Challenge the Inner Voice
Those who cannot understand how to put their thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of debate - Friedrich Nietzsche
In terms of the gov-to-tech transition, I hear plenty of rationale for why people stay in USG. Why they don’t put in the effort to explore a career move. Why they hesitate to take that first interview. Why they turn down an offer to leave.
Considering progress
🤥 "I don't have any interviews this week. I'm getting nowhere. I just need to accept that I'll be here until retirement."
🥷 "I don't have any interviews this week. I do have 5 calls with connectors. This is a game of inches."
Progress will come with daily effort. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else except who you were yesterday or this morning. As long as you keep it, success is getting close. Failure is not an option.
Sticking it out for one more year
🤥 "I bet if I try one more time, I'll get to work with another amazing team like I did 10 years ago."
🥷 "Yes, I had a couple of good years and then too many unsatisfactory ones. Based on the data, it's time go, not stay."
The longer you wait to make the transition, the harder it will be. The competition will be younger and more experienced. The potential opportunities will change. You will have even more learning to do. Don’t put this off.
Abandoning government benefits
🤥 "Oh, I've done the math. I need to stay until I'm 50."
🥷 "If I stay until I'm 50, I'll still need another career, even with the pension and benefits."
If you’re going to do the math, then do the math. Too many use this phrase to cloak their fear of change. There is more earning power on the outside. You have to seize it.
Job applications
🤥 "I need to find something that's an exact fit, apply online and focus hard on this one role."
🥷 "I will only apply when I can get an employee referral and I will keep doing this until the day after I land an offer."
Waiting around for the perfect role is a fool’s errand. You want to compete for job’s that aren’t advertised. This comes from working through your network. This is how you uncover opportunities you never knew existed.
Obsessing over resumes
🤥 "Oh, if only I could get the wording write on my resume then everything would fall into place."
🥷 "Rather than a piece of paper, what I need is warm intros to recruiters and hiring managers."
Time spent perfecting a resume is better spent building relationships. You’re making an unconventional switch. Traditionally minded recruiting teams will dismiss you out of hand. Overcome this obstacle with warm introductions made by connectors.
Doubts and convictions play havoc on our minds. This is a serious decision. You don’t have to make it alone. Believe in yourself. You know it’s time to go. Now take consistent action. Start today. Break free from USG.
10 Steps to Breaking Free of USG: My complete guide to quickly and efficiently landing your first post-government role
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Crush Conferences: A conference execution strategy, complete with document and spreadsheet templates, to maximize event productivity. Especially helpful for BD and sales pros.