Work experience, or lack thereof, is every job hunter’s lament. How can you get hired if you have no experience? How do you get experience so someone will hire you? It’s a vicious cycle.
First of all, realize this is normal. Most people have been in this position.
Yes, you do have transferable skills and you more than likely have performed the job duties in your new industry while you were in academia. Transferable skills aren't so much the issue, it’s how you talk about them. Translating your skills from academia to your desired industry is challenging, a lot like translating between two languages. Some skills translate easily, others may not. As an expert in African American literature, I read a lot of it. Many may not know this, but many African American writers, like Richard Wright, were greatly influenced by Russian writers so I’ve read quite a few of the greats. If you’ve read any Russian literature, you’ll know writers like Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekov usually have very clean translations. Chekov’s precision of language is legendary. However, if you read a lot of Fyodor Dostoevesky, translations are messier. Some of the translations I read left some Russian words in the English text, unable to translate them. Translating your skills is like this, some are very precise, others are not. That’s okay. They’re all still great, just for different reasons.
So aside from what you have translated, how do you get experience that gets you hired? More precise answers will come from those in your desired industry, but here are a few general ones:
Volunteer for non-profit organizations, friends, etc. (hopefully while you are still working unless you can without working)
Create something. This works if you are going to a field that is technology heavy. If you need coding, database, graphic design, or data knowledge and experience, there are programs and platforms that are generally available for very little cost or free. So build that website, database, or design that brochure.
Work part-time or freelance.
Find a mentor(s). This is critical, even if you have experience. A good mentor can help you identify the skills you need and where you can get them. You can also have more than one mentor for different concerns. Maybe one mentor is good for entry-level work and another for moving into more senior positions and yet another if you decide to consult or start your own business.
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