Careers for poeple who despise the public? page 2

[sbhikes]

How do you convince an employer, after years of working in PR/Customer Service management, that you'd be perfect for a job working just with data/objects/office co-workers? (without saying, "I hate working with the public, despite my resume?")
lol *PEOPLE* God, if I could type, that might help.

In my experience, changing your career is very hard. It's even harder to do it within a company you already work for because you've been pigeonholed. You have to be careful how you frame the discussion so as not to appear to be a "traitor".

At the best, your request could be framed as "what can I do to be considered for XYZ position?" and then be willing to go the extra mile to get there.

[Zanna]

I slowly worked my way from being an AAn then dept coordinator to being a data analyst. I've always had a knack for data so when my data head told me to research something, I did - even if it wasn't my job to do so. Eventually, people stared looking to me to do data-type stuff but my position didn't really change until I left the company. But when I looked for new jobs, I highlighted the data analysis stuff I started at my other job and got hired as a systems analyst. Sbhikes is right - it's tough to change job perceptions at the same company. It was important that I got hired into a new company as a systems analyst (business analyst is also good). Just take the skills that match the job you want and apply for new jobs using those skills as your base.

Two years after working as a systems analyst, I got hired back into my old company at the Project Manager level for an IT group. The experience from the systems analyst company was key in getting hired. I now work from home 5 days per week doing IT project mgmt, but worked towards that from originally being a data entry person. Overall path took 6 years but well worth it. I love my job and really love working in IT and not dealing with the emotional upkeep of being in the admin position working in cubicles.

[Zanna]

And to your original post . . . I've been in in a position to hire staff and one of the things I HATE to hear when asking for a candidate's strengths is "I'm a people person - I LOVE to be around people". I'm always thinking "I'd much more appreciate someone who loathes human contact and is content working with just data. All that forced socializing just gets in the way of your work."

[Crabbcakes]

We have "self-check" at the library. It isn't more convenient- it's frustrating for the patron, and I get yelled at about it, from them. I'd rather just do it myself and save myself some yells.

I miss talking to the librarians. We tend to go at quiet hours (the joys of a homeschooling schedule and avoiding the public school crowds) when the librarians have more time, and got lots of good book talk. But, true, not a one of them has been replaced by this technology that often needs to be rebooted, paper for the receipts changed, oddball library card problems that still need a human to solve...

The only good thing about this is I can check out wheelbarrows-full of books and other items that I would actually be embarassed to bring to the checkout desk for sheer volume, even though I am under the generous limit... personal problem, I know.

Sorry about the mean patrons - in this house, being nasty to a librarian is one of the Cardinal Sins. You should hear the lecture I give my kids (ad nauseum) on the privilege of free and local access to books and information...