Cassandra writes:
I currently work with an insurance company. Five years ago, I received my BBA, with a major in finance. I am looking and have been looking for a job that will utilize what I learned during my four years at a higher-ed institution. Everything I come across requires that you have job experience. How am I going to get the experience if no company will give me a chance? Most of the positions that I am interested in are financial analyst positions.
The Career Doctor responds:
I’m a little confused Cassandra. If you are currently working, don’t you have experience? You don’t say what kind of work you are currently doing at the insurance company, but I bet you could develop a set of transferable skills that you do in your current position that would be valued in a financial analyst position. What you should do first is determine the key skills needed to be a financial analyst. You can develop a list of these skills — if you don’t already know — by looking at job descriptions for financial analysts, going to finance-related Web sites, or asking one of your old college professors. Once you have that list, examine what you do in your current job and see how many can apply. My guess is that with your finance degree and five years of business experience, you should be able to polish your resume and find yourself a new job.
Go to Quintessential Careers: Transferable Skills for a good article — and many other resources — on transferable skills.
