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Ask Annie

Why you aren’t finding a job in a different field

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March 18, 2009, 4:38 PM ET

Entire industries are shrinking fast, putting larger numbers of qualified candidates in competition for fewer openings. So it’s not surprising that legions of the laid-off are thinking creatively about where to go next. Just one small problem: Most people are really bad at explaining why an employer should hire them when they have no experience in the field they’re trying to enter, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her March 19 column.

Readers, what do you say? Are you trying to change careers and, if so, have you managed to get to the interview stage? What has – or hasn’t – worked for you? If you’re a hiring manager, what advice would you give candidates with unrelated backgrounds? Any tips for job seekers who want to get into a new field?

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