Links:
Andrew's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewgoodridgenl
Greg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/gregoryfsmyth
Courage to Quit Blueprint: https://blueprint.gregfsmyth.com/free
Book a call: https://calendly.com/gregfsmyth/new-connections-2
Intro:
Andrew Goodridge, a mechanical engineer from my hometown in St. John’s, shares his career transition story from being a Project Manager with TechnipFMC, a global oil and gas company, to a Product Manager with Mysa, a smart thermostat company. He was one of the early participants in my Career Pivot Program, which helped him land a position just a few weeks after finishing the course.
Topics covered:
01:10 Andrew’s main reason for making a career change
06:34 Networking might be easier than you think
11:40 Pre-interview challenges
13:14 How Andrew prepared for an interview
17:30 How Andrew showcased his experiences on his resume
21:47 How Andrew navigated his first 3 months at the new job - getting to know his colleagues, setting up one-on-ones, and making use of his past experiences
26:06 Andrew’s career-switching advice
29:20 If you’re mentally prepared for a career shift, then just commit to it.
How Andrew showcased his expertise on his resume:
I weeded out all the fluff in my resume and really focused on projects that I could showcase and had an impact on, whether it was financial, or just the sheer volume of responsibility. Once I did that, I could tell that my resume really highlighted my skills.
How Andrew navigated his first 3 months at the new job:
The first month was pretty overwhelming, not from a sense of pressure from the company or any names, but it was much like taking your time and getting up to speed. You need to start slowly so then you can run later. But regardless of that, it was still pretty overwhelming. It was a new industry. New role. New language. New people.
I wanted to meet as many people as I could to get past that awkward stage. So for the first month, I'd probably set up two to three one-on-ones with anyone in the company that was willing to chat with me. After that, I finally started to get to know people. One of the common messages I got from the team, which was encouraging, was to take my past experiences and use them there.
Do not get discouraged easily:
I had probably three or four interviews earlier that year. It is pretty easy to go to it and think you did well and then get the old email saying, “Hey, you were not successful." It is very easy to get discouraged after that, but there will be more job opportunities, and you will probably learn something every time you go into an interview. You get a little bit better, well-practiced at it, probably know what not to say and what to focus on next time.
