Page 196 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

184 COACH YOURSELF TO A NEW CAREER

Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely yours, [signature].”
The more personal references you include about how the individual
has helped you in your career research, the better.
3. Make a list of all the people you know. Scan your entire circle of
acquaintances to see if there is anyone already in the field or career
you are targeting. If you succeed, call those people for informational
interviews. Again, follow up with thank-you letters immediately. And
in case you are wondering, immediately means mail the letter by
no later than the morning after the interview. This shows you are
prompt, professional, and thorough—and will separate you from
those who don’t follow up as quickly or at all. If no one you know
is doing what you’d like to be doing, then just call people from
your list who may know someone in that field and ask for a contact
name and number. It may not be someone you know directly, but
instead be just one person removed, who has the answers or the
job you are seeking!

Reinvent Your Image—Dress for the Career
You Want

When I quit my banking job, I decided I needed a new image to
go with my new coaching career. I wanted to be a life coach and
speak internationally about coaching. I interviewed three image
consultants in New York before hiring the one I thought was the
best, Carolyn Gustafson, who has since moved to Charlotte, North
Carolina. We discussed my objectives, and I explained that I still
wanted to look professional but didn’t want to dress as conserva-
tively as a banker.
A little background: One of my female colleagues had been rep-
rimanded by the male manager for wearing leather boots instead
of pumps during the winter—he didn’t think boots looked profes-
sional enough. When I was hoping to get laid off, I started wearing
pants on occasion and felt like a complete rebel. They didn’t fire
me, though!
Carolyn came to my house and went through every single item
in my wardrobe and dresser. When she was done, I was left with