Part of my transition to pre-med and hopefully, med school - is changing career trajectories.
In my last full time, salaried position I was VP internal audit for a public company. Prior to that I was partner track (senior manager) at two of the Big 4.
I’ve read some other posts on here about working (Mad, Maddux, et al) but nothing seems to discuss how to word smith a true directional change incorporating prior experience.
For instance, I want to apply for a clinical research position in hospital statistics. This position requires knowledge of healthcare from a financial perspective (bed and patient counts, physician metrics, pharmacy inventory, etc) which I have from working at a hospital/clinic chain in finance AND as a management consultant.
Therein, lies my question. I’m qualified, have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for, know the systems, understand working in the healthcare setting BUT the position is titled as an analyst… I was a VP.
Any help/tips/suggestions for succinctly describing WHY I do not want to be a VP anymore, why I’m wanting to take a substantial pay cut, why this particular position is of interest (can I include that I’m a degree seeking pre-med student with hopes of med school matriculation in 2012?)…
I’m trying to overcome the abundantly stated, “You’re so over qualified, why do you want this?” or worse, I hear later from people at the companies that I’m so overqualified the recruiting manager passed me by thinking it was a mistake on my part that I applied.
Thank you!
Jkp,
Excellent question. I do not have the answer. I only have my answer, and that would be my suggestion to you. Only you can answer that question. Essentially, I believe we all have our reasons for wanting this and to do this, therefore only we as individuals can answer that one question, I personally in my humblest of opinions think that only we can give the answers that is best for us.
This probably does not help you, but I wanted to give my suggestion to you. Why did you decide to do this? What are your burning desires and reasonings for wanting this? Answer this and I think you’ll have your answer for your original post.
Unfortunately, the cold, hard truth doesn’t always work in the business world.
That’s why I am looking for help in word-smithing.
I know why I’m doing this. There is no doubt.
However, helping to translate that to something that doesn’t ring alarm bells in employers’ ears is more my question.
For instance, I told a potential contracting company that I was available full-time (this is a place I’ve already worked with and have excellent references). I added that in light of my career transition, however, I needed to assuage the fact I have an 8 AM M,W,F class and a 6 PM T, TH class with clients. Both of which still allow for light travel and full-time availability.
The company said no problem but that it would be hard to find me work since it would be seen as “unavailable” and that “in three years you’ll leave the industry anyway to go to med school.”
Brick wall meet head.
If you’re applying for a health care-related job like the one you mentioned above, then you should go ahead, be forthright and mention your premedical plans. It’ll easily explain why you are downgrading and probably isn’t the first time the employer (like the one above) has hired a premedical employee. Any other type of job, though, I’d recommend that you only say to potential employers that you have personal obligations during certain time periods (which you do) and have downgraded your job expectations to better your chances in finding a position that can accomodate these blocked out time periods (which is the truth). How’s that for spin doctoring?