How do you break into a specialized industry with no experience?
Switching to a specialized field like auditing or motorsports requires finding an entry point or apprenticeship, but it is difficult to know how to take that first step. Without guidance, people trying to make the jump struggle to connect with mentors who can provide insight and help them land a position.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Looking for mentorship or firms willing to hire and train individuals making the jump into specialized sectors.Did this help you?
- 2Attending a university for a mechanical engineering degreeDid this help you?
- 3Considering for-profit or public trade schools like UTI or LATTCDid this help you?
- 4Reaching out to personal contacts or team owners for apprentice positionsDid this help you?
- 5Accepting a corporate accounting role for higher compensation and broader industry exposure despite career trajectory concerns.Did this help you?
- 6Pursuing cloud certifications (Azure or AWS)Did this help you?
- 7Learning infrastructure-as-code and automation tools like Terraform, Git, and PowerShellDid this help you?
- 8Following structured learning roadmaps like roadmap.shDid this help you?
- 9Starting out doing general maintenance or wrenching to work up to a diagnostic positionDid this help you?
- 10Self-learning electrical and mechanical aspects through hands-on shop experienceDid this help you?
- 11Working as a substitute teacher for a school year to experience different schools, grade levels, and student behaviorsDid this help you?
- 12Targeting high school grade levels to better leverage adult-level teaching skills with older studentsDid this help you?
- 13Checking district requirements for subject matter testing and alternative certification programsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I like fund accounting quite a bit, but got pip'd recently.”source ↗
“In particular, I am worried about not being able to return to fund accounting if I realize corporate accounting is not for me.”source ↗
“The negative is I may not be able to return to fund accounting. I also worry it might make my prior experience kind of useless.”source ↗
“I know a little about a lot of things, and not much about any one thing in particular.”source ↗
“I'm the "jack of all trades" everyone calls on, but never the person they call when they need the one who knows the most about something specific.”source ↗
“That's been making me feel pretty insecure, which is why I want to specialize as soon as possible.”source ↗
“Really I'm just looking for any advice or insight on how I can go about getting started on this next chapter of my life.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9Can you switch accounting service lines before starting your job?
- 12Can I get an accounting job with an unrelated degree?
- 6How to decide if you should switch industries
- 21Should I get an accounting certificate or degree while working?
- 2How to change careers after years of training
- 7How to become an emergency electrician or locksmith with no experience