The Langone Word
Career Transitioning in Tough Times
Suma Narasimharajan
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Voices
As students may consider moving into a new career while pursuing an MBA part-time, the grim employment landscape can prevent a smooth transition. Recently, I spoke with Yolanda Alvarez, Director of Stern's CCWP (Career Center for Working Professionals) and Lindsey Plewa, Career Resource Coordinator for the CCWP to get their insights on making a career change in this challenging market.
Here's an inside look at what the experts had to say:
SN: Where would someone start if he/she was thinking about making a career change?
YA: Making a career transition means something different to everybody. For example, there is the scenario where someone might want to continue in the current function but in a different company. There are also transitions where people seek to move to a different function than one they are currently in. In this case, they need to have a plan in place to make this transition.
SN: In the case where someone wants to make a change to another function, for example, from engineering to marketing, what do you suggest they do?
YA: When making a career switch, it is very important that they develop a plan of action. They should first do an assessment of the market and its needs. The person then needs to understand and be clear on the function. The best way to do this is through research. To do company research, first create a list of about 25 companies from variety of industries in which you would would want to work, the type of corporate culture that appeals to you, and find out if you know anyone that works at those listed companies. Reach out to those people to learn more about the company and the function. In addition to doing your own research, it is very important to reach out to fellow part-time students, as the Langone community is extensive. Also, Langone students have full access to the CCWP to help them with developing their career-transitioning plan.
SN: In my experience, networking is key to making a career switch. What are some of the most common mistakes people make when networking?
Here's an inside look at what the experts had to say:
SN: Where would someone start if he/she was thinking about making a career change?
YA: Making a career transition means something different to everybody. For example, there is the scenario where someone might want to continue in the current function but in a different company. There are also transitions where people seek to move to a different function than one they are currently in. In this case, they need to have a plan in place to make this transition.
SN: In the case where someone wants to make a change to another function, for example, from engineering to marketing, what do you suggest they do?
YA: When making a career switch, it is very important that they develop a plan of action. They should first do an assessment of the market and its needs. The person then needs to understand and be clear on the function. The best way to do this is through research. To do company research, first create a list of about 25 companies from variety of industries in which you would would want to work, the type of corporate culture that appeals to you, and find out if you know anyone that works at those listed companies. Reach out to those people to learn more about the company and the function. In addition to doing your own research, it is very important to reach out to fellow part-time students, as the Langone community is extensive. Also, Langone students have full access to the CCWP to help them with developing their career-transitioning plan.
SN: In my experience, networking is key to making a career switch. What are some of the most common mistakes people make when networking?
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