Advice when entering a new sector

Is it time to consider sector-jumping?

As part of my work with my startup, Get Into Nuclear, we regularly consider new ways of attracting new talent into the nuclear industry.

This takes many forms, from how to get the message of new nuclear job opportunities in front of a new, diverse audience to providing advice to new-to-nuclear individuals when starting their first role in the nuclear industry.

In support of this, I’ve had several interesting conversations with individuals six and twelve months into their first job in the nuclear industry. I’ve been trying to gain some feedback to share with others on how they found entering a new industry.

Much of the feedback was around critical technical topics to understand, such as company-specific procedures and understanding the differences in safety case approval within nuclear.

Photo by Frame Harirak on Unsplash

The other two advice items apply to everyone entering a new industry, sector or company.

1. Find a buddy — ideally, someone who will act as your client/customer, not your line manager. This relationship aims to learn how to get things done within your new environment. There are always nuances that you will not find as part of your induction pack or company procedures.
2. Share your experience — don’t be afraid to give feedback where you think it will add value. You will only be able to provide an outsider’s perspective for a short period. Take any chance to share best practices and provide an alternative, innovative solution to problems and challenges being faced. Your solutions may feel like ‘standard procedure’ to you, but they may be a completely new approach in a different environment.

Feel free to add any further experiences in the comments below.