Manage Yourself for the Career You Want

"Your past cannot be changed, but you can change tomorrow by your actions today."

- David McNally

The career you want doesn't drop in your lap prefabricated the way it used to be. To have the career you want, you have to design and initiate your own path. In the past, on-the-job training was a popular means of creating the perfect employee. Businesses had the time and resources to teach workers what they needed to know, in order to develop a career with their company. Today, as companies are downsizing and restructuring to remain competitive, career-minded individuals must be that much better than others vying for the same position; and, they must be prepared to hit the ground running. You have to go after the job you want.

Career Tips

While career guidance is beneficial, the ultimate decisions are up to you. A career is more than simply a job. It's not flipping burgers at the local fast food restaurant, until something better comes along. A career is a lifelong pursuit of professional success. It helps define who you are, and where your values lie. It gives your life purpose and meaning. It also happens to provide a paycheck.

If you really want a career, and not just a job, here are some suggestions to help facilitate your success:

* Know your personal and professional goals

* Keep a portfolio of your best work

* Keep track of your successes

* Commit to lifelong learning

* Invest time and money in developing your career

* Establish an advisory board

* Find a mentor

* Network

You can't sit back and wait for your career to tack off. If you want to be a leader in your chosen occupation, you need to make your success happen.

Career Management

An expert in career guidance will provide suggestions based upon experience. He/she may even develop a personalized list of objectives you need, to put your career on the fast track. But, it's you that will do the hard work and provide the initiative necessary for a successful outcome.

For example, only you know your personal and professional goals. You must recognize your own potential, adapt to changes when necessary, and do what it takes to continually build your career. Today, a college degree is simply not enough. Everyone has to have an education, in order to get a meaningful job. You need to recognize the education necessary to get your foot in the proverbial door. Then, you need to go above and beyond the competition. You will always have to consider how best to invest your time and money, in order to advance your career.

You will also need to keep track of the advancements and changes in your career field. Networking can keep you in the "know" and make sure that others know about you. Developing an advisory board can boost your credibility and convey that you are dedicated to advancing in your career, even if it means accepting change or going back to school. You are your own best tool for success.

In short, career management is not a job you can outsource. You need to manage yourself for the career you want.

Copyright, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Cecile Peterkin is a Certified Career, Life Coach and Speaker. Feeling stuck in middle management or mid career? Claim your FR-EE Assessment and complimentary career guidance coaching session at: http://www.CosmicCoachingCentre.com/careercoach.html

Switching Careers: How to Manage the Process!

With the downturn in the economy switching careers has become much more common. The demand for some professions are disappearing or shrinking while others have increased. With this turmoil all around us changing careers can be a challenging task.

Switching careers from the relative safety of a long-held career into something completely new can be overwhelming. However, with the proper approach, some planning and avoiding some mistakes you can make the career switch to a job with a future and into something that you will enjoy.

Here are some ideas to help you get ready for the move, what actions to take and missteps to avoid.

1. Sell yourself on the move. Do your research and get excited about the prospect of switching careers. Do everything you can to walk the walk in the new career. Join appropriate career based organizations. Read and study what those in the new career do. Read their blogs and websites on a regular basis.

Go to career based conventions and other relevant meetings. Build your network of individuals currently working in the desired career. Add to your career switching network through your alumni association, and by searching on LinkedIn.

When you are ready to make the move you will have the groundwork to assist you in finding relevant job openings in your new career.

2. After researching a potential new career take an inventory of what you have to offer potential employers. What transferable skills are important?

Use your network to find out the possible needs employers are looking for in your new career. Now you have a list of what you have to offer and what the employers need. If there is a gap you may have some work to do.

3. Close the skills gap through added education and experience. College level courses can be taken. But not all education needs to be acquired in a classroom. Online learning is all around us. Self-study is another option. Perhaps a mentor can guide you in learning a desired skill. There may be workshops and seminars that you can attend.

You can add desired experience through your current employer. Volunteer to work with groups in other departments is one good choice. Working for an outside organization is another option.

4. The most important aspect of any plan to switch careers is to build a financial plan to assist and support your career change activity.

Switching careers may mean taking a lower paying position. It may be years until your income meets or exceeds your current compensation. Reduce your stress and make switching careers a more positive experience by getting your financial house in order. Reduce debt and other financial obligations. Defer making any substantial purchases.

Perhaps to close the financial gap you need to have another stream of income. A home based business or a part-time job might be the answer. Explore all your financial options, work through the issues and the career change will be much smoother.

Switching careers is not normally an overnight experience. With planning, some work and by taking a longer term view you chances of landing the desired job in the new career goes way up.

John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about switching careers, job hunting 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.

Career transition – tips for managing change of career!

Make the change with these helpful tips!

Have you ever thought, in the midst of career, why not more are excited to get up and go to work each morning? It could mean that it has not given much thought before you starting to work in your current career? If the answer to the last question is "Yes", what can be done to quit a job do not love?

If you are cursing your task now may be time to make a change. Really, it's never too late to make a career change decision. Short of seeking help from a coach career there are some steps you can take to make a career transition.

Firstly, I do not think of your career as defined by your job title. This one-dimensional approach will usually not productive in analyzing your method of sourcing your career direction. Your current career is really composed of two factors: one is defined by job duties, skills you bring to work, your knowledge base and its overall capacity. Secondly to analyze is the career field, what industry you work?

Since you have decided that you need to make a career change, it is important to realize how do editing another career. It is essential that you know which part of your current job do not want. Answer the question: is the industry that is the problem, or just the work, or is it both?

Now here is where many go wrong. Change their career and the industry. A better option is to change careers to continue to work in the same field. You could change the industry, but with the same job.

For example, you build teams and managing people, but at the retail level, with its seasonal fluctuations and sometimes weekly hours available. So try a more stable situation, where your team building and management skills can be used. You will find a comparable position with great insurance claim processing centre.

Or you work in an administrative position in a large medical centre. You will find the lack of a degree in medicine, it comes back later in your career. However, enjoy the medical field, then look for a position with an organization more personable smaller that sells or consults with the largest medical centers.

Once you've roughed out a new career direction, the next step is the search options. If you find that more training is needed, perhaps evening classes at a local college could close the gap. Many times this can be accomplished with a concentrated course of self-learning. Don't forget the option valuable to interview a number of people who currently work in the career you want. Answers to your questions prepared will lead you further studio production. All designed to produce a resume that will get you noticed and a job in the new career, new industry or both.

The most difficult step of any career transition is the correct analysis that will give you the desired direction. Recognize that you may have to take a pay cut, or make a career transition through a series of employers. However, detailed planning and some hard work that you will find the right job where it will be a joy to go to work every morning.

John Groth is a former Executive coach and career HR. Find Ideas of career transition, valuable articles and a free seven-day career planning guide. Discover up-to-date career strategies and recruitment to our Job Search Guide all to assist you in advancing and manage your career.

Careers After 50 - Valuable Tips to Manage Your Career Now!

Four valuable tips to manage your career now to make you more valuable to your current employer, prepare you for another job or build you career foundation for a planned career change.

Careers after 50: it's never too late to maximize your career opportunities. With cutbacks all around us, outsourcing and tight budgets, even layoffs, it's vital you get the most out of your job and maximize your career while you're still employed.

Take a close look at your current benefits. Are you maxing out your 401k? If not, get it done. How about the medical plan? If you have elective surgery planned, now is the time to get the knee fixed. Have a dental plan? Get to the dentist. Have tuition reimbursement? Build up your career related skills. Is there a valuable seminar or workshop you should be attending? Get it on your schedule.

Beyond the company benefits the real advantages to your career are not found in the employer benefit programs. By building on your training and experience you can better manage your career by acquire new training and skills that will add to your abilities in your current career and could qualify you to additional career opportunities.

Here are four tips to improve your current value to your company and boost your worth for an internal promotion or add to your attractiveness by managing your career and if you are in the market for a different position or a career change after 50.

Build Your Achievement File: Go back over your time with your current employer and list all your responsibilities and achievements. Quantify every accomplishment. List any promotions and how your achievements led to the move up the ladder.

List the time, content and what you learned in all training completed. It can be an in house training on a new system or software program up to a credit course at a local college to distance learning on the internet.

Here's where many career builders drop the ball. Keep a record of all thank-you comments both internal and external, handwritten complimentary notes from the CEO or your boss on a project or exceptional action that you did, positive notes from employees and other department heads all should be in your "atta-boy" file.

This means you can look back over your career development and management and if necessary draft a current resume without missing something important.

Look For Chances to Grow and Shine: Look for ways to do things better. Initiate actions to solve a problem, reduce costs, improve customer service or increase sales. Volunteer to work on projects, improve your team work building skills to be the go to person when your boss needs something done.

Build your career skills in areas you may be weak, like public speaking. Maybe a toastmaster's membership will help. Don't miss an opportunity to represent your employer to outside groups and customers.

Add to Your Education: Career education is not restricted to formal education or something that only directly relates to your career. It could range from in-house training on functions outside of your career, systems and software, seminars and workshops, self-study and a career planning reading program.

In building your career; as you learn new skills and more about other functions of your employer you spotlight you teamwork skills and highlight your professional career development. All are valuable in maximizing your position within the company.

Network Building is an Under-Used Career Benefit: Building and managing your career skills that many do not take advantage of is working with your network of contacts. Working with coworkers in your career field, mentoring as appropriate, coaching, and learning are but a few of the advantages to you as you make use of your network contacts.

Your network should include friends and previous coworkers, college contacts and customers of your employer. Making and fostering new contacts should be an integral part of your career building program.

Also, don't overlook networking opportunities to work with individuals in other departments on company charities and other company related activities. It will just be added chances to assist others and build your network.

These four tips on building your current career will not only improve your position with your current employer but will develop other skills that could be valuable if you elect to change careers or need to move to another employer. Taking advantage of the opportunities all around you is just good for your personal development and good for managing your career.

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 and found better ways to achieve career management after 50, and found the right job.