Question from RCJobs.com 11/20/2001:
"I have worked on the Hill for 8 years. My experiences here have been great and invaluable, but I am ready to move on. Obviously salary considerations come into play as well as my ability to assume a leadership role. Basically, I am ready to make a change, but am unsure how to start, and unsure what types of organizations would need my skills?"
The first step to any career transition is completing an assessment of yourself. By answering four short questions, you make the job search more efficient and tailored to true desires:
- What do I want to do?
- Where do I want to do it?
- How do I want to do it?
- What do I want to get in return?
Two quick exercises can help. First list your past successes and accomplishments, both personal and professional. Reflect on these and list what skills you used and the traits you displayed. The "Clones" exercise looks at your ideal future. For the exercise, you need to list the careers of jobs you would pursue if you could "clone" yourself into five different people and have them do or be anything you dreamed. When conducting this exercise, it can only be successful if you imagine there are no barriers and no restraints. You need to set aside considerations such as financial constraints, physical capabilities, etc. For example, although I am a career counselor, one of my choices was to be a professional football player. What would you like to be? A professional athlete? A Senator? A federal judge? Get rid of the "real-world" restrictions. For each clone, write down the skills necessary to have that job, and why you would like that job. By comparing the skills, traits, and actions of your past accomplishments with the traits of your future "clones." You will start to see characteristic patterns and similarities which will help you to identify your needs, and what professions and industries may be good fits for you, ultimately helping you to find different jobs which may be a good fit for your interests and skills.
If you’re looking for more help, there are assessment tests available that will compare your skills with your wants. The Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS) is an example of a comprehensive assessment that identifies your interests and skills and compares your results to the results of successful people in the fields you’re interested in. The CISS gives you a complete report of the fields you are interested in and whether or not you currently have the necessary skills to pursue that career. With the help of a certified career counselor to interpret your CISS, this will offer you (sometimes surprising) results regarding professions you may enjoy working in.
TRANSLATION OF SKILLS
When leaving Capitol Hill, some people find it difficult to translate the skills they have learned into non-governmental skills. For example, if you worked as an assistant press secretary on the hill, in the private sector you would most likely find a similar position in public relations, either as a company spokesperson or as an Chief Information Officer. If you wrote press releases, researched media outlets, and answered press inquiries, you have could search for positions that require writing, editing, research, customer service or media relations. Identifying your skills is important, and once you’ve done this you can begin matching your skills with specific jobs.
Again, a good assessment can help you to identify your skills and interests, then help you turn them into a marketable resume.
RESUME
Your primary self-marketing vehicle is your resume. We can’t stress enough the importance of having a well-written, error-free, future-directed resume. A key factor in getting interviews is your resume. This is the first impression you make.
Most human resource staffs have large workloads. The first things they look for when reviewing a stack of resumes are disqualifiers. Make sure that you get past this initial screening. Next, make sure your message is clear and concise, showing organizations what you will do for them.
Your objective; write a future-directed resume that describes your governmental skills and abilities using language and terminology a non-governmental employee can understand. After you translate your past tasks and positions into your current abilities — what you’re going to do — compose your resume using those talents, highlighting specific examples from your position on the Hill. By keeping your resume future-oriented, it shows the private organization how you will help them. It gives them an idea of why they should hire you.
Human Resource Managers respondents of a survey conducted by Morris Associates, Inc., indicated what mattered most to them when looking at a resume. "Clearly resume readability and overall appearance of resumes matter most. A personalized letter, properly addressed with the correct name and title of recipient, and a resume format that looks professional also makes a difference."
Although readability and appearance were found to be extremely significant, other key factors that disqualified a resume from consideration for a position were: typo's, font size, type of paper and spelling errors. One respondent wrote, "your resume is your 'first impression' a company / recruiter has of you - make sure it is well organized, neat, no typos and easy to read."
Remember to use action verbs (i.e. created, organized, coordinated) to explain your role in the success of a project. By clearly stating your skills and making sure to show quantitative results (dollar amounts) wherever appropriate, you can make a great first impression and get interviews.
NETWORKING
In searching for a high-quality organization, one of the top places to start is through simple word-of-mouth. With your job on the Hill, like any job, there are certain people you do business with, and certain industries. Identify these people and begin networking with them. Ask around; see if they know anyone who is hiring. Ask if there is anyone they can recommend that you talk to regarding an open position. The highest percentage of jobs are found through networking.
Through your work on the Hill, your office may work with non-profit(s), U.S. and international corporations, associations, media, and educational organizations. Start here. These are people you know, who may be able to introduce you to someone in their industry who may hire you. In the following chart we will demonstrate the multiple networking rings for example (see chart 1).
INTERNET TOOLS
In addition to networking, the Internet is an excellent resource for locating information regarding transition services. Here you can also find organizations who offer excellent services to help make the transition from Capitol Hill. The website http://safetynet.doleta.gov/, run by the Department of Labor, provides career assessment services for government employees. With answers to frequently asked questions, this site is a good starting point for government employees. In addition these sites may be helpful:
http://www.opm.gov/ctap/html/egct.htm
http://www.hq.navy.mil/shhro/TRANS/trans.htm
In addition to offering transition advice, these sites offer links to many different job search sites, private and government, and provide helpful information about the transition process.
Using Internet job search sites are also good resources for transition and career advice. They also allow you to search for positions by providing a large listing of private sector jobs, and by specifying certain criteria, you can specifically target the jobs you are looking for.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Leaving the Hill or federal government to work for a private company involves transitions. A career transition that is done correctly involves assessment, resume and cover letter development, networking, interviewing, and negotiating. The actual process depends on where you choose to focus you efforts.
Leave on good terms whenever possible, so that your boss on the Hill welcomes you back with open arms, if you decide to transition back in the future.
After assessing your needs, both personally and professionally, you will be able to target organizations and jobs that you will be satisfied with. A future-directed resume highlights your skills and abilities and private organizations will see the potential that you bring to the table. Networking, in essence, opens doors. Keep in mind that transitioning is a process. If you plan properly, you’ll find happiness and career satisfaction in your new job!
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