Taylor spent 16 years in publishing, and during that time, she saw the industry transform dramatically. It became a place she no longer had an interest in and she needed support and inspiration to redirect her career. She found that in her coach from GetFive.
“I had been laid off from an industry that had drastically changed from when I started and was in turmoil,” says Taylor. “It was not something I could return to and did not want to due to its instability. My inspiration was my coach, who helped me realize what my skills are and how they applied outside of my previous industry.
Her first step was a basic one — learn about jobs and the lingo of other industries that intrigued her. She needed to show how her skills would be an asset in another working environment if she were hired.
“In order to make my skills of interest to other industries I read through their job descriptions and listings and learned their vocabulary,” Taylor says. “Restating my skills in their language made them more relatable to what they did and how I would be a good fit for what they were looking for in a candidate.”
As she explored different industries, she eliminated those that would not be a good fit for the type of work environment she was looking for, and eventually, she found one she felt passionate about: healthcare.
“I transitioned from the publishing industry into the hospital industry, which sounds drastic, however, it was a move based on my career of being an analyst. I had the skills to be one in any industry — it was all a matter of learning a different set of rules, but the tools and skills are the same, and ones that I truly enjoy having and using,” says Taylor.
Her transition wasn’t without hurdles, and she knows others following her path will experience the same setbacks. What’s important is to be patient, remain optimistic and embrace determination.
“There will be times when even though you have all the skills they are looking for and you would be a terrific candidate, they ask if you can do a specific thing with a specific tool, and although you could quickly learn and become a valuable member, they decide not to choose you based on that one specific task alone,” says Taylor. “This has nothing to do with you or your skills; this is an instance where the one person who knew the one button to push and was the only person who knew how it worked unexpectedly left. They just want someone to come in and push that button again, and maybe little else.”
“Don’t let that get you down,” she says. “The place you need to find is one that wants to expand the current job. These places want a person with not just the skills but experience in different approaches and evaluations, which will be a tremendous opportunity for both them and yourself to grow! They are out there. I was able to find one, and I am now in a dynamic and growing position with potential to expand in many different ways.”
