Switching Careers

I graduated during the financial crisis. Talk about being baptized by fire... It was a real battle to try to get a job as a fresh graduate back then. I have an engineering background and I started out in a rotational leadership program working as an IT project manager at the wealth management arm of a BB. During my time there, I did some soul searching and realized that this was not what I wanted to do in the long run.

I see a lot of people asking Monty, Edmundo, Midas, etc for advice on how to get into xxx position at xxx firm, and I just wanted to chime in on how I switched careers. Ultimately, I ended up in the energy industry where my previous IT skills are being leveraged despite not being used for the same exact purpose. Most monkeys that I know have trouble switching careers or getting a job because they don't know how to position themselves. Positioning in this instance basically takes current skill sets relates them to the desired position.

So here is an simplified breakdown of how I did it:

Networking: To get into an industry, join a professional organization or go to networking sessions. For example, if you want to become an energy trader, I think it is well worth it to spend a couple of hundred bucks to go to the Energy Rodeo (http://www.energyrodeo.com). This may not pay off right away, but when I did it, I always pictured myself like that guy from the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Keep hustling!

Passion: Do some soul searching and find an industry and position that you are passionate about or at the very least are interested in. Explore. Ultimately, the only way to tell if you like doing something is to try it. If you don't come across your ideal job just yet, don't feel bad, most 20 something's are still trying to figure out their careers like you are.

Knowledge: Read reputable magazines, newspapers, and articles. Devour knowledge from different sources so you can talk to people that you meet at networking sessions intelligently.

1. Networking
2. Passion
3. Knowledge

Have a Happy New Year Monkeys!

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