A Millennial Working Mom with A Side of Everything

This is my 2nd installment on career change.
You can find the first post on my first post here:
https://annvm.com/2026/01/15/the-first-5-steps-in-changing-your-career/

🤔How do you interview for a role that you have no experience for?
💡Answer: Translate your skill sets!

You might not have the exact skills and experience for the role, but you are NOT starting from zero.
Think about the hard and soft skills that are transferable across industries and jobs: project management, critical thinking, strategy development, process improvement, team building, ability to learn and adapt quickly, etc.

The steps I went through to help me prepare for the interview:

📌 Update your resume
Find a clean and more modern format to showcase your experience and skills.
Use action verbs to describe what you do AND the outcomes/impacts of those actions.
Action verb + description + measurable result
Example: “Managed the laboratory upgrade project to add 2 new Titrators, speeding up the turnaround time on XYZ tests by 2 hours daily.”
Have someone provide input on your resume.
Or hire a professional to help you. The investment in yourself is never wasted. Try Jobscan.com to optimize your resume to ensure the keywords are included.

📌 Practice your 2-minute elevator pitch
The elevator pitch is all about you yesterday, you today, and what you hope to be tomorrow if given this role, NOT your whole life story. 1.5 to 2mins is sufficient.
Example: “I’m a __ by trade. In the past __ years, I’ve been working/doing ___. The experience has been ____ and i’ve learned to ____.(can expand a little more here). Going forward, I want to progress my career into ___ field. My background in (insert transferable skills that match the job description) match this role and the job description aligns with my career interest. I would love to have the opportunity to ___ and bring values to your team.”

📌 Do a mock-interview
Research the common interview questions and try answering them effectively. Have someone ask you those questions and practice the answers within 30-50 seconds in the format similar to:
– What you did + what was the outcome.
– How you solved problems + how they affected you/project/others.
– You are a good fit for the position because ___ (state professional goals + personal goals).
Allow pauses for long answers so that the interviewer can process or ask questions. Provide a high-level of the situation and outcomes unless you are asked further.

📌 Prepare questions to ask
Always ask questions. It shows you did your research on the job and your genuine interest in applying. Some suggestions:
– What are some challenges in this role?
– Is there training to get up to speed?
– What do you recommend learning that would help someone doing this job more effectively?

Good luck with your career change or transition journey!