Q:

Dear Valorie

I am about to graduate from graduate school and I want a job in my new career field: international business. I contacted the head of a consulting firm and he emailed me back, asked for my resume, and I emailed it to him. We conversed once and it wasn't a conversation: it was my listening to him talk.

I told him in my initial email that I seek to work in my field and be mentored by the best. A family friend referred me to him. But it seemed he really just wanted to talk to me because I am a journalist, and he wants media coverage. He also seemed hung up on the fact that I don’t have an Ivy League degree like he does. I studied abroad, and also did humanitarian work overseas.

I feel upset because the family friend that connected us could influence his acquaintance to give me a job, yet he has said absolutely nothing. I have three questions:

1. How do I get people to look at my education and not my experience in journalism?
2. What do I need to do to compensate for my not having attended an Ivy League school? How do you deal with people who do not want to invest in talent but only a top-tier school?
3. How do I not feel sorry for myself or beat myself up when I try my hardest, but do not reap anything?

A:

Congratulations on finishing graduate school! What a terrific accomplishment. It's time to focus on other opportunities besides just this one potential mentor. You cannot make people change. If he doesn't see your talent and can only define it by whether you went to an Ivy League institution, then perhaps he simply is not the mentor for you - no matter how much you might want him to be. Graciously thank your family friend for trying to arrange something, and move on.

To answer your three questions:

1. Make sure your resume plays up any management experience you have. Play these things up more than your journalism jobs. If you've been a journalist, then I'm sure you know how to write persuasively. Use those great skills of yours to tell your story the way you want people to hear it!
2. You must play up your strengths. And you must keep your focus broad enough that it is not dependent upon one person. Who else could you talk to? Where might you meet others in the field you desire to transition to? You must ask yourself whether you've bought into the notion that you don't measure up. Use what you've got. Showcase your strengths, talents and education, and don't apologize for where you went to school. Find the strengths of your education and play them up.
3. Start being grateful for what you have - a graduate level education, a previous career on which to build, hope and a future! It's easy to focus on what you don't have. You need to start focusing on what you do have. Feeling sorry for yourself is unattractive to potential mentors and employers, and it won't get you any closer to your dream. Despite the fact that you may become discouraged, you need to remind yourself of how far you've come and make a decision not to give up. Listen to constructive criticism and improve. Stay focused. Count your blessings. Some days will be discouraging, but persevere until you reach your goal!

Keep going,

Valorie