Reader Mailbag - My Industry Opportunities Are Shrinking! - Career Pivot

Reader Mailbag - My Industry Opportunities Are Shrinking! - Career Pivot My Industry Opportunities Are Shrinking! This is the third ina series called Mailbag, wherein I respond to readers’ questions about career issues. I have been in printing sales (direct mail) for 23 years. Been in the business for 30 years and graduated college for this field. My industry opportunities have shrunk, especially in my home state. I would like to find a position where I can use my direct mail knowledge and skills to manage a large company direct mail program. Roger â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" Roger, As we discussed, direct mail is a dying industry. It is not going away, but it will continue to shrink. Technology allowsthese kinds of programs to be managed from anywhere in the world. A good example of this is SendJimwhich givessmall businesses the ability toaffordably run direct mail programsâ€"all from their smartphones. I suggest two options: Find a sales position in an adjacent industry, like commercial printing Find a sales position in a complementary industry, like shipping or logistics The idea is to find a position that allows you to transition to an industry that values the core skills you attained in the direct mail industry. You stated: I would like to find a position where I can use my direct mail knowledge and skills to manage a large company direct mail program. My question to you isâ€"will this type of position be around in 10 years? If the answer is no, then it is time to make a pivot. I have a friend who was spat out of a marketing position in the direct mail industry 10 years ago (during the great recession). She has successfully transitioned her marketing skills to a new industry. It was really difficult, but shedid it! Sometimes you need to follow the Nike motto â€" Just Do It! More:Waiting is not a job search strategy. Do I Really Need a LinkedIn Photo? I want to clean up my LinkedIn profile. In order to avoid age discrimination, do I really need to have a profile picture? Listen to the most recent episode Larry Larry, The short answer is YES. Without a picture, the odds of someone clicking on your profile drops precipitously. The long answer is that you need a photo that delivers on your brand promise. Your photo should tell me something about you. You might want to read my recent post called Job Search Ageism: What You Need to Know. Your appearance delivers a message about you. I suggest you seek out an image consultantâ€"or at least a friend who has good taste in color and clothes (something I do not process as I have no taste)â€"to help you. It is absolutely critical for you toget outside opinions on how you appear to professionals,both in person and in photos. Once you have posted a picture, use the website PhotoFeeler.com to gainfeedback. Iimaginethat is not the answer you wanted to hear, but… More:3 Key Elements of your LinkedIn Photograph What Issues Are You Encountering? If you haveissues you’d like me to address in this monthly feature, please do one of the following: Respond to any email that you’ve received from Career Pivot. Fill out my contact form. I look forward to hearing from the Career Pivot community. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...