I'm really a manager at heart but didn't know it until my late 30s and only recently, at 44, do I have any 'real' management responsibilities- I'm a PM for a contractor to the federal gov't in DC.
My contract ends at the end of the year -December 31, 2009. The company I work for is not one I want to stay with and there are no prospects for other contracts due to poor business development. So, I need to target companies for a job search.
My work background is eclectic- Do I have to pick an industry to focus on and stay in from here on out? My key problem, then, is that all I have are 'transferable skills'!
Is there such a thing as a 'general manager' any more? (was there ever?)
I've lived in a lot of different places and have no real network. (I worked in state government for a few years and none of those connections are worth diddly in the search for private sector employment; esp, since I no longer live in that state.) I'm also like a lot of people who hate the idea of networking but know they have to do it.
What sort of companies are willing to reach out to older applicants (without MBAs) who show promise?
Anyone have any insights they'd like to share?
Cheers,
Margot
Manage people, not process.
I don't know that I have the most sage advice ever since I've been with the same company (in the same department) for six years but my former boss once told me: "It's about managing people, not process" which would tell me that a good manager can manage in just about any environment. There might be a bigger learning curve about the company products or team's specific duties & goals but if you're focused on the people, the process will happen.
So that leads my advice to being along the lines of: focus your resume and interviewing on the people management aspects, getting teams to perform, delivering results through effective people management.
An argument could also be made that your ecclectic dabbling in various industries works in your favor. If you've excelled wherever you've gone, no matter the environment, a new environment shouldn't be a prohibitive factor. Your past should show that you're not stuck in a single industry's mode of thinking or approach to processes or people. You've got flexibility and adaptability. You've got a wide range of knowledge across various industries. You can make that work for you. At least, I believe it can. And I work in a completely transferable profession: payroll. Doesn't matter what the company does, the employees still need to get paid, right? No matter what your new employer does, you can still manage people, right?!
I hope something in this helps in some way ...
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DiSC profile: 7-2-1-5
Thanks for some perspective
Thanks! You've articulated much of what I've been thinking (and added some insights that I wouldn't have recognized without them being pointed out). It's remarkably affirming to hear it from someone else.
You've also provided helpful practical advice regarding my resume. For instance, my current resume focuses more on deliverables and improving processes. I better go back to the drawing board on that one!
Perspective is a good thing.