Sunday, July 29, 2012

These Career Boxes Sure Are Uncomfortable!


"We insist on the straight and narrow when the Artists' Way is a spiral path" (Julia Cameron, The Artists Way, Souvenir Press Ltd.)

I wonder what this quote means to you. For me, this quote encompasses something very important about the paths that we choose for ourselves and how we guide others in choosing their own path. I'm not suggesting we all see ourselves as Artists - but I do believe we all have 'creative potential' within us. One of the ways in which we express ourselves creatively is in the work that we do - in our professional lives. I'd like to invite you to consider the quote above in the context of how we approach our careers and prepare young people for theirs.

My intention in writing this article is to explore the concept and implications of encouraging young (and older) people to pursue a career path that is 'logical' and 'straight-line' in nature. I've recently formed a belief that a career does not HAVE to be 'straight-line' in nature. What I mean by this is many people will find themselves going from compulsory schooling, to College, to University, to a career, to a promotion and so on - but many won't. Many will find themselves chopping and changing and finding it challenging to find a place to settle and rest as a profession for life. I found myself in this latter group and part of this article is my own story. I hope that by sharing and questioning, someone somewhere might begin to consider a more fulfilling career which might just break the mould.

Like every writer, I am influenced by my own personal experiences. I, therefore, present to readers an 'opinion piece' with the objective of stimulating debate, discussion and deeper thinking about how we prepare young people, and encourage adults of all ages, to conduct their professional lives and to steer their career trajectory. The article considers the way that we are prepared for our careers as children and pupils at school and the support we may or may not receive from the 'system' when making choices about our education and our professional or vocational direction. I am very happy to share some of my own personal experiences, not only revealing why this topic is of interest to me, but also demonstrating the complexities of finding a career path and understanding what this ultimately means in the 'grand scheme' of things. For me, this writing will be more than worthwhile if one reader has a little think about the issues I raise. That is not to imply at all that this article is to be taken too seriously. In fact, I hope to encourage readers to consider the possibilities of a broader, multi-faceted career path. If I was being really bold I would even share my secret hope that this would then reach some of the members of our inspirational younger generations and may even lead to one person feeling hopeful, relieved and excited about not fitting into one career box or a 'straight-line' career path.

Our lives are often categorised into the 'big five': health, wealth, friends & family, leisure, and work, which may or may not equate to a 'career'. The importance we place on our work is unique to the individual of course, and the centrality of our career to our identity will also vary immensely. For example, for some work is just a way to spend a few hours five days a week, which also happens to pay the bills and is generally just something we are 'expected' to do. For others a career is the embodiment of a life's purpose. A professional role for this person might be as central to their identity as their nationality, gender, age or religion. For the former, work is just a something they Do.

Compare these two sentences:

I work in a shop three days a week on the meat counter.

I am a butcher.

I grew up in the UK. Around the age of 14, kids are asked to choose their Options for which subjects they take for their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). The culmination of their studies in these subjects will mark the end of their compulsory education. I can remember choosing my subjects, Humanities, Drama, French, and all the compulsory ones, with little stress or dilemma. In fact there was no drama really for me at this stage. Two years after my compulsory schooling was complete, I found myself sitting my A Level exams and applying for University courses all over England. I applied to 6 Universities to study Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status. I was accepted by a University in Nottingham. Off I went to Uni in September of the year 2000, having survived the Y2K disasters that were predicted! So at the age of 18 I found myself in living in Halls of Residence, attending lectures and placements, and generally having a good time.

By half way through the first year I decided to listen to a very strong 'gut feeling' that teaching wasn't for me and made the call to tell my folks. I didn't realise it at the time but that decision would be the first of many instances in which my intuition was calling out to me - and I listened.

Why am I sharing this with you?

What happened next was traumatic for my 18 year old self, having experienced basically no real drama up until that point in my life. As dramatic as it sounds, I think I totally lost sense of who I was. I call it my mini-identity crisis.

I don't want to over-exaggerate this story, nor to minimise it, because it is only with the gift of hindsight that I can say that it was actually not as bad as it seemed. But to any other 18 year old in the same position, calling it trivial would be insensitive and disrespectful. Something I think we subject young people to all too often.

Who was I if not a teacher? What was I going to do? What was I going to be? Who was I?

The mini-identity crisis manifested itself in a number of unpleasant patterns of thought and behaviour for which I have since done a lot of hard work to replace with more empowering ways of thinking and Being.

Even after I went back to Uni, got a degree and went on to obtain a PhD, my 'career path' was still unclear to me. Don't get me wrong, I've 'known' that what I want to do professionally is work with people who want to create personal change for a long time. Ever since learned that personal development can become a profession, I knew it was for me. It made total sense, and that was indeed the first time something made total sense when I thought about my career. Was that enough to get me training to become a specialist in mindset and human behaviour and taking the steps towards practicing as a professional coach and change facilitator? No. I didn't actively pursue a career in coaching for another six years. Call it procrastination, waiting for ducks to line up, or just plain fear, it took me that long. I got there in the end and this is not where this story ends.

I'm 29 years old. I left school 13 years ago. It was only the other day that I began to even consider the concept of a multi-faceted career, made up of a number of activities and using the full range of my skills to earn an income and find fulfillment. All I can tell you is that when I had that lightbulb moment and I suddenly thought 'Aha, maybe I can be a writer, and a coach, and a researcher, and a workshop facilitator...' - my world opened up. For the first time since the bliss of childhood, it made sense.

Of course it felt unnatural to squeeze into a career box that didn't fit me. Of course I found myself circling and never finding something to settle on. For me, there wasn't one thing. There were heaps! It's only now, looking back at the first chapter of my professional life, that I can sigh and relax knowing that it's OK if I don't fit into a career box. There wasn't ever going to be one box, or one straight line career path for me. I'm well and truly on that spiral path to my destiny and I'm excited to finally trust that my skill set has a lot to offer in a number of fields.

What makes sense to me the most in all of this is the decision to follow my passion. To do whatever feels right. To do the things that take me into a flow of action and creativity. To let myself be free and express who I am through my work and my career. I feel safe in the knowledge that that is my true purpose.

I now ask myself how can this experience translate into a meaningful message for young people out there who are scratching their heads while looking at Uni courses and job descriptions that don't quite sum up who they want to become. I don't profess to have any universal wisdom but I do encourage all young people out there, and people of all ages, to listen to that tap on the shoulder and begin to entertain the notion that your career could be a spiral pathway made up of all sorts of different roles and directions. Education and training are important and if you approach these early decisions with the approach that it might not be just one box that you fit into, you might just hear that voice of wisdom from your intuition and find that first dream job that ticks ALL of your boxes and sets you off on the exhilarating career spiral pathway of your own. I now have the utter delight of working with people who want to create a career because of who they want to Be, not just who they think they should be. I'm just the lucky one who gets to come along on their journey with them. What joy.

Reference: Cameron, J. (1994) The Artist's Way: a spiritual path to higher creativity. Souvenir Press Ltd.




Dr. Louise Greenstock - Researcher and Mindset Specialist
e: louisengreenstock@yahoo.com
t: @lngreenstock




Healthcare Career Opportunities Often Require Specialized Training And Specific Skills


Take control of your own future by picking the right health related certification program. Your satisfying medical-related career could be just around the corner. Do some research to learn more about a health related career track, medical career planning, health-related career evaluation and even medical career choices. Discover what healthcare career alternatives are available and just how you can start building a satisfying future.

The healthcare field is one of the leading industries in the country for expansion, job security, wages, together with job satisfaction. Your medical related job could quite possibly start in as little as six months with a work training program, or as distant as eight years with medical school. Choose from hundreds of job titles and join in a growing community of healthcare professionals devoted to bettering the lives of others.

Regardless of the structure medical care might take in the near future, there is always a demand for people who give skilled and also compassionate health care. Choosing a full-time job in medical care will undeniably have its problems. What shouldn't be challenging is getting the money that will help you reach your career plans.

Yet another big advantage of following a health-related career is that you never have a boring minute. Because the healthcare industry is ever evolving, it invariably keeps you enthusiastic about innovative breakthroughs and enhancements. The career really is extraordinary in nature. You won't ever become bored simply because you are constantly interacting with new people. You are regularly addressing life and death situations.

The best part about following a medical occupation is that you are going to be making a positive impact on people's lives. The fact is, there's no other job where you get the potential to make such a strong impact on the day-to-day lives of people. It really gives a good deal of fulfillment after you help save an ending life or maybe help deliver a brand new life into the world. While working, healthcare professionals have an impact on individuals and even families. Simply by treating numerous kinds of health problems, you also bring about an affirmative influence on your entire town.

The Internet has information ranging from pharmacy technicians and physical assistants to nurses and medical assistants as well as medical doctors, the healthcare sector includes a range of job choices to match all age groups, interests, lifestyles and also education levels. There you will get the chance to read about educational requirements in addition to duties and demands for several different health care careers.

Professional medical careers include more than hospitals, medical doctors, or even nurses. Most people today are unaware of this simple fact and an abundance of job options are available within the umbrella of healthcare careers. Even though a doctor's career path involves substantive training, the majority of health care careers call for a lot less than four years of college-level instruction.

All Medical Careers Have Advantages As Well As Disadvantages

Each type of medical-related career has disadvantages and advantages. Healthcare occupations often focus on distinct schools which provide specialized training courses. Each one has mandatory course work and academic degree requirements plus unique certification requirements.

Most medical-related careers have their very own on-going training standards along with career-specific associations and scholastic journals.

All those involved in medical related occupations deliver overall health maintenance, prevention of illness and health issues, alleviation of suffering, along with supplementary help to healthcare professionals.

Many people dream about a successful medical related profession. You will find a large number of medical related careers and each calls for a specific set of skills and kind of personality. Are you well suited for a future in health care? Before choosing a health related career, you should put together a thorough personal analysis to be certain that you have the qualities necessary for a fulfilling medical related career.

In case you're currently employed, you could perhaps take internet based college programs to obtain your health care degree while you keep your current employment. While working towards your career goals and objectives, it will not be necessary to make any kind of big adjustments in your daily life, which will further make sure you will succeed in achieving your new career goals and objectives.

Getting into a health related profession is really achievable no matter what your age or your prior experience. It is possible to get into this field that keeps growing even in very difficult economic times. Use the Internet to get started in your professional medical career by checking out the specific occupational opportunities that you are interested in.




Find out why a Physician Assistant career might just be the healthcare career of your dreams. Discover the advantages and what is required to get started in a nursing career - http://medicalcareercenter.org/registered-nurse-education-requirements/




Career Change After 40 - How to Market Your Experience


Making a career change over 40 isn't any easier than it was in your 20s or 30s. Whether your decision is based on your desire to finally pursue your dreams or a need to find a new career path due to an ever-shrinking market or faltering industry, making a career change in mid-life can leave even the most confident job seekers asking themselves, "How do I find a new career?"

Before you start sending out resumes, you must first take the time to make a plan for your next career - assessing your skills (including those that may be transferable in your new field) and really plotting a new trajectory for yourself.

Do a Little Job Research

Just the idea of starting over can be both scary and exciting. But don't let the fear be paralyzing, or keep you from making a change. It can also be rather easy to get carried away by the dazzle and romance of new possibilities. The best way to keep your wits about you during this time of uncertainty is by arming yourself with information. A career change can often mean, not only a new position or role but, most times, a whole new industry. Before making a move you need to investigate the realities of both the role and the industry you hope to start your new career in.

* Employ the help of a Career or Life Coach to guide you in making and executing your plan for a new career path.

* Start by exploring your career possibilities, picking those that interest you most and researching them online or through your local library.

* Next speak with people in your intended industry or those who hold the position you desire. Ask them if you could informally interview them about their career to discuss the realities of what it takes to work in their field and what it's like.

* Attend professional meetings and industry or trade association conferences. The goal of these organizations is to support the development and advancement of people in that particular field or industry, they would likely be able to give you invaluable information or point you towards a mentor.

* Once you've narrowed down your job possibilities, assess your current skill set to see what experience you already have that could serve you well for that position and what skills you would need to develop. Is there a sizeable gap in your knowledge and skills? If so, you'll need to ask yourself, "would the time and money you'd need to invest be worth the investment to bridge these gaps?"

Using these multiple methods to assess your career potential will help you minimize risk and remain realistic about what it will take to make a smooth transition to your new career.

Take your New Career for a Test Drive

You've done your research and assessed your skills but how will you know for sure that your new career will be a good fit for you or not? The only way to know for sure is to actually do the job, which means it's time to put your new career choice to the test.

Look for part-time opportunities, job shadowing with a mentor, open internships or apprenticeships, or work as a contractor. These no-strings-attached jobs can provide the perfect opportunity to explore your target career, learning the industry standards and expectations, meeting people and trying out your specific skills and experience, without making a long term commitment. These experiments can be done before you've given up your current position. Once you found something that feels like a good fit, you can begin to move forward with your transition, with the peace of mind that you are making a choice that will serve you well. As you begin your transition, here are some things you can do to ensure your future success:

Lastly Re-brand yourself - Ageless

Part of your new career transition is reinventing yourself and consequently, who you are and what you do as a brand. To create a new professional identify or re-brand yourself and develop your reputation in a new industry or field you'll need to define what your new brand stands for and communicate these effectively through resumes, social networks like LinkedIn and business cards. Then develop a plan to market yourself. Taking the time to think this through before creating a resume or portfolio tailored for your new career will allow you to build credibility quickly in your new field.

Branding, Resume and Interview Tips

* Skip language that points to your age like "energetic," "youthful," "seasoned" or "veteran" and instead focus on your knowledge of current trends and state of the art developments in your industry.

* Limit your resume to one page or the last 15 years of applicable experience

* Focus on your results instead of the number of years of experience

* Skip graduation dates - they're irrelevant and show your age

* Highlight recent certifications, trainings or newly developed skills

* Downplay titles, especially those that showcase a senior management position and may end up disqualifying you for an entry level position in your new career.

* Be specific about your experience not in years but rather by using concrete numbers to speak about your accomplishments in company efficiency, growth or revenue.

* Highlight your flexibility and ability to adapt to changes and industry breakthroughs.

By using these strategies, you can ensure that your transition to a new career will be a successful one.

Copyright, Cecile Peterkin. All Rights Reserved.




Cecile Peterkin is a Certified Career Coach, Corporate Mentor! Claim your FR-EE Assessment and career guidance coaching session at her: career guidance website. Cecile also helps businesses leverage the mind-share of retiring Baby Boomers and senior managers, and transfer it to the next generation of leaders. Visit Cecile's site for FREE articles on workplace mentoring at http://www.ProMentoringinc.com or call 1-866-486-4112.




What Is Career Management? Your Long-Term Strategy for Career Success


Career management is a hot topic in business, but how many people really think about what it means, who's responsible for it, and how to go about it in an effective manner? If you ask your friends what they do to manage their career, how many can give you a coherent answer? What does career management mean to you, and what do you do to proactively manage your career?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to "manage" something means to handle or direct something with a degree of skill, to treat something with care, or to work upon or try to alter something for a purpose. Therefore, to effectively manage your career, you must skillfully direct your career with a purpose and with care.

A career that is successfully managed has a defined direction and objectives. Milestones and goals are set so that progress can be measured. Needs for growth and development are identified. Options and opportunities are assessed according to whether they are likely to move the career toward the vision.

On the other hand, a career that is not actively managed tends to meander. Direction may be changed and changed again, but without purpose or direction. Skills and abilities are not nurtured or cultivated. Opportunities may be missed, while others may be taken despite the fact that they do not bring meaning, enjoyment, or long-term progression.

Sometimes people think they do not have to manage their careers because their company will do it for them, but this is attitude can be self-defeating. You are your own best advocate. Do not relegate your advocacy, support, and best interest to anyone else. Take control, and make a commitment to yourself to be your own supporter and promoter.

Career management is not something you suddenly achieve, or a point where you say "I'm done!" It is part of the journey through life and work, something you do continually to ensure your career and life reflects and honors your strengths and who you are.

To effectively manage your career, you'll first need to do some basic career planning: clarifying your vision of your career into the future, and identifying what skill gaps or other obstacles may be standing in your way. You will want to set some goals and milestones so you can track your progress.

Next, consider your personal brand at work. Does how you're perceived in the office accurately reflect your strengths, value, and career aspirations? Take a look at what you're known for, your physical appearance, the projects you're working on, and when people ask for your advice and assistance. If these are in line with where you're going, great. If not, it's time for a personal brand make-over. These can take time, as you'll need to pay attention to how you act, what you say, what you work on, and how you look over a period of time, and adjust as needed.

Finally, constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to grow in line with your career vision. While this includes promotions and job openings, also consider volunteering for projects or teams where you can gain additional critical skill sets, become known as an expert in an area aligned with your vision and interests, or gain you exposure with people who can help you in your career. Find a mentor within (or even external to) your organization and solicit their advice and knowledge regularly. Consider taking courses or getting certified if these actions are applicable to your situation.

Remember that career management is an ongoing process, and should be regularly reviewed, measured, and adjusted. Make it a priority, and direct your career with skill, purpose and care.




If you liked this article, Lauren invites you to visit http://www.careerevolutiongroup.com for additional resources and advice to assist you in strategically managing your career and team. Sign up for the biweekly newsletter containing valuable articles and tips, and receive the special report "Top 10 Ways to Rock Your Role!" as her gift to you.

Lauren's passion and talent for helping people connect the dots between their current job situations and their ideal outcomes led to her specialization in the field of strategic career coaching. She has dedicated the rest of her professional life to showing people how work can be enjoyable, meaningful, values-based and balanced. Careerevolution Group was formed to transform people's experiences of work so they can enjoy their success!




Career Guidance For Teenagers In Today's World


As parent, career advisor or tutor, what career guidance for teenagers can you give that's useful, encouraging and honest? Today's teenagers will have to make their way in a very competitive world.

Sensible career guidance for teenagers will encourage them to work for the best "A" Level grades (or their equivalent - eg BTEC or NVQ3) they can. High grades at this stage keep their options open. This is important when you consider a quarter of the teenage job seekers can't now find any job, let alone a job with good prospects. If teenagers stay in full-time education, they still face a future where one in five graduates is unemployed.

Some of the better employers - eg accountancy firms - that previously recruited graduates now recruit "A" Level students instead. These employers put their new recruits through university, saving the students (and their parents!) up to £100K in tuition fees and living costs. They're offering students a very good deal and naturally they're only interested in employing the best and brightest of candidates.

Teenagers wanting an apprenticeship to kick-start their careers need to realise employers can afford to be very choosy (1,000 candidates applied for 100 apprenticeships recently). Employers want people who are bright and work hard so they'll be more impressed by good academic grades than mediocre ones.

Until very recently, the most commonly given career guidance for teenagers to all bright pupils was to study for a degree ("career prospects are better as a graduate"). Parents and students increasingly doubt this (there are too many unhappy graduates living on unemployment benefits) but places at conventional universities are still massively over-subscribed.

What's the right career guidance for teenagers wondering whether degree study is for them? Students and their parents should push tutors and specialist career advisors as hard as they possibly can for one to one assessments of the teenagers' developing academic potential (ideally based on both their course results and good psychometric information), their personal strengths and their career interests.

The best advice here is to put on the pressure early - career guidance for teenagers is a neglected, under-funded public service and it may be very difficult to get an appointment with a professionally trained careers advisor. You may wish to consider paying for career guidance from a private-sector provider - there are many good ones.

What about career guidance for teenagers panicking they may not get a university place? Advise them to first think long and hard about the value of a degree to them (is it more than £100K?) and how likely it is that they'll get a 2.1 degree in their chosen subject. Persuading teenagers to focus in a cool, rational way on what's in their best interests should calm them and may even prompt a re-think.

Good quality career guidance for teenagers will also help teenagers investigate the many different ways of achieving their goals (eg a rewarding adult life, a professional job, etc) beyond those which require study at a conventional university. Options here include gaining a degree with the Open University; completing the relevant professional training programme organised by national bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development; and undertaking degree-equivalent work-based National Vocational Qualifications (at levels 4 and 5).

Finally, career guidance for teenagers mustn't forget the importance of personal development and having fun during this stage of life. Investigate student exchange programmes and local town twinning arrangements and encourage your teenagers to see something of the world and its peoples while they're still free to do so.




Linda Whittern is Director of Careers Partnership (UK). She has contributed to government policy consultations on national career guidance delivery. Careers Partnership (UK) provides friendly and thorough one to one career advice for teenagers to help them make good decisions about their future study and career choices. Contact us for advice on your teenager's range of options.




Health Career Resources - Tips to Learning About Health Care Careers


It is good to look at health career resources, whether you are finishing high school or considering a career change. There is a large variety of jobs in the health care field. There are careers that involve direct care to patients, there is research, there are dietary related health careers and for those who would prefer not to deal directly with people there are jobs and careers in record keeping and billing. And these are just a few suggestions. There are many, many jobs and careers in the health care field.

Where to look for health career resources. A good place to start looking for the types of health care careers that are available is the newspaper classified ads. You are not looking for a job as such, but for ideas of position that might interest you. This might also give you some idea of the earning possibilities of those position that might interest you.

Another place to look is the local library. Look for journals for medically related professionals. There are nursing journals. There are physician journals. There are journals for x-ray department career specialists. And the list goes on and on. Again look at the help wanted section and see what is advertised for types of jobs and the income possibilities of those jobs.

Make a list of the health careers that are interesting to you. This is a starting point list and your thinking may change as you continue to look around. But now you want to see what people in different health careers are doing.

You want to see what people in these careers really do. There are several ways to go about this. You would be well to use more than one approach. Do you know someone in a health related job. For example, do you know a nurse or a nurse assistant? If so go talk to them and ask questions. It is wise to prepare ahead and write down specific questions to ask.

Another way to learn about health care jobs is contact a local hospital and see if you could take a tour. Explain that you are considering a medically related career and you would like to see what people do. Probably the nursing education department would be the best place to start your inquiry. However, you should explain that you would like to see several areas of health care services, not just nursing.

Some hospitals accept volunteers. However, because of patient confidentiality this is not as available in some areas as it once was. Many hospitals do not allow teenagers to help out in patient areas. However, volunteering at a hospital is an excellent way to get started in health care. It allows for an opportunity to get to know people in various areas of health care and ask and possibly get to see some of what they do.

Once you have some idea of the type of health care career you are interested in exploring, then it is time to find out what you need to do to pursue that career. First, check if there is a local place where you can get the training that you need. Often a community college will have a program for you. Start by requesting a catalog. This will explain the program, and what the admission requirements are. Most likely you will need to complete high school or at least a G.Ed.

Nursing programs are also available at community colleges and some colleges. There used to be a lot of hospital based nurse training programs. There are a lot less of those now a days, but there still are some. Some people feel hospital based nurse training programs are better, because they usually require more practical experience than do community or 4 year college programs.

Another consideration for health career training is the cost. As you explore the training programs you also need to consider the cost and how you will pay for the education.

So, in conclusion, there are many health career opportunities available to a person looking for a career in health care. To learn about some of them explore some of the health career resources suggested above.




Learn more about health career resources at http://healthcareerresources.com.




Saturday, July 28, 2012

10 Ways Halloween Is Like Your Career


1) Taking Chances Pays Off

When you wear a Halloween costume, you're taking a chance: of getting laughed at, feeling stupid, and creating new friends due to the shared craziness of the "holiday". That chance-taking is what makes Halloween pay off as a fun "holiday". Same thing goes for your career - you never know how it will pay off if you reach for the unreachable or even just step outside your regular routine once in a while. Remember: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

2) Paying Your Dues Pays Off

Investing time into your Halloween costume will lead to more laughs, conversations and fun as opposed to just grabbing the first mask you can find at the store. Similarly, investing time into researching the right career, building a foundation once you get there and then developing your knowledge and skill set will lead to a better, more satisfying career.

3) You can pave your own path

You can buy a pre-made Halloween costume in a store or you can create something at home. Similarly, you can apply for a clearly-defined job and go work for someone else or you can go the entrepreneurial route and create your own career.

4) You can be adventurous or play it safe

You can create an adventurous costume that requires some thought for anyone to figure out or you can play it safe and be a popular superhero. The adventurous costume will probably get more attention and lead to some interesting conversations. The safe route will lead to easily fitting in at whatever party you go to, yet could still lead to a good time and some laughs. In your career, you can aim for the more adventurous path in life....or take the safe route and aim for the stable life. One isn't any better than the other; it's just a matter of finding the right career for you.

5) You can make a change

Just because you were Snooki or The Situation last year doesn't mean that you can't be Bella Swan or Jake Sparrow this year. You have the freedom to change costumes when you're ready for something new. Same with careers. Just like you would pick a new costume that currently entertains you, you should choose a career that matches your current skills and interests.

6) Things might not work out as planned

Last year I went to a costume party as a bearded Vietnam vet...but everyone thought I was Fidel Castro! I had to take off my fake beard to retool my look. With your career, you might get yourself on a path only to learn that it doesn't align with your strengths...or your interests change...or your entire industry falls apart. Careers don't always work out as planned - and when that happens, you can retool your career.

7) There are consequences for your actions

If you eat 10 bags of candy corn while downing malt liquor at a costume party, you can outgrow your jeans, mess with your blood sugar and wake up in a pool of vomit. If you show a similar reckless disregard for your career, or even your social media presence, you might find your career train derailing.

8) You can choose where to go

There are usually plenty of Halloween parties to choose from. If you don't like the people at one, go to another. Same goes for companies and cities. You can and should choose a city and career lifestyle that fits you.

9) You don't have to accept every offer

Just because every house you trick-or-treat at is offering you those pumpkin-shaped candy corns doesn't mean you have to take them! You can say "no" and wait to see what the next house has to offer. Same goes with your career. You don't have to jump at the first thing that comes your way, or accept something as-is just because it's offered to you.

10) You can be anything you want to be

Just like you can be a Smurf or a superhero for Halloween, you can be a DJ, a teacher, an economist or an engineer in real life. It might take a little more work than just buying a costume, but you can research what you need to break in to the careers that interest you and then start paving your path there one brick at a time. A great way to do that is by watching career videos.




For career advice and help with choosing a career, be sure to check out http://CareersOutThere.com. I'm Marc Luber, the author of this article and the host of the online interview show Careers Out There. In every episode, we profile a different type of career by interviewing a real professional who works in that career path. They all tell us what their jobs are really like, how you can break in and they share all kinds of career advice on how to succeed once you're there. I look forward to seeing you and helping you at Careers Out There.




The Future of Career Services in Higher Education: 5 Trends Colleges and Universities Can Expect


Over the past several years, the career services function within colleges and universities has been significantly impacted. Between an economic downturn and new federal regulations, career services teams are having to elevate their support to a higher level than in years past.

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

The recent recession has put a tremendous amount of pressure on job seekers. Among those facing these challenges are graduates who have spent the last three, four, five or even more years preparing themselves for the workplace only to find their dream jobs are not waiting for them.

Economic Considerations:

The current economy is creating challenges for career seekers that those from previous graduating classes didn't face. It was not long ago that employers had to step up their recruiting efforts in order to attract and court future employees. Graduates entered the job market having their pick of opportunities and even the ability to negotiate salaries.

However, the recent recession has changed that dynamic dramatically. Today, there are fewer jobs and more competition to acquire those jobs. More pressure is being put on colleges themselves to help graduates secure job placementand launch a career in the student's field of study.

Regulatory Factors:

In addition to the economic challenges presented in placing students, the federal government has applied additional pressure on colleges and universities to place graduates on career paths in a recognized occupation where they can successfully repay their loans and avoid default. While regulations such as Gainful Employment are currently targeting career college programs, many pundits anticipate these regulations will hold colleges and universities to these same regulations in the near future.

Higher education is at a crossroads when it comes to career services and job placement. Institutions need to look for new ways to help students and graduates succeed beyond the classroom on a professional level.

INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

Until recently, schools haven't dedicated a lot of resources to career services because stronger market conditions meant it was easier for graduates to get jobs. This also meant less post-graduation accountability on the part of institutions. If a college was successful in training a student for the workplace, and that student met or exceeded the standards in his or her chosen field, then the college had done its job.

The stronger economy in the past has enabled colleges to put resources into other places, namely recruiting. Getting the right students enrolled in the right programs not only had a direct financial benefit to the institution, but it also increased the likelihood of producing successful graduates and qualified job applicants.

While this approach has helped more students fulfill their academic potential, and enabled colleges and universities to deliver their academic missions, it has yielded some challenges:

More Graduates, Less Jobs - higher education is now in a situation where colleges are producing an increasing number of qualified graduates, yet these graduates have fewer career opportunities in front of them. On top of that, because the recession has resulted in challenging times for graduates, the government has stepped in to oversee recruitment and placement activities to ensure institutions are in compliance and students' needs are being met.

More Graduates, Less Resources - until now, higher education has had to deliver minimal resources to help students find and secure available jobs. Fewer jobs lead to more competition among graduates, leaving students who don't come out ahead of the pack with very few options.

Higher education knows that something needs to be done. The industry is seeing a shift as career services gain traction in priority and importance primarily because of the current economic situation and government intervention.

Recession and Weak Job Market:

Although experts predict that economic recovery isn't far off, over the last few years, there has been more pressure for schools to make sure their graduates have the necessary skills to attract employers. However, it goes beyond simply preparing students for the real world.

Fewer jobs means no matter how qualified the student is, he or she needs more help navigating the placement process. Colleges are being expected to shoulder some, if not a lot, of this responsibility.

Federal Regulatory Landscape:

Pending regulations proposed by the Department of Education have put for-profit colleges and universities under the microscope to prove placement rates for graduates. Institutions must evolve their career services and placement strategies, as well as reallocate money and staff given the regulatory landscape.

The recently released Gainful Employment ruling will dramatically impact the ways schools approach career services. Schools not only need to place students, but they need to do so in positions that give the students the highest likelihood that they will be able to pay down any debt accrued from financing their education. Specifically, the Department of Education states that Gainful Employment requires schools to meet the following metrics:

At least 35 percent of former students at an institution must be repaying their loans, defined by reducing their balance by at least one dollar per year
The estimate annual loan payment of a student should not be greater than 30 percent of discretionary income
The estimated annual loan payment should not exceed 12 percent of total earnings

While there is some leniency in the fact that schools will be put on warning should they not meet the above criteria three times in a four year period, the Gainful Employment regulation increases accountability on the part of the schools. From a financial aid perspective, colleges that have students with a debt-to-income ratio beyond the specified percentage risk losing financial aid for their students. This will surely translate into fewer enrollments, and could mean the loss of programs that are not filled to capacity.

From an accreditation perspective, colleges need to prove placement as an end result of student success. Almost all accrediting bodies assess placement rates, though in different measures, as a determining factor in a college securing and maintaining its accreditation. Again, the loss of accreditation could likely mean the loss ofenrollmentsand the departure of programs.

INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

While colleges and universities are starting to establish and step up their career services activities, there are still tremendous opportunities to improve in this area. A well thought out and proactive approach to career services can produce the following:

Better Placement Results: It is about more than making sure students are qualified. Colleges and universities that take the initiative to help students prepare for the job application and interview process, as well as help students and employers connect, will increase the likelihood that their students will secure jobs.

Increased Retention Rates: Colleges that build relationships with employers and the community, as well as establish themselves as the go-to partner in providing qualified graduates in specific programs and fields will increase job opportunities for students. Institutions have an opportunity to become incubators for certain professions, increasing the possibility that employers will come to them directly to hire graduates. Because students know that these relationships can produce good job prospects upon graduation, they will be more likely to stay engaged in school and retained through program completion.

Stronger Recruitment and Enrollment: Institutions that earn a better reputation for placing graduates will be able to leverage that data in their recruitment efforts and enroll more students as a result. Higher placement rates can have a direct impact on recruitment numbers as prospective students look for schools that can help them succeed both academically and professionally.

The Future of Career Services:

As more colleges and universities look for ways to boost career services and meet new federal regulations, as well as learn specifically what works and what doesn't work, what can institutions expect?

Higher education is positioned for a renewed focus on career services where it will experience the following five trends:

1. Stronger Employer Relationships

Institutions are going to be working closer with employers, communicating on a more regular basis to ensure students are acquiring the skills employers want, and employers are providing employment opportunities to qualified students from specific schools and programs. Colleges and universities will need to make it easier for employers to post job openings online and view a student's background and resume.

2. Automated Communications

We'll see more proactive communications between students and a school's career services team to make sure students can effectively market themselves to employers. We'll also see this outreach start earlier - for example, instead of waiting until a student is one month away from graduation, the placement process might start 6 months to a year prior to graduation.

3. Dedicated Staffing

We'll see shift in career services organizations to include more staffing and resources dedicated to placement support. Not only will we see an increase in career services headcount, but also increase in the service level they deliver to students. Sheila Curren, author and leader in the field of student career services, hit the nail on the head when she said, "I think a fundamental change needs to take place in the way career centers are organized, and in the training that is given to career services professionals. Good career services can make a huge difference to a student's ultimate success after graduation."

4. More Student Self-Service Functionality

We'll see colleges and universities empower students to play a bigger role in the career placement process, giving them better access to resources so they can build an online profile highlighting qualifications and their resume, track job postings and opportunities, connect with employers, and apply for posted positions.

5. Increased Tracking and Measurement

Institutions will implement the tools and technology necessary to more effectively track employer and job posting information, as well as measure placement results. Colleges and universities will identify key performance indicators (KPIs), including placement by employer, program and student; volume of job postings; and average salary and debt of graduates so they can make more informed decisions in order to provide increased support to students seeking targeted employment.

CONCLUSION

While there is little data out there that speaks to placement results across higher education, the consensus is that there is tremendous room for improvement. Colleges and universities need to set their goals higher in order to:

Exceed accreditation requirements
Stay compliant with federal regulations
Recruit at a higher level
Fulfill the obligation a college has to its students and graduates

The current economy and regulatory landscape are forcing colleges and universities to take a closer look at the level of support they deliver to students beyond the learning experience. Institutions need to take career services to the next level in order to truly support students, graduates and alumni across the education lifecycle.







Strategies for Efficient Career Planning


Selecting the right course of career is one of the most important decisions of your life. This is why you should give significant amount of time before choosing your career track. Unfortunately, several people make few common mistakes while choosing the right career for themselves. This wrong decision is usually made due to the lack of career advice, lack of awareness or due to certain unavoidable circumstances.

In order to make a right career decision, it is important to plan your career path considering all the important factors. Choosing a career path is extremely important and can well be a life changing step. Therefore, it needs a thorough brainstorming. Good thing is that you can turn your dreams into a reality by following a systematic yet flexible approach.

Following are few guidelines that can help you in bringing your career on the right track:

- Career planning should start at a very initial stage, i.e. during the school-level education. It's the duty of parents to educate their children about the importance of education and career. This will help the children being mentally prepared to handle the job related pressure at later stages. Children need to be matured enough to explore their options and proactively learn about the career paths aligned with their interests.

- You can take career guidance from a well qualified career planner. The career planners inform you about all the available career options as per your educational qualifications. They also consider your ability as well as interests while short-listing the career options suitable for you. They also analyze the market and emerging trends, and can provide you with details about all the prospective career options, which can help you frame a rewarding career for yourself.

- You should not completely rely on anyone's advice regardless of how close they might be to you. They might be your well-wishers but chances are they aren't aware of the possible career options you can opt. It's always better to keep yourself updated with the latest trends and career options available as suitable for your line of education.

- Performing sufficient study and research about the company and your work profile before you join a company. You should learn about your prospective roles and responsibilities before you join the organization.

- Relying on any placement agency that guarantees a job and asks you to pay for it is simply worthless. Reputed placement agencies are paid for their efforts by the employers.

- It is also important to remain employed with one employer for a long duration. Most of the reputed companies avoid employing people who have switched their jobs very frequently without good reasons.

As mentioned earlier, a systematic career planning considering all the possible options and opportunities definitely pays off. It will not only educate you about the ongoing trends in the market, but also will help you to increase your marketability in the line of career you've chosen for yourself.




This is Diarmuid Haughian, writing articles, blog and exploring on new interesting topics such as job, education, career etc. You can find more details about Career Planning and new career.




How Do I Find the Right Career For Me?


If you're working on choosing a career, you're probably confronting the question of "how do I find the right career for me". Here are 5 things to think about that will help you through the career planning process of finding the right career.

1) Your Hobbies

Think about what you like to do in your free time and what you're good at. Do you like working with your hands? With your mind? Are you good with people? Do you prefer being alone? Do you coach a team or tutor kids? Spend time outdoors in nature? Do you like numbers? Puzzles? Writing? Particular kinds of video games? There are careers out there that make use of your skills and interests...and sometimes they're not obvious. As an example, just because you're a great little league coach doesn't mean you should be a professional coach. But you do embrace leadership skills, which apply to a variety of careers and can guide you in your career search. Maybe you love music - you can work for an ad agency, or a theater, represent musicians, open a music club, work for a non-profit to get instruments into schools...Or maybe you love sports statistics - you can become an accountant or a mortgage banker or work for a sports team....You just need to do some research to connect the dots.

2) Your Values

What's important to you? Is it having lots of free time? Lots of money? Having a big family? Following a dream? Living in the city? The country? The suburbs? Living overseas? All of these things play a role in the career opportunities that will fit you and be available to you. For example, if you're obsessed with the auto industry but are set on living near your ranch in Wyoming, you probably have to choose one or the other. If you want to live in New York City and have five kids, you're probably going to have to choose a career where you can make a lot of money. To find the right career, it's important to be in touch with your values.

3) The Type of Life You Want

Do you want a conventional life where you stay on one path, live in one city and settle down young to start a family? Or do you want an adventurous life where you take big risks, chase big ideas, and frequently change cities? The adventurous path may be more likely to blur job and life together. For example, if you're a war photographer or a rock musician, your career and life kind of become one. If you know you want a conventional life, you can generally rule out careers like these. At the same time, if you know you want an adventurous life, you can probably rule out most office jobs. It's always possible to be a librarian by day and a traveling cliff diver on weekends, but it really comes down to where you want to find your adventure every day.

4) Your Favorite & Best Classes At School

What classes always felt like fun to you? What classes came to you so naturally that they just seemed easy? Are you great at science? Math? Or do you hate science and math but love English classes? If you hate science and math but love English classes, you can probably rule out careers like doctor, scientist and economist. But you can consider things like teacher, lawyer and other communications-based careers. Analyzing what classes fit you is a great step towards finding the right career.

5) What You're Willing To Sacrifice

The expression "nothing comes for free" exists for a reason. If you're a young, corporate lawyer or investment banker getting paid the big bucks, you're probably going to have close to zero free time. If you're an airline pilot or a truck driver, you're probably going to be spending a lot of time away from home. If you want to become a college professor, you're going to be in school a long time to get that PhD. If you want to be a famous actress, you're going to have to humiliate yourself at casting calls and tryouts where your talents and looks will be picked apart by a panel of others. What is your threshold for all of this? It helps to ask this question and be in touch with what you're willing to sacrifice for your career. Sometimes it's tough to know in advance, but the sooner you can figure it out the more you can avoid the tough discoveries that come from learning your career exceeds your threshold after you've settled into a path.




Finding the right career and the career planning process can be tricky, but you'll find lots of help at http://CareersOutThere.com. Careers Out There is a video interview show that helps you in every episode by profiling a different type of career. Our guests are real professionals who work in each career path and tell us what their jobs are really like, how you can break in and how to succeed once you're there. I'm Marc Luber, the author of this article and the host of the show. I look forward to seeing you there and helping you out - so click over to Careers Out There so we can start helping you now.




ENFP Careers Advice


ENFP personalities are one of the 16 personality types from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and are known for being fun, open and enthusiastic. Their career strengths are different to those of others personalities. This means there are some jobs and careers they are well suited for and others that they may find challenging and less enjoyable.

Everyone needs careers advice that's specific to their own personality and situation rather than generic guidance and as a career coach, and an ENFP myself, I know the advice below is spot on!

1. Start with your heart

As opposed to diving straight in and examining your skills and qualifications, try first considering what you want to do. People with this personality need to enjoy their careers as for them work isn't just somewhere they go or something they do. For them it is often an expression of who they are. This means that it needs to be meaningful and fulfilling.

So the first piece of careers advice I would give is 'Start With Your Heart'. This isn't the same as saying just follow your heart as there are certainly other factors to be taken into consideration, but first of all look inside and decide what you really want to do.

2. Career strengths - build on them

You might think it sounds obvious to build a career based on your strengths, but sadly it's all too easy to follow a path better suited to someone else. This is usually because you aren't aware of your strengths or possibly you've received inappropriate advice.

The career strengths people with this personality often have include great people skills, creativity, adaptability and the flexibility to turn your hand to many things if you want to.

There are many areas where you can use these including teaching, social work, counseling, psychology, marketing, design, event management and many creative areas.

3. Got weaker areas?

In the same way that they often have signature career strengths, there are usually areas they find more challenging. This often seems to include follow-through, the need for flexibility, attention to detail and impersonal environments or those they perceive to be critical.

It makes sense to avoid career paths which don't need your strengths but instead demand skills in an area you are less talented in. This can include auditing, accounting, computer programming and other detail-oriented IT work, manufacturing, cold calling and admin work.

This doesn't mean you need to look for work that doesn't include any of these things as most jobs will have elements you are not as keen on, but you may find it easier to flourish in a role that doesn't focus on one or more of your weaker areas.

4. Finding the right career - more than personality

Although your personality is undoubtedly important and can be a helpful guide when finding the right career, it shouldn't be the only thing you consider.

Other factors to consider include: skills and skill level, qualifications, interest areas, which jobs and careers paths are available and growing in the area where you are looking.

5. Job hopping or undecided? Build variety into your career path

These folks love variety and have many interests, as do people with a scanner personality. This can result in a low boredom threshold and if their current job doesn't offer them variety or challenge they may end up job hopping.

To avoid the many disadvantages of job hopping, try building variety and change into a job or career path. Ways to do this include working in environments with a lot of change, doing project-based work, having 2 different part-time jobs or working for a small company where you get to do many different roles.

If you're an ENFP and have been following generic careers advice and found yourself miserable in your job, that may have been where you've been going wrong. There's nothing wrong with you, you've just been following the wrong advice. Perhaps now you need to look at careers advice tailored to you.




Katie Stephens is a career coach at ENFP Careers where we help ENFPs to choose enjoyable and meaningful careers. We also show ENFPs, scanner personalities, and some folks, how to build variety and change into their careers as an alternative to job hopping. Find more ENFP careers advice at http://www.enfpcareersguide.com




The Career Test - Taking The Mystery Out of Career Choices


When researching career choices, often one of the first things you may stumble upon is the Career Test. Just as there are a variety of career choices out there; there are a variety of career tests as well. Knowing which is suitable for you is an excellent first step in making the right decision. Here are some things to keep in mind when researching your career choices.

All Career Tests Are Not Created Equal

"Career Test" is a generic term for what can be a variety of assessments. Some measure interests, some measure skills or strengths, some measure learning styles, and some may even measure personality traits. The kind of careers test you take will determine the type of career choices you receive.

Following are some commonly used career tests and how they can help you make your career choices.

Strong Interest Inventory

This is a popular assessment tool, which assesses your interests and then compares those interests with people working in different careers. By taking this test you also find out which of the six "Occupational Themes" best align with your interests, such as: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional, as well as suggested occupations for each.

How This Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Taking this test gives you access to suggested occupations in your dominant themes.

Strengths Finder

The code for this online assessment can be found in the book, "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. This assessment is geared towards identifying your personal strengths. The Gallup Group, after interviewing almost 2 million professionals, determined that there are 34 basic strengths, with each individual exemplifying attributes of their "Top 5" themes. How This Career Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Understanding your unique strengths can help you focus your research on areas you might not previously have considered. Knowing your strengths can also deepen your interview skills.

Learning Styles

There are many online assessments geared towards helping you find your unique learning style. Try http://www.brainboxx.co.uk for a start.How This Can Help You Make Career Choices: Understanding the methods that work best for you can help you make decisions more effectively, as well as gain a greater understanding of the types of work environments that will best suit you.

Myers Briggs Type Indicator

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator test is designed to measure the way you perceive the world as well as make decisions. It has been called, "a personality test" and can provide perspective on how you interpret the world.

How This Career Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Knowing your "type" can provide great insight into how you process information, as well as how you cope with the world. Suggested careers are listed by "type".




This is Diarmuid Haughian, writing articles, blog and exploring on new interesting topics such as job, education, career etc. You can find more details about Career Test and Career Choices.




Friday, July 27, 2012

Career Management: Protect Your Future!


Just like we wear a life vest when out on the water, have you though of taking the same approach with your career? As you plan your career and work on improving your skills and documenting progress and accomplishments so to must you take ongoing action to protect your career.

Effective career management does not mean building a moat around you career and retreating into the castle. You must take a pro-active approach and be aware of what is happening in the economy, how it impacts your industry and company.

Too often with an industry downsizing or outsourcing those affected seems surprised that it could happen to them. Yet the signs of possible future actions that would hit them were all around.

Even if you are working in a field that may be looked upon as secure (IT, engineering, etc.) they are not immune to changes, layoffs or even companies closing. Another bitter pill to swallow in managing your career is working for a company that is not growing but rather spends an inordinate amount of time counting paper clips.

If you see the possibility of negative things happening in your industry and there is a likelihood the wave will roll through your organization the time to begin to take action is well before the event.

Here are some proactive career management actions you can begin doing right now.

1. Go back over the past two years or so and organize and list all of your accomplishments. Going forward keep a current file on accolades and accomplishments. Make them quantifiable and show the benefits and value to the employer. Study the writing of a resumes and cover letters that will showcase your accomplishments.

2. Take an audit of you career related skills. Are there any gaps in your skills or something that you need to get current on? Perhaps, you've done some career research and you plan on changing career directions. Now is the time to plan on building appropriate skills and qualifications for the proposed new career.

3. If your industry looks like a dead-end, begin studying other related industries that can use your skills. Research other companies and organizations in your area. Don't forget to look carefully at smaller companies, non-profits and if appropriate government agencies.

4. If you may face a change in circumstances, now is the time to look closely at your finances. Reduce debt, postpone major purchases and build a robust rainy day fund.

5. Build you network. Become more active in a career or industry related association. Start a contact data base of those in your network. Help others in their career planning and job hunting. Actions in this area now could pay dividends in the future.

6. Research and start a small home based business. There are many opportunities in this area. One started selling on eBay and earns over $1000 a month working 10-15 hours a week, another sells affiliate items and earns up to $500 a month just working a couple of evening a week. Whatever direction you take, this will improve your financial situation and give you more options. Who knows, it could grow into a full-time type income.

Now with these actions in managing and protecting your career, you will not be totally immune to layoffs and other external changes in your career, but you'll have developed a greater measure of safety. Moreover, now your viable career management plan will put you in charge of the situation rather than your career being starved by the slow drip-drip of circumstances outside of your control.




John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers, career management and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by effective career planning after 50.




Health As a Career!


The term 'career' is most often thought of in the context of a profession or occupation, but dictionaries also apply the term to a chosen pursuit - a person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life.

If we use the latter part of the definition, then things like education, home-making, marriage, family relationships, many leisure pursuits like sailing or gardening can also be considered as careers in their own right along with work and profession.

Most of us strive to be successful in our pursuits. While the term success is somewhat subjective, it usually involves the attainment of one or more goals that we establish for ourselves, or should establish relative to our careers.

To achieve those goals, many things have to happen but as a minimum the following three things are usually required:

First, the goals must be thought out, formally or not, and established. You have to think through what you want to achieve and how successful you want to be with regard to each career you pursue.

Second, the goals must be worked towards. You have to apply both time and effort towards attaining those goals. That includes learning, acquiring, developing and applying all necessary expertise, skills and experiences. It also means applying the necessary amount of time.

Thirdly, you must be able to measure your progress and degree of success. You do this so that you can determine where you are on the path to your goals and so that you can change your goals or your approaches as required.

In short, your various careers have to be managed.

If we accept that in many cases we have more than one career on the go at the same time, and most of us do, then the issue of balance also comes into play. How do we decide how much time and effort should be applied to one career versus another?

It is not unreasonable to expect that if we apply all of our time and effort to one career, then it is likely that others will suffer as a result. That means that we must somehow find a way to rank our various careers in terms of relative importance to us, and find a way to balance the time and effort we expend on each accordingly such that the goals are achieved for each. A person who spends all of his or her time and effort on an occupational career may well find that another career is suffering - say a marriage or a golfing hobby. Conversely, spending every day on the golf course may have a detrimental affect on one's occupation and marriage careers. Look around and view the careers of people you know to see the effects of this reality. Take a hard look at how you are managing your own careers and at how successful you are with each.

Not an easy task for sure, this career business.

Now, let's complicate things a little further by suggesting that we have another career that requires management - that is, time and effort. That career is our health.

Yes, health!

While success, happiness, wealth and any number of other things are important in all of your other careers, they will not mean very much if you don't have your health. It is a critical component of our lives and its pursuit has to be managed just like anything else. It is a career in its own right, and perhaps the most important.

If you accept this premise, it means that you have to:

First, set goals relative to your health - things like weight, blood pressure, diet and body mass index levels.

Second, you have to apply both time and effort working toward those goals - appropriate levels of exercise, proper diet and levels of substance and food ingestion.

Thirdly, It means you have to measure your progress and be prepared to alter your goals and approaches as required.

In other words, you have to approach your health in the same way that you approach any other career you want to be successful at. It has to be managed.

If you accept this premise, then the issue of balance comes up again. How much time and effort should I put in to managing my health relative to my other careers?

You are the only one who can answer that question. No one can do it for you. You are the only one who can decide that your health is as important if not more important that any of your other careers. You are the only one who should be setting goals relative to your health. You are the only one who can measure how you are doing in the pursuit of those goals. In other words, you are the only one who can manage your health. No one else can, nor should you expect them to - it is your responsibility.

We can even take this health career premise further by positing that if you manage it successfully you will have a greater chance of success in most if not all of your other careers.

For ideas on the types of things you can do to better manage your health, you may be interested in other articles I have published on the subject. There are several of them because I personally think of the management of my health as a career and I try as best I can to manage it as such.

You should too.

Bob Robinson




Bob Robinson is a computer professional and consultant in the data management profession with over 30 years experience in data processing.

As the founder of RecordsKeeper Software, Bob's passion is to provide ideas and software that helps people get control of their lives, to function better and to improve the ability to manage their affairs by having well organized information about everything that is of importance to them.

Presently, Bob is writing articles and building his business.
You can reach Bob at rbtrobinson@rogers.com or visit the RecordsKeeper website at http://www.therecordskeeper.com




Career Planning: The 10 Minute Solution!


Career planning for a successful future takes time. Yet this is precisely what too many people cite as why they don't have a robust career plan. And if they have a career plan it languishes in the closet gathering dust. Why, because somehow they do not have the time to take proper steps to turn their career plan into action.

Are you taking enough time to properly build your career plan. Taking only about 10 minutes a day to build your career plan will mean you'll save additional time over the life of your career.

Proper planning will make the implementation of any project go smoother, with fewer surprises and a greater chance of reaching the project's goals. The same can be said for a career plan. Still think you don't have the time?

Here are some ideas to get your career planning on track-at only 10 minutes a day.

Let's look at the price you'll pay for not spending the time in planning. You'll spend an inordinate amount of time going from crisis to crisis putting out fires, things will be out of control, deadlines will be missed or things will not be completed as well as they could. Not a pretty picture.

Without a well thought out career plan in place your ability to change things plummets to close to zero.

It's clear that planning is critical both for your career success and more efficient use of your time. How about if you believe you just don't have the time?

Is this the real reason or is something else holding you back? Perhaps you think it will take additional time or you've observed others spending way to much time in planning the most mundane activity.

What it boils down to is not the length of time required in your planning but making it as useful as possible. A smaller length of time, say 10 minutes a day, with the purpose of building the best planned career you can will pay long-term dividends.

Once you get in the habit of setting aside a little as 10 minutes a day you'll find yourself making progress. Don't look upon building a career plan as a huge project, but take it step by step and you'll find by adding information to one area that you'll naturally open avenues to consider other options.

Your planning does not have to follow some formal progression but can move from point to point. Start with a notebook to jot down ideas and thoughts.

With 10 minutes a day set aside to plan your career let's look at a productive technique to get you started. Ask yourself a series of questions to get the thought process working. Write down your thoughts and the answers to the questions, possible additional questions, and options to resolve the questions.

Your answers to the questions will be added to your career plan. At 10 minutes a day you'll soon find a list of ideas that you can prioritize and then build out the most important ideas.

If, for example, you ask yourself, "What career related skills do I need to improve to move ahead in my career?" If your answer is the most critical skill to improve is developing and make more effective presentations, you can start from the beginning.

Plan to improve your power point design skills by attending a workshop or short course at a local college or reading several relevant books. Add to your speaking skills by reading and studying and taping your presentations and having others critique you. Perhaps joining a group like Toastmasters would be productive.

Measure your progress against a planned timetable and in a relatively short period of time others will be coming to you asking for your help in improving their presentation skills.

Asking yourself probing and challenging questions does not take a great deal of time and will lead you developing a range of career building solutions.

Here's some additional questions you can ask yourself to get you started in the planning process:

"What are the top three job related things do I need to achieve this week, this month and this year?"

"What obstacles are keeping me from achieving my career related goals? How do I overcome them?"

"How can I better prioritize my activities every day?"

"How can I improve my time management (people, leadership, etc.) skills?"

With 10 minutes a day budgeted for this activity, one question may take several days to work out a best answer. Don't be concerned as you will be spending 10 minutes a day, every day on this productive activity.

In a relatively short time your career plan will take shape, with an action plan implementing your ideas. You'll find the 10 minutes a day will be time well spent.




John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by after 50 career planning.




Career Planning Insurance: What Is It?


We have insurance on almost everything. If you are holding an outdoor event you can even get insurance for the event if it rains.

So what about career planning insurance? No one that I'm aware of can sell you an insurance policy to protect your career. What you have to do is self-insure. That is you have to take responsibility for you own career.

Others are not going to make sure your career is moving forward and is becoming more valuable to you and to your employer. It is rarely productive to blame others for where you are or what you are doing. So it's up to you to insure that your career is moving forward on the path that you planned.

We all know about the annual performance review. Yet there is a more important performance review than one done by your supervisor. It's the personal review you do on your own performance.

This review should be done at least every three months or sooner if you are just starting out in your career. First update your resume. No need to rewrite the resume just add the appropriate information to the accomplishments, education and personal sections. If you have nothing to add to any of the sections it should tell you to start planning what you are going to do over the next three months.

After you've completed your performance review, take a close look at your work and your career. Do this analysis on a piece of paper. List what you like about your present job. Also list what you don't like. Now ask yourself, "What can I do to do more of what I like?" And "What can I change about what I don't like?" From the answers to these two questions you can add additional actions to your career plan.

Remember change is always difficult but if attempted in small steps you'll notice the improvements at your next planned performance review.

We are all living longer. Some long living retirees receive retirement benefits longer than the time that they worked to earn the pension. Social Security as we current know it will be changed or it will go broke. All this means, in addition to your career plan, you need a well thought out financial plan.

You need to develop income coming in from a variety of sources. Multiple sources of income spread over a number of asset classes will also tend to reduce risk.

Of course you must take advantage of the 401k offered by your employer. Roth IRA's or regular IRA's should be added to you financial plan. Opportunities to invest in real estate can also be considered. Everything starts with having a financial plan.

Second jobs can bring in extra income to invest. A neighbor works most Saturday nights as a bartender at a local country club. He earns more in tips and wages in six hours than he does working eight hours at his regular job. Another neighbor buys, fixes up and sells four to six cars a year. It has allowed him to buy real estate that provides him with additional income.

When you create additional sources of income you are adding career options that will be a benefit to you if you decide to change careers, retire early, or continue generating income when you do retire.

Moreover, your career plan will give you the flexibility to explore other careers or invest in a business and move to be self-employed. Career planning insurance mean you take some of the risk out of your career.

Things happen in which you have little control, companies go broke, bad decisions are made, you get the boss from hell but with your career insurance in place you reduce the overall risks. And isn't this what insurance is all about?




John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by career planning.




Monday, July 16, 2012

Career Planning After 50: Making Career Planning Work For You!


Almost everything we do starts with planning. Can you imagine a wedding, or building a house or going on an overseas vacation without planning? To achieve a high level of benefit and overall satisfaction all these and many other life events require a high level of meticulous planning.

It's clear to get the most out of an event a level of planning must be undertaken. The effect and risk of failure is what really drives the importance of planning.

Career planning is commonly thought of as working hard in your career and good things will happen: you'll get the promotion and the accompanying increase in earnings. This idea is only part of what a good career plan really is.

Moving ahead in your career also requires planning. It goes beyond a road map. Planning will highlight important mile posts along your career journey. And, importantly your plan will keep you on the right road without getting sidetracked from your overall career objectives.

The heart of a good plan is the method to oversee your career progress. A well designed plan for your career helps you understand you progress or lack of progress. It guides you in building your strengths, expanding your skills, monitors your abilities and watches over your unique talents.

Designing a well thought out plan will show you what career opportunities, both internal and external, are available. It will spotlight your chances of taking advantage of new jobs and new careers.

The keys to successful career planning are your proactive actions in building your skills and knowledge. If you have a gap in your skills or a new opportunity shows on the horizon your plan will give you the tools to build your skill set. In addition, your plan will point you toward added opportunities to systematically build your strengths and skills.

Any good plan has built-in methods to assess your progress toward your overall career goals. For example, if you find you need to add to your skills to update your abilities to work with new software or systems your career plan will have signposts to gauge your progress in completing the required training and experience. Of course as you observe new skill building opportunities, you must remain flexible and adjust your interim goals as appropriate.

Once you build your overall career goals into your career plan you can gauge your activities and training in a more objective and productive manner. Decisions regarding your career or a proposed career change will now be made based on a full range of objective evidence and not at some whim or snap decision.




For information and background in building a career plan to better prepare you for moving up in your current career or for a planned career change go to http://careersafter50.com. Learn the stories of others who build robust career plans changed careers and found the right job.




Tips for Choosing a Career


Choosing a career is the most vital decision you will have to make in your entire life. It will dictate on how your life will go. All of us will undergo the same process. Most people had given a lot of time and research before they jumped into a conclusion when choosing a career.

Some people may have been lucky to have a successful career path. But there are also some people who are not satisfied and happy on their chosen path. They still continue to search for other careers that will keep them happy. To avoid the feeling of resentment and regret, here are some tips for students and for all on how to choose a suitable career.

Dream On and Start Young

When you were a kid, your teachers and your relatives keep on asking you the same question over and over again. What do you want to be when you grow up? Starting from your childhood, you already have an idea on which career path you would want to take.

As part of growing, things do change. Your plans and career dreams during your childhood may change with your current interests and hobbies. Change is common and natural. This is a good sign that you are open for wider career options and opportunities.

Research on Job and Career Trending

For junior high school student, you should already have an idea on which careers are suitable for your interests and capabilities. As early as high school, you should make an effort to research on job, career trending and employment statistics. This will give you an idea on the careers that are highly in demand and popular after you have graduated in college.

Take an Aptitude or a Career Assessment Test

Taking an aptitude or a career assessment test can greatly contribute on your decision in finding the right career path. If your aptitude test resulted that you are great in Science or Math, you'll be a great fit in the medical field. If the test resulted that you excel in your gym or art class, opting for the artistic field is probably a good choice.

The results in the aptitude or assessment test may not be as accurate as it sounds. It will just give you an overall idea about your strengths and weaknesses on a certain field based on your interests. You can either follow the suggestion if that is inclined with your interest or look for other options.

Career Counselling

Usually, secondary schools cater career counselling for their graduating high school students. They arrange programs, orientations and counselling for career awareness. Attending to counselling sessions can enlighten your mind and can help you choose a right career path.

Take Certain Risks

If you have undergone a certain career and made you feel dissatisfied and unhappy, the world is still opening its gates for you. You can still venture and try to find another career option. Many people also have encountered this situation. There are some people who change careers every now and then just to find what they are searching for. Be open to risks and to different interests. The world has a lot to offer and there also several things that left undiscovered.




The author writes about giving valuable tips on how to choose a career for students to be guided and help them find the right career in life.




Plan a Successful Career Change After 50 - Key Questions to Ask!


There are as many reasons to consider a career change after 50 as there are careers. If you're over 50 now might be the right time to take a good look at your current career and your life situation.

Your working life and beyond is the longest personal project you'll be involved in. And no matter how hard we try the amount of time we have available in not infinite.

If you take the time after age 50 to review your accomplishments to date, whether your career plan is working for you and what you'll be doing in the future all are important first steps in a career change after 50.

Regardless of how you reached this point in your life; you lost your job, you were forced to change careers or you're thinking about doing making a career change voluntarily here are some questions to ask yourself.

Overall, are you personally pleased or displeased with things? Your career? Your employer? Your relationships? Your financial situation?

Additional questions to ask yourself: Are you doing things that please you and you get satisfaction on doing? Generally, are you in a place in your life that you wanted? What in your life would you change if you had a chance? (Please don't mention finding oil in your back yard. It's unlikely the government would let you pump it out.) What do you see for the rest of your life and career?

For many in considering the last question about viewing their future life and career they base their answer on what they've done in the past. If you only consider your past skills and abilities and create a future based on these experiences it's no wonder that many are mystified why their life and career does not change or seem much different.

Basically, to make meaningful change in your future career and life you have to consider another way. Your thinking has to move forward. If you start from where are you right now and go to "what would I like to be doing?" you've made the first step into the future.

Now in building your career and life plan you take your future dreams and use them to design and build your planned future. You now have created the life and career you want to be living. Don't you thing as you work the plan that you will be happier and more satisfied? You bet you will.

Unless you do this exercise, and go back to it frequently, any change in your career after 50, will just be more of the same. You'll be staring at the same results and it's no secret why nothing has changed even though you've changed careers.

Many spend much of their life waiting: waiting for the next promotion, waiting for things to get better, waiting for a relationship to improve, waiting for the working climate to get better but they never seem to get to the point where they can say things are better. Now may be the ideal time to do something about it.

You can't get where you want to be simply doing the same things over and over and even a bit differently. Even a career change after 50 may just be a career change-other things in your life may not change.

For example, if you are in a financial bind in your current career, you change careers with a greater salary and if you're still in financial trouble with the same stresses-what have you accomplished? Not much. The key is to overhaul and reexamine all aspects of your life. Do this and a career change after 50 will be more meaningful and closer to your overall life goals.

Bottom line: you need to re-examine how and what you think about yourself. The result will be you will live your life differently and combined with a career change to your dream career; your waiting will be over because things important to you have gotten better.




For more detailed information about career change after 50 go to http://careersafter50.com. Also, discover the stories of mid-life career changes that resulted in individuals finding their dream careers.




Career Truths, Facts and Obstacles: The Future of the Workforce, 3 Tips Part 1


The facts are in, and the truth is our career and workforce options are changing quickly. There appear to be so many obstacles to entering the workforce now many people are wondering what to do. More importantly, many career choices can become obsolete overnight due to advance in technology, a change in workforce outsourcing or some global influence.

So, how do you prepare to enter the workforce if your career has been annihilated by the global economic crisis, destroyed by new software advance or outsourced to a cheaper market?

Here are 3 tips to help you make career decisions. Choose a career that has these 3 abilities and you will have an easier time developing income.

Career Traction: Career traction are careers that will still be in demand for at least a decade or more. Usually 10 years worth of career traction is important to sustaining your income. Choose a career that will not be wiped out in 3 years by developments in technology or outsourcing abilities. For example (web design) was once a great career field and got wiped out in the last 5 years by software developments and outsourcing to cheaper markets. You also want to look for something where good compensation remains vs. diminishes over time.

Career Diversification and Adaptability: Diversifying your income structures is a huge concern for many people and will be into the future. Career adaptability means that you are able to diversify your career into a job longterm, a per- project or per- Diem basis. This will help you in case of job loss in your industry. Many companies are not hiring employees because of the costs involved in having employees and the instability of our global economy. It doesn't make sense to hire people right now in this economy. However, it does make sense to hire on a per project basis in a contract labor market during high season times.

You will know if you have chosen a career that is diversified and adaptable if you can answer this question. For the next 10 years, can my career turn into a home based business per project income source? If yes, then do both right now to protect and diversify your income structures before you need to. If not, you may want to think of a back up business or career.

Global Demand: Choosing a career with global demand just makes sense right now. There are many industries that will continue to grow in global demand and this will also make you more in demand. Of course nursing, occupational and physical therapy are in those categories along with consulting and technology sector careers. These careers also have traction and global adaptability.

Careers and industries are evolving very quickly right now and know how to gain traction and diversifying your income is important. This is a rebuilding time in the economy and rebuilding your income sources will demand that you focus on these 3 key areas. When you do, you will create career stability and success in your future.




Writes for http://successsystemsnow.com and http://privateJVclub.info