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Job offer in totally different sector. Advice please?

6 replies

DougWil · 21/05/2014 21:13

I have worked in my current place of work for 13 years. I have worked my way up to senior management level. I am just back from maternity with my 3rd child. I was turned down in my request for a 4 day week, so I got annoyed, applied for a job closer to home and have now been offered the position. Great! You'd think! But I am too scared to move as it's in a totally different sector. I currently work in marketing brands in food industry, new job is dealing with construction industry. Plus there may be travel to Europe involved (likely just once in a while). I think I only applied to it because it's based 5 mins from home. I currently travel 45 mins to my work. I feel like a big wuss not taking a risk and going for it. I probably need to add, I'm constantly tired, have no time for anything plus feel guilty even working. But I have to, we need the money. Please help me make a decision. X

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SummerSazz · 21/05/2014 21:17

I moved from service industry to financial services. I still go WTF Hmm at the plethora of acronyms but so far so good although FS is dull

The same skills apply and I think sometimes it is very helpful to not have such a narrow focus on the industry in question and you can approach things from a perspective that existing staff may have been blinkered to.

DougWil · 21/05/2014 21:45

Thanks summersazz, I guess you are right. Same principles apply to job in different sector. Maybe I just need to grow a set and accept offer ;) maybe I've got too comfortable

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EBearhug · 21/05/2014 21:58

I've done the same job in 3 very different sectors, and while there's still quite a bit of me thinking, "I have no real understanding of what we do," that's not actually entirely true after a certain amount of time (years...) There's a lot of stuff I don't know, but I do know where to look it up.

The most important thing is they think you can do it. The skills you have are actually mostly to do with communicating to people, and you may need to learn some stuff about construction products rather than food products, but you'll still be using most of the same skills.

Secondly, even if you knew the sector inside out, you'd still have a ton of stuff to learn - IME, the thing that makes new jobs most difficult is learning the different ways of how to contact the IT helpdesk, how to apply for password resets and new accounts, how to record time and expenses, which forms to fill in - that sort of thing is different for pretty much every company, and people know it takes a bit of time to start getting the hang of it. If there's some sort of introduction to the company course, take part, and ask the questions about the things you want to know.

Ask if there's an acronym dictionary or something - my company has an online one. It's not perfect, but it does include most of the major internal jargon, and you can ask for new terms to be inserted which they will then ignore. We also have databases on our customers and our products, so look out for something like that.

If you're in meetings and don't know something, then ask them to explain - chances are you won't be the only one, and at least you've got the excuse of being new!

You will have a learning curve, but you can do it! Also, 5 minutes vs 45 minutes commute will make a massive difference to how tired you get - a new job always is tiring, but less travel time really does help.

Good luck!

QuintessentiallyQS · 21/05/2014 22:02

Marketing is a very transferable business skill. I imagine the biggest change is going from b2c to b2b perhaps? You will just need some time to get to understand your new market, segments, how to market to them and what mix to use, and you will be up and running, and most likely with a very new and fresh perspective. Go for it!

DougWil · 21/05/2014 22:13

EBearHug thanks for honest comment, I think having kids and time off on maternity has totally had an effect on my confidence. My DH fully supports any decision I make, jeez I wish I could just go for it!

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DougWil · 21/05/2014 22:17

Yes, QuintessentiallyQS you've got it. B2b is totally new to me. I think I need a conversation with them to clarify a few things regarding working hours, travel etc just to be 100%. Might even pop the question regarding what they'd think about me doing a 4 day week after I'm there a year. Who knows!?

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