How do I look for/apply for jobs outside of my field? I don't get it.

March 16, 2025 11:15 AM

There's been a lot going on with my current employer lately and, I think, the writing's on the wall and my position could be in danger. I can see myself being potentially let go soon. Which means: job search. I work in libraries and job searching is usually tough enough, but I'm ready to look for jobs in other places/other fields. However... I don't "get" how to do this. Advice?

I understand the concept of "transferable skills," but it seems like I have so few and everything is library focused and it really limits how I think about myself. I feel like I'm literally going to be stuck here... forever (until my position is declared redundant in three months).. then I'll be job searching anyway, so whatever!

Right now I'm looking at a job posting that's definitely not a librarian position, it's more administrative work with some records management thrown in and there's ZERO reason why I couldn't do it, based on the responsibilities and requirements. I could totally do this. But I have zero idea how to apply for this position, because I've been working in libraries for so long and this is a job in a different field... I'm just making this up for the question... but say it's in aviation (it's not). How am I supposed to deal with this in the cover letter? I legitimately do not understand it. The job isn't being a pilot (or anything that requires specialized information)... what am I supposed to say? How do I EXPLAIN that I can do this job. I can't pretend I've always wanted to work here, or that I know jack shit about the field... but I can DEFINITELY do the responsibilities!! I kind of want to apply for this job, the employer sounds pretty decent, but I just can't wrap my head around it!

How do I break this mindset? I feel so rigid and I can't imagine a way out!

posted by VirginiaPlain to Work & Money (15 answers total)

You say you know you have the skills to do the job (and I believe you! It sounds correct!). All you're doing is explaining that. (I have never worked in libraries. Forgive what are probably stereotypes in this example.)

"In your job posting, you say you are looking for someone who can coordinate schedules, perform record maintenance, and provide a high attention to detail. In my last two roles, I have had responsibility for managing the calendar of our branch library, including coordinating with local nonprofits, universities, and children's organizations to ensure that we are serving the community in positive ways. I was also able to upgrade our scheduling process to include online requests, increasing our community's access to our services and streamlining the work required to schedule groups accurately.

"In terms of record management, my accomplishments at Brookwood Library and Live Oak Library in particular show my successful ability to manage complex records in a fast-paced environment with many regulations. [Here is an anecdote about something that shows that, or a comment about some nice bit of records management that I did.]

"I am also extremely detail oriented, even under pressure. I have held the unofficial role of proofreader for all library event posters and website listings, after my manager realized that I was proficient at identifying typos or grammar mistakes. These posters often have a very short turnaround time, with many events happening each month. In addition to proofreading, I was also responsible for coordinating all advertisements for these events with local press and other outreach organizations."

That's not worded great, but that's the general idea. "Here are the skills you say you need. Here are ways in which I've demonstrated that I'm good at those things." The context doesn't matter as much as the skill.
posted by lapis at 12:08 PM on March 16 [8 favorites]

I'd look through the advice and examples on Ask a Manager. This one has a library career changer as an example.
posted by chiefthe at 12:13 PM on March 16 [9 favorites]

Unless there is industry specific record management or software you ignore the industry. They need skills A, B, C and you have these therefore you are a great candidate.

You just follow the normal cover letter format.

If they want to know why you’re looking for a change they’ll ask during interview. Have a positive response. You’re looking to refocus on X, Y, Z which are more relevant for their role than your current. Perhaps you want to do more X, Y, Z because it allows you to use skills A, B, C more.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:14 PM on March 16 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I'd look through the advice and examples on Ask a Manager. This one has a library career changer as an example.

I have to admit, Ask A Manager's cover letter examples fill me with dread... I just cannot write as impassioned like that!!
posted by VirginiaPlain at 12:44 PM on March 16 [3 favorites]

How about something in the legal field? Lots of document management there on the support side.

Another would be a large company's technical support. They need a knowledge manager to just to maintain their knowledgebase to make sure it's written to existing standards.
posted by kschang at 12:46 PM on March 16

You can definitely do this! I switched from working in events ticketing to local government records management, with transferable skills only and no government experience.

I am happy to send you a copy of my application if you memail me an email address to send it to.
posted by peppermintfreddo at 1:07 PM on March 16

I just cannot write as impassioned like that!!

You did just fine in the Ask, of course you can do this. You can do a lot of things.
posted by Vatnesine at 1:59 PM on March 16 [15 favorites]

You can totally do this.

I think it's anxiety/your brain lying to you that prevents you from getting over that little brain track. I can totally see your skills relating to the new job, and assume they will do but that in your cover letter you're just connecting the dots for them. The example above is good.

As for being enthusiastic, think of it like a sonnet. It's just a form of writing. What the hiring people want to know is that a) you have read the job description b) you have the skills to do it and preferably can talk a bit about results, sometimes in the cover and sometimes in the interview, and c) you want the job. So this is the form. If you think of each paragraph or point like:

I'm [enthusiasm] to see the job entails [skill]. In [position] I demonstrated [skill] and was particularly successful/got great results/really enjoyed how that achieved in [result or detail.] I'd love to bring [skill or results] to the posted role/your organization.

The [enthusiasm] is not because your heart is resounding with bells of joy, it's like 'dear sir' - is sir dear? No, it's just the format.
posted by warriorqueen at 2:19 PM on March 16 [1 favorite]

In addition to the suggestion above about the legal field, you might want to also consider the "non-clinical" side of health care. I know of someone who was a clerk for a car leasing company who transitioned to an administrative assistant in a hospice. They acted as the organizational aid to the clinical managers to arrange meetings, meeting rooms, insure reports were submitted promptly, etc. As a librarian you don't write the books, you just manage them. I know because in college I worked in the college library all year round (work study component of my financial aid package). But I never wrote a book. (:->)
posted by forthright at 2:21 PM on March 16

I have a friend who is an HR consultant and she helped me write a cover letter once that I've been using as a sort of template ever since.

The key part is basically "You are looking for a [adjective phrase lightly edited from job ad], [noun phrase lightly edited from job as] who [phrase edted from job ad or organization mission statement] to [goal of department or organization.]. I am all of these things and additionally would bring to you the following skills:


So for example:

You seek an organized and detail-oriented self-starter who can orchestrate multiple complex projects to ensure Organization's innovations make a smooth quick transition from idea, to project, to successful new project. I am all of these things and my experience shows that I offer even more:

• Experience Managing Multiple Projects: In my job at MagicLibrary I frequently manage 5 projects at different stages of completion and working across three departments.
• Excellent Communication Skills I write good and I have all the best words, as shown by all these times somebody asked me to talk to or I wrote these important things. And I taught people stuff.
• Impeccable [your software] skills and excellent technical skills more generally . I do this project with your software. I also know this and that other related software. Also I am great at learning new software and always take the opportunity to learn new things.
• etc. etc. note these skills should be taken from the job ad as much as possible. Unless there's something you feel like you UNIQUELY bring that other candidates might not. In which case you should say you have it and why they need it:
• Insightful literary analysis As a content writer for the engineering library newsletter, I wrote reviews of non-engineering books for engineer audiences. In doing so I had to find the relevance and insight that a book on, mushrooms or dishware or dinosaurs (for example), could bring to engineers. My unique ability to make these connections would be an asset to your ProjectName project that seeks to engage hospitals and schools with the fireworks departments' products and programming.

So the idea with the last one is not only to make them think you're great, but ideally to convince them that they need something they didn't know they needed. like "oh yeah, we need someone who can help people see how a thing that seems irrelevant to them is completely relevant to them!". And you want that not only because you have that, but also because it wasn't in the job ad, so even if the other candidates can do that, they didn't say so in their cover letters.

Same for the interview. If you can get an early interview, when they ask you why you're a good match say You need someone who X, Y, Z and W. Where Z and W are your own spin on YOUR thing. Of course tell them why Z and W are so important for this position and how you have Z and W. if you're lucky they'll believe you and they will be -- consciously or not -- evaluating later candidates on Z and W.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:11 PM on March 16 [15 favorites]

I'm ready to look for jobs in other places/other fields. However... I don't "get" how to do this.
For my part, I found it useful to take the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessement useful - it uses paired response questions to give you a 5 out of 34 key strengths. These are supposed to be the traits that are most easy for you to bring to bear on the world. Librarians generally - are probably people who are "Learners" and "Arrangers" - I would guess. But that may be be what is top for you in particular. The test is reasonably well validated, as I understand - and it has enough people who will recommend careers (and job hunting strategies) for those with particular strengths. If you are changing careers then it can help you spot others which you might not have considered initially where you would be a good fit.

Based on recommendations here, I also like "The Two Hour Job Search" - this has a clear explanation of why the techniques many people apply to job searches (such as applying to job postings on LinkedIn) don't have a high success rate. The author suggests a better strategy which involves systematically and carefully targetting potential employers.
posted by rongorongo at 3:14 PM on March 16 [3 favorites]

One of the standard things we do in library science when applying for jobs is to say how our experience and education meet the required and preferred qualifications. That seems like a solid approach for other fields too.
posted by bluedaisy at 6:17 PM on March 16 [1 favorite]

I switched careers from libraries to accounting. I’m now working in consulting and it actually uses a lot more of my library skills than I expected it would. The questions to answer are varied and require good research, report writing requires an understanding and appreciation of words. Talking with clients requires many of the same skills as talking to library customers. Dealing with large amounts of data is easier when someone is familiar with cataloging.The hours are a change, but so is the fact that I’m set for the future to make more money than I ever would have in libraries and the fact that the questions I answer now are more in depth.

All this to say. It feels impossible as you start the change but it is possible and your skills are transferrable, even if they seem like they are too specific.
posted by donut_princess at 7:35 PM on March 16 [2 favorites]

right livelihood
posted by HearHere at 5:37 AM on March 17

I've noticed that every few months, you are asking questions about your career that emanate from some intense anxiety around your work, your jobs, your experience in various roles. Just noting that you probably won't get any advice here that can really address this workplace anxiety.

Two things to know:
1. A librarian's skills are eminently transferable to a wide swath of work: administrative work, non-profit work, project management roles, corporate archival, etc. Hiring managers will be happy to see the library experience on your resume.

2. You have a job, so job applications are not your full time job. Do 30 minutes a day every other day, an hour on a weekend. If you do this over time, you'll get a lot of applications out in the world.
posted by RajahKing at 6:51 AM on March 17 [5 favorites]