Switching Careers to Land Your Dream Job Over and Over – with Dr. Dawn Graham

Are you a switcher? If you’ve moved from one career to another, then you are a switcher, which is becoming a more common theme in today’s workplace culture. Some people are afraid to make a career move because they fear being labeled a “job hopper,” or some other negative connotation. Today’s guest, Dr. Dawn Graham, explains why this trend is here to stay, how it benefits the workplace environment, and how you can navigate these moves with knowledge and confidence.
Dr. Dawn Graham has a long list of accomplishments, including Wharton lecturer, executive MBA, career director, Forbes contributor, Sirius XM radio host of the popular Career Talk show, and author of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers – and Seize Success. She combines her experience as a coach, psychologist, and former recruiter to give career switchers the strategies they need to break through the obstacles and land their dream job. In this episode, Dr. Dawn shares why the usual rules of job search won’t work for switchers, how to convince a skeptical employer or hiring manager to take a chance on you, and how to negotiate a competitive compensation package even as a newbie to the field.
The worst thing that was the best thing Like many people, Dawn Graham has stumbled into some careers that were unexpected. Through any change, networking is always the key. Her company, the large accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, closed and she was forced to make a change in her career – one that she hadn’t planned on making. It was one of the worst things to happen in her life that ended up being the best thing that happened. She vowed to never be in that position again and made the changes that proved it.
Becoming an expert Being out of work opened Dawn’s eyes to the world of outplacement, and this was long before the days of Linked In. Through outplacement, she was able to help others in similar situations to empower themselves through building a strong network, brand, and career story. She started her new journey as a recruiter and then pursued her PhD in Counseling Psychology with a 100% focus on careers.
Who are the switchers? Switchers are those who are making career changes. People are no longer retiring from the same company they started their career with. Statistics show that 4.2 years is the average amount of time people stay in one role. Career paths are no longer linear and people don’t stay put to “move up the ladder.” Some choose hybrid careers or portfolio careers, which are roles that didn’t exist just a decade ago. People either burn out, get on a ladder that isn’t appealing anymore, or simply change interest – and they become a switcher.
A common thread  There is a difference between a switcher and someone who just can’t stay put. Switchers find and capitalize on the common thread from one position to the next. Today, companies look at your work history to see that you’ve made an impact, and they tend to be biased against those who stay in one place too long. It’s about agility. Dawn’s advice is to find your common thread that carries through and builds a career story that makes sense to anyone interviewing you.
Tactics in resume preparation Dawn Graham says, “The market has never been so ripe for career-changers.” Technology is moving toward algorithms, artificial intelligence, and applicant-tracking systems that are designed to weed out a large number of applicants and find the right match. Switchers are fighting these systems that are not designed for them. Resumes are now “accomplishment-based stories,” so you get to create the story and pick up the common thread to highlight, based on what you choose to put in and leave out. Know your audience!
Network to find ambassadors The best way to get to a hiring manager is to network, which allows more options and opportunities than the traditional online job search. Dawn’s book devotes two chapters to offering fresh strategies for those who aren’t comfortable or practiced with traditional forms of networking. The big question to consider is, “Do people around me know how I add value?” Dawn’s advice is to create ambassadors out of your friends and family and make sure they know what you bring to the table.
Dealing with a hiring manager Dawn Graham says, “If you can put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager, the job search will seem less intimidating.” Hiring managers hate the interview process just as much as you do. They deal with the concept of loss aversion, which means they don’t want to make a mistake in taking a risk on a switcher. Show them you are not a bad risk. For a hiring manager, the job search is about elimination and not just selection. They want to hire someone who will put their mind at ease.
Spotlighting your valuable skills When preparing your resume, understand your audience. Pick and choose the strengths and skills you have that will be most interesting to your audience. The skills you are most proud of are not always applicable. The job search is about creating the story your audience wants to hear. Leaving off an advanced degree and adding it in later makes it become a bonus and not a deficit. Dawn says, “Match first and stand out second.” It’s all about first impressions, and your Ph.D may put up a wall initially if it’s not what they are looking for. 
Re-branding yourself Everyone has a brand, whether they have promoted it or not. People around you notice your behavior, appearance, actions, associations, and how you show up. As a switcher, you have to promote the career change and make it seem logical to others. In an interview, don’t label the change as a major shift, but one that makes perfect sense. 
Internal challenges of the job search The job search itself is daunting, anxiety-provoking, and not at all rational. Many moves in life start out messy to help you end up in a better place. Switchers have to be willing to lose now to gain later. The tendency is to become overly focused on loss rather than on gain. Get an opinion from someone you trust to evaluate whether the gains are worth the move. “The reality is that you have to go through the change curve to get to the other side.”
Nailing interviews The hardest part of an interview to prepare for is the motivation question. Research shows that emotion drives most decisions–not data. The hirer wants to know, “Why this job, why now, and why you?” They want to hear that you have a hunger for this role and you are going to hit the ground running and make their life easier. They want to hear specifics – not platitudes. Be honest, compelling, and convincing in an authentic way.
Negotiating your compensation package Remember that you have been selected to solve the pain points and meet the needs of this company. You should get paid the market rate, regardless of what you made before. What is the value of the work you are doing? It doesn’t matter where you came from or what you were making. 
Highlights of the Episode: 4:44 – How a switcher is different than other job seekers
6:33 – The destigmatization of switching
7:47 – How to know if you’re a switcher
9:41 – Your career story
12:31 – The key to getting to the hiring manager
18:52 – How to address the concerns of the hiring manager
22:48 – How to spotlight your skills as a switcher
25:28 – Why your resume might not need to show advanced degrees
27:07 – Re-branding yourself to make sense
29:32 – Internal challenges and the change curve
33:11 – Advice for nailing interviews
38:33 – Negotiating for a competitive compensation package
41:08 – Fem Five
Resources Mentioned: www.drdawnoncareers.com –  Visit Dawn’s website and claim your free bonus content from her book!
Find Dr. Dawn Graham on LinkedIn
Find her radio show, Career Talk, on Sirius XM Channel 132
Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers – and Seize Success by Dawn Graham
Fem Five: 1. Favorite book for women?
 Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Business and Career Success by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
The Introvert Advantage: How Quiet People Can Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney
2. Favorite self-care hack?
“Just to breathe.”
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
“Do one thing that scares you every day. This quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt.”
4. Female thought leader or CEO you’re into right now? 
Carla Harris of Morgan Stanley
5. One piece of advice you’d give your five years younger self?
“You’ve never arrived. You never stop growing and learning. Keep an open mind about your mistakes”
Last Time on The NextFem Podcast Intuition, Soul Contracts and Akashic Records to Unlock Your Soul Purpose – with Jennifer Longmore 
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