common for multiple career changes these days and it's best if you could take some skills that you picked up and transfer them to future careers. Too bad you didn't like sales but one thought is if you could position yourself for higher levels of say corporate sales, that might be a more fulfilling career, especially if it's in an industry that you like. High level corporate sales cannot be done by a 10 year old as they are often highly trained positions.

But as for the emotional side of things, just realize that you are somehow moving towards a more positive career choice and that it may take a few career changes to get there with progress along the way.

[lemonmeringue]

Thanks for the replies. Satvik, even if you didn't have a problem landing a job, I'm sure you had to at least initially explain your career change during the interview. How did you go about doing this?

Clint, I'm sure you're right, and thank you... it's just very daunting right now entering such a competitive market and not having the pitch-perfect resume for the jobs I'm applying to.

[SatvikBeri]

Originally Posted by lemonmeringue

Thanks for the replies. Satvik, even if you didn't have a problem landing a job, I'm sure you had to at least initially explain your career change during the interview. How did you go about doing this?

Clint, I'm sure you're right, and thank you... it's just very daunting right now entering such a competitive market and not having the pitch-perfect resume for the jobs I'm applying to.

Out of about 20 interviews only one person asked. In my case it was:
1. My girlfriend started a PhD program in a different state and I moved with her
2. The company went bankrupt
3. I automated everything at my current job and have nothing to do

The thing is, people form an impression of you within a few minutes, and nothing else really matters except that impression. The way to get a great impression well before the interview is to have someone who is at the company give you a great recommendation. Networking is enormously more important than ANYTHING else in the job search, in my experience.