5 Ways to Break Into your Industry – No Matter What Industry it is

Have you always wanted to be a fashion designer or create video games? Are you struggling with the “how to” part of making your dream come true? The problem with dreaming is that it is just that — a dream. You actually have to do something about your dream in order to make it happen. Here are 5 ways that you can move to the next level of making your dream a reality by breaking into your industry of choice.

Earn a degree or certification: By earning a degree or becoming certified in a particular field provides you with credibility that you have the skills and knowledge of your industry. That piece of paper signifies to employers that you have been trained in their industry and you bring this knowledge and skill set to their table. Having your degree or certification helps you to help them and that is what the business world is all about, no matter if it is the financial services industry or the fashion industry.
Specialize: A great way to break into a particular industry is to specialize in one particular aspect of the industry. Find a niche that is unique or so specialized that there aren’t very many people who can fill the role. For example, say it has been your life long dream to be a graphic designer. You are currently enrolled in the graphic design curriculum at your local university. You and your classmates recently attended a lecture given by a freelance graphic designer. The lecture hall was filled with freelance graphic designers who, you came to find out, were struggling to find steady jobs. Two days later you pick up a copy of Newsweek and as you flip through the articles you come across a small blurb that talks about the recent explosion of the video game industry and how major video game companies are looking for game designers. As you place the magazine on the table, you think you have just found your niche. By adding 3 video game design courses to your curriculum you can specialize in gaming design. Voila, a specialization!
This is just one example of how you can specialize. Specialists are called specialists for a reason. They are experts in their field and they are in high demand. By specializing it may be easier for you to break into your industry because you stand apart from the crowd. Those who stand apart tend to get noticed a lot faster than those that look just like everyone else in the crowd.
Network: Surround yourself by people related to the industry that you are trying to break into. These are people that are related to or currently working in the industry already. You can learn from them and if you make the right connection with one of them they may be able to help you in the industry. Look in your local or community newspapers. There are usually business sections there that announce events that are taking place around town. These may be business networking events or these may be fundraisers or community events. If the event is related to your industry, go and check it out. It is a given that industry related people will be there all in one room! It’s like having a captive audience.
Join organizations: Find out what industry related organizations are out there that pertain to your industry. There is pretty much an organization for every industry you can think of. Industry organizations tend to help their members with educational needs, training needs, networking needs, and career placement. Again, the members of the organization are somehow related to your field so you will be surrounded by the people that you are hoping to be working with in the near future.
Get a mentor or coach: Everybody needs a little help and guidance sometimes. Life coaches are professionals who can help you make a plan and carry out your plan, which is to break into your industry. Some mentors or coaches specialize in particular industries so you may be able to hire someone that specifically works with people in your field of study. They will have tips and tricks that you can follow to break into a field a lot faster than you may be able to do on your own.
Find and hire a mentor. A mentor is someone who is currently working in the position or industry that you are trying to break into. They help you by sharing with you the path that they took to get where they are today. They help to show you what you need to do to make it in the industry. Their mentoring capabilities will help you to avoid making mistakes and make your road to success a smooth one instead of a bumpy one.
About the Author:
Take a look at more industry related articles by Kristie Lorette at CareersandEducation.com . Kristie Lorette is a frequent contributor with articles pertaining to using Distance Learning and Career Advice.
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