Learning a New Language

Demonstrate that you truly belong in a new industry

Author

Sara Kobilka
September 11, 2024

How to start learning the language of a new industry before you even submit your application.

- Sara Kobilka, Renaissance Woman

It’s back-to-school time here in New York (I’m the proud mother of a kindergartner and third grader)! My littlest entered this new situation with a mix of emotions, including happiness, excitement, nervousness, and sadness (as shown by the coloring activity she completed on the first day).

Child’s worksheet with the heading “First Day Jitters” and the outline of a person that has been colored in the way a blond kindergarten-age girl would draw. At the bottom it says “On the first day of school, I felt” with pictures and faces showing happy, excited, nervous and sad. All four faces are colored in.

I must admit, the hollow eyes are a bit creepy but the rest is overwhelmingly adorable.

Submerging into a new environment can be scary, whether it is a new school or a new career path.

  • There are new rules and norms to follow—Raise your hand with your fingers crossed to indicate you need to use the bathroom

  • You’re surrounded by unfamiliar people—What’s a lunch monitor and why are they telling me to eat instead of talking the entire time with my new BFF?

  • Everyone’s speaking a language with words and phrases you don’t understand—What is this PE thing my mom says I need to wear the right shoes for?

Some people love the thrill of the unknown. They’re the ones packing their bags and exploring exotic locations solo. But what if that isn’t you? What if you want to find your own version of Duolingo or Rosetta Stone in advance so you can enter prepared?

Here’s tips on how you can do your homework before stepping into foreign territory.

  • Use social media as a training ground. Just like people from around the world have used English-language movies and TV shows to learn the language, take advantage of social media accounts from people and organizations in the industry you’d like to enter. Follow them and pay attention to what they’re talking about and how they’re discussing it.

  • Sign up for free content. Find the professional associations/organizations people in your desired industry are part of. See if they have free newsletters, blogs or trade publications.

  • Take a class (ideally one that is free). Sign up for classes relevant to the industry you’d like to enter. One of my favorite place to find these is through LinkedIn Learning. And don’t pay for the courses until you first check to see if you can get them for FREE through your local library or if you’re affiliated with a university, through that account.

In all of these spaces, be on the lookout for industry jargon. This including unfamiliar words as well as familiar words which seem to be used in a different way than you’re accustomed to. When in doubt, do a little more digging so that you can confidently use these terms in your resume, cover letter and interview process.

You won’t enter your new industry completely fluent, but you’ll be on your way to building a sense of belonging in your new home.

If you’d like to use LinkedIn as the social media platform where you enhance your new industry lingo, check out my last newsletter, Network, Network, Network. And be sure to sign up for one of my upcoming LinkedIn offerings.

  • If you’re a freelancer involved in creative work (including video production, graphics, journalism, curriculum design etc), join my free ~1 week long LinkedIn Sprint at the end of September. The goal is to collectively boost each other's LinkedIn presence! Sign up for details. Registration deadline is September 18.

  • If you’d like to participate in my next free LinkedIn Sprint specifically for job seekers, fill out this quick form so I can let you know when it will happen. I’m hoping to offer this later this fall.

  • Sign up to be notified when I offer my virtual workshop, Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker.

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Hi! I’m Sara Kobilka, owner of Renaissance Woman Consulting.

I am a Renaissance Woman and part of my wide-ranging background includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, non-profit leader, higher education program coordination, and now, business owner. During each leg of this journey, I gained new skills that I was able take with me in my next step. Now, I work remotely with clients to help them confidently tell their story and navigate the transition to their next step on their career journey.

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