Military Career Transition

The private sector is waiting...with all its challenges and opportunities. For your military career transition to go smoothly and achieve the results you have in mind, it's very important that you remember the following:

understand the important cultural difference between the two worlds
have a solid, detailed plan adapted to the specific issues and challenges of a military career transition, and
take care of yourself and your family and prepare them for a period of uncertainty, which may be stressful, as you move from one world to the other.

Begin with culture

There are private sector corporations that are managed with much of the same discipline and command-and-control mentality you are familiar with from your service career. This is especially true, of course, with defense contractors led by former military personnel and doing business with the various branches. But this is not true of most private sector companies, where the culture tends to be more collaborative and democratic, and where individuals are rewarded not so much for their ability to follow orders but to initiate and advocate for ideas on their own.

Recommendations: The two best ways to gain an accurate and up-to-date understanding of corporate culture in the civilian world is to talk with those on the inside and read up on organizational culture and leadership. Your personal networking--which we discuss briefly below and in much great detail elsewhere on this website--will give you ample opportunities to learn from those with an insider's perspective. Even better, try to arrange an informational interview with a fellow military retiree now working in business. His or her insights will be especially relevant and valuable. There are many excellent books and other resources you can use to further your understanding. Start with the big names; they're famous for a reason. Here are a few of our personal favorites. You can't go wrong with any of them.

On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis. This book is a great place to start. Bennis, who has studied and written about leadership probably more than anyone else alive today, is passionate about the need to develop leaders in all areas who are both competent and principled.
Drucker on Leadership: New Lessons from the Father of Modern Management, by Peter Drucker, the dean of business authors and the man who, literally, "wrote the book on Management"
Managing as a Performing Art: New Ideas for a World of Chaotic Change, by Peter Vaill, the man who coined the phrase "permanent whitewater" to describe current business (and political, social and economic) conditions. Very inspiring reading.
The Power of Servant Leadership, by Robert Greenleaf. This business classic won't appeal to everyone for it links the activities and responsibilities of leadership to core religious values. But all readers embarking on a military career transition will see in Greenleaf's book a model that may turn many of their expectations about the corporate world upside down.

Another great resource is the Harvard Business Review, which has been publishing ground-breaking articles on leadership and organizational culture for decades. For another perspective on these issues from a hip, contemporary perspective, check out FastCompany.

Have a Solid Plan

Even in civilian life, people have difficulty preparing themselves for a career transition. They're not likely to know where they're going to end up. Even if they do, they probably won't know how to manage the process properly (yes, there is a "proper" way to do this).

A military career transition is even more complex. Expecting to step straight out from the military and into a civilian job is likely to lead to disappointment if not disaster unless you have your plan in place. Begin early. Work with career advisors within the military at least a year before your discharge. Go to job fairs and meet with recruiters and human resource professionals. In this way, you begin to lay the ground work for moving forward once you are out.

The good news is that military career transition follows the same general outline as any career change process. (For an overview read our "Getting Started" page here.) For those making a military career transition, however, some aspects of the process require more attention. These areas include:

personal assessment
communication
professional networking
self-marketing

Personal Assessment

The culture of our military institutions is very powerful. Those who wish to succeed adapt themselves to that culture and, in the process, develop aspects of their personalities to conform with the expectations of their superiors and to improve their own effectiveness and performance.

A military career transition provides you with the opportunity to take a step backward and gain perspective. Are those qualities on which you built your military career necessarily the ones you want to base the next stage of your working life? Are there important parts of yourself that you've been neglecting?


The answer to these and similar questions depends entirely on your own, unique situation. Some individuals will very happily and successfully continue to build on the same personal assets that shaped their service careers; others will sense that it's time for a change. In either case, whether it validates your current direction or signals the need for change, it's important to devote ample time to personal assessment as you begin your military career transition process.

Communication

Cultures are defined by their communication style, and while stereotyping is never a good idea, it's probably safe to say that between the armed services and most business organizations there are big differences in the way people talk to each other.

Today's organizations are increasingly collaborative. This means that companies--good ones anyway--encourage discussion, even disagreement, as the one sure antidote for "group-think" and mediocrity. A business manager rarely gets away with issuing orders and having them carried out without at least some push-back. Very often promotion through the ranks depends on an individual's ability to manage this creative tension to produce better-than-expected results.

This is not to say that businesses are democracies; they aren't and can't be. But they can be highly participatory and this may cause some difficulty for those moving out of a military environment. Recommendations: Begin with the suggestions made above: both informational interviewing to learn about culture and communication differences, and the books we've listed. You can't talk about leadership without thinking carefully about communication, so the titles we've listed will be helpful here too.

Professional Networking

You can get a job by answering a want ad in the newspaper (assuming, of course, you can still find a newspaper). But finding a really good career opportunity almost always comes though personal connections. There really is no equivalent in the private sector to the institutionalized ranking and promotion systems found in both the military and in government, and whatever systems are in place are very often bypassed by less formal social connections.

It's who you know that matters.

As you set out on your military career transition, think tactically when you plan your professional networking campaign. Use those results and goal oriented skills you spent your service career perfecting. Set precise objectives for how many new connections you wish to make within a given time frame, then break the work down into weekly and daily goals.

Remember that, like sales, networking is a numbers game. Keep score: if 10 new connections yields one promising lead, than you know what a 100 new connections will do for you.

Self Marketing

This is another area that is likely to be unfamiliar to those embarking on a military career transition. It begins with a basic paradigm shift. Think of yourself as a company and think of what you have to offer as your "product." Now, really work through the implications. What do companies do to company "mind space" in the public's awareness? How do they clarify the unique value of their products or services? What does this tell you about what you need to do to compete effectively and succeed?

Recommendation: This is a growing area, and the Internet is full of information from Self-Marketing experts. You can begin on our own Personal Branding page, and follow the links to additional resources such as Business Attire, Business Clothes Shopping, and Dressing for Success.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Family

If you have a family, then the goal of your military career transition is more than just a job. It's a promising future for you and your loved ones; so, you want to be careful to protect those relationships along the way.

Returning home and re-adjusting to the responsibilities and routines of family life adds additional complicating factors to an already complicated and, perhaps, confusing transition. Plan for it. Remember they are coping with uncertainty and anxiety too. If you find you're having trouble balancing the demands of the job search with your family relationships, by all means, seek help from a qualified counselor.

In the meantime, here are a few things it will help to keep in mind.

Keep communication open to work through the household's stress will help you keep a clear mind when you are interviewing or talking to corporate recruiters.
Be charitable with yourself and patient with those around you. All change is difficult, and no one goes through it without a few graceless moments.
Keep your goals front and center. Remind yourself and them what this is all about and the rewards a successful transition will bring.
Update family members on your progress and help them see that you are following a logical and sequential process, with milestones that show you're moving ahead.
Share the "wins" even the small ones. If you experience setbacks, you can share those too unless, of course, you are really having trouble. In that case, seek professional help.
Be willing to accept a job on your way to a career. Being able to pursue your career search is wonderful, but it may be a luxury you can't afford. If so, find an ordinary job that will help you pay the bills and relieve the stress. This keeps your mind free to focus on your more important goals.

Conclusion

Many of the challenges faced by men and women moving through a military career transition into the private sector stem from a lack of exposure to the civilian career environment. Just remember, anything that is familiar to you was once unknown.

Give yourself time to change and permission to stumble a bit along the way. Just don't forget, if you've spent time in uniform, you've been through harder times than these. Trust that soon you'll be squarely on your feet.

My name is John Lord. I work with Muller O'Brien, LLC, a private career coaching and counseling service based in the Washington D.C area. Muller O'Brien's team of HR professionals has worked with thousands of transitioning service men and women and are specialists in providing real-world, practical advice from a business/corporate (a.k.a. "hiring employer") point of view.

Our website, http://www.careersearchamerica.com, has fifty pages of free and useful information developed especially for those transitioning from the military.

Career Assessments and Coaches - A Powerful Combination For a Midlife Career Transition

Assessment is essential. Gathering solid, dependable data about your midlife career client is the most efficient road to career coaching success. Midlife is said to commence when one ceases to measure one's life in terms of time that has elapsed since birth, and gradually switches to a more interior evaluation of how much time is left. This gigantic shift generally occurs somewhere in one's 40s (the actual advent of midlife is naturally influenced by many factors). Midlife can send psychological 'shock waves' through the client; some clients enter what we blithely call 'mid-career crisis' a frightening period of uncertainty.

Midlife is said to end when one commences retirement (although this maker is also open to contest as well). In any event, midlife opens with a flush of self-life confusion, evidenced by an avalanche of the "big" questions of life: "Where am I going?" How have I done so far in my life?" "Is my life on track?" "Is this what I genuinely want from life?" "Am I in an authentic career for me?" These, and other questions swirl in an almost unending vortex in the hearts and minds of the midlife career seeker.

The midlife career client presents to the career coach carrying all this internal confusion that screams for clarification and reason, direction and priority, as well as organization and the need to "make meaning" of it all. What's a good career coach to do?

The Need for Good Career Assessment

There exists compelling evidence that assessments produce better insights, better decisions, and better outcomes for both career clients and career coaches. Everyday, we career coaches help our clients make life-changing decisions; decisions that we hope will lead to positive outcomes. Quality assessments can immeasurably help support our coaching evaluations and shape the direction of our coaching efforts. The overall benefits of career assessments are no more compelling than in coaching the midlife career client.

Quality assessments, ones that are valid, reliable, cost effective, efficient of time, and where training in their use is readily available, are indispensable for the midlife career client. Assessments have immense benefits because they can produce dramatic results.

Benefits of Assessment

o Allows clients to understand themselves better

o Promotes a more 'scientific' coaching orientation

o Lends clarity to confusion

o Provides hard data evidence

o Enhances deeper self-exploration

o Promotes quality outcomes

o Offers data to help make accurate and more reliable decisions

o Identifies personal strengths

o Enhances client motivation

o Activates time efficiency

o Jumpstarts changing client deficit behaviors

o Gives structure and order without stricture

o Increases coach confidence

Career Assessment: Development Across the Lifespan

The primary goal of career assessments is not to discover deficits, rather it's to identify internal strengths, to deepen the conversation between you and your client, and to help you formulate more powerful questions that can not only motivate your clients but even inspire them. Career assessments motivate your clients in the most personal, practical, and relevant ways possible, to advance their ongoing career/life search across the lifespan.

Quality career assessments have helped literally thousands of individuals grow toward a much clearer understanding of the meaning and purpose of their life. The results give you clear directions for continued growth toward appreciating your client's authentic 'work.' Quality assessments give you added relevance to your coaching profession when they are coupled with educational experiences designed to further personalize and extend the learning that occurred with the assessment itself.

The results of quality assessments give you the coach invaluable information about your client; information you could gain nowhere else. Quality assessments generate a personal report that allows you to dramatically advance on your path toward helping your midlife career clients in ways unavailable to you without them. The information given in assessments enables you to move forward in your work with vastly increased confidence and motivation.

Dr. Johnson is the co-founder of ReCareer, Inc., a coach training organization dedicated to helping midlife career changers find meaningful and purpose-driven careers in the second half of life. He is a nationally recognized spokesperson in the field of retirement, career transition and adult development, having written and lectured extensively in those fields. His fresh ideas and enthusiasm for the wholistic aspects of adult development and maturation have inspired scores of maturing adults to follow their hearts and live more abundant lives. He is a dynamic, engaging, and compassionate teacher who delights in seeing his students grow in body, mind, and spirit. Dr. Johnson is the former president of the American Association for Adult Development and Aging. He is the creator of the ReCareer Success Inventory©, the Retirement Success Profile©, the LifeOptions Profile ©, and the Retirement Options © program, developed from over 20 years of retirement research and dedicated to helping people lead enriched and fulfilling lives in their second half of life.

How to Transition From Your Day Job Into a Successful Music Career

Do you want to be a professional musician, but don't know where and how to start? Do you really want a successful career in music, but your fear of failure is holding you back? Are you unsure about what to do if your plan doesn't work?

Most aspiring musicians receive a lot of advice from friends and family about the best approach to take with building their music career. Among the many things suggested, is the idea of having a backup plan. Many people give advice about "the need to have something to fall back on in case the music career doesn't work out" or "a Plan B". Typically, musicians are encouraged to go to school and get a degree in something they can easily find a job in, and do music on the side, in their "free time".

If/when you reach the point where your music career begins to develop, you are probably advised to work less in your day job and focus more on the music until you can leave the day job and make the music career work for you. This advice sounds good in theory, but in reality fails to work as intended in almost every case. Why? Usually the job that most musicians get to support themselves until their music career kicks off, has nothing to do with music in general, or their music career specifically. As a result, most end up in a very frustrating situation that makes it virtually impossible to achieve any kind of lasting success as a professional musician.

4 Reasons why this kind of "backup plan" is usually doomed to fail

Reason #1: Not having an effective exit strategy

The idea of slowly phasing out your day job while building your music career is good, but in order to work, it needs to be done in the right way. Most musicians have nothing planned or prepared that will allow them to gradually decrease the time spent at their day job and focus more on music. When choosing a "backup plan", musicians typically find a job that is the most "safe and secure" and the one that pays the most money. However, most people fail to plan the "exit strategy" and think ahead to the time when their music career situation will allow you to focus less of your time on the day job. When they finally reach that point, they realize that they are trapped in their day job and are unable to "gradually" phase it out. They are faced with the choice of either quitting the job entirely, or sticking to it until retirement (more on this shortly).

The best exit plan is to have a job that will allow you to gradually decrease the number of hours you spend on it: from 40 hours per week to 30, from 30 hours to 20, from 20 to 10, until eventually you can quit the job altogether! So you must take care to select an occupation that allows a lot of flexibility in work schedule. That means you need to be careful to select an occupation that allows a lot of flexibility in work schedule. This way, when the time is right, you can make a "gradual" transition into a full time music career. Unfortunately, most traditional occupations (such as being an accountant, computer programmer, office manager etc...) do not allow this flexibility. Remember, your boss at work will not all of a sudden allow you to "work 3-4 days per week instead of 5", simply because you want to work on your new CD an extra few days per week. It is possible to begin by working in a non-music related job at first, BUT do not select "any" job offer without considering the exit strategy first.

An ideal job for an aspiring professional musician is teaching guitar. Not only can you make very good money doing it, but you are in complete control over how many hours you choose to work. Not everyone may desire to teach full time for the rest of their life (and this is fine). But as long as you are going to be working anyway, why not do something that is already related to what you enjoy, help students reach their goals faster and make money in the process? In addition, teaching is already a "music related" activity that is probably much more fun to do than sitting in an office!

Another possibility is to work as an independent contractor in sales or marketing or doing consulting work for hire. Always check about the flexibility of work schedule before accepting a job offer. Remember that in most industries, the 40-60 hour work week is the norm, with little or no possibility for part time employment. This makes it impossible to make a smooth transition to a full time music career.

Reason #2: There is too much risk involved

Slowly phasing out your day job seems to be a very 'safe and secure' approach, but it can actually backfire and "trap" you by its sense of security. If you are making $60,000 per year at your day job, and have managed (through working nights and weekends) to build up your music related income to $25,000 per year, then, all together, you have a total income of $85,000 for the year. Here is where the reality catches up to you. Should you decide to go full time into music, you will invariably need to quit your day job completely at some point. Until you can recover and build your music career to higher and higher levels, you will be making $60,000 less per year than before! This kind of risk is uncomfortable to think about for most people (especially those who get married, have kids and/or have significant expenses), and keeps them trapped at their day jobs their whole lives.

Reason #3: You are often not able to take advantage of opportunities.

What if you put extraordinary effort on nights and weekends into recording a great sounding CD with your band, spend a lot of time promoting it in hopes of getting signed by a record company and go on tour, and then you really get the opportunity to do a 10 week tour in another country in the world. It is VERY probable that you would NOT get paid a lot of money while on a first tour, but as a whole, this kind of tour is exactly the kind of breakthrough you have been searching for. What are you going to do? Are you going to turn down a huge opportunity to advance your music career? Or are you going to agree to take a huge cut in pay by quitting your day job to do the tour? I think you can agree that neither of these options sounds entirely appealing. Wouldn't it be great to do the tour and not worry about how you are going to feed yourself (and your family) while you are gone?

Reason #4: There is not much quality time and energy to get anything done.

This may seem like a more subtle issue, but it is actually very important. If your most productive hours in the day are spent on the least productive activities, then reaching your goals will take MUCH longer than it needs to. Think about it: if you wake up at 6:00, get to work by 8:00 or 9:00 and spend 8-10 hours there, and another 1-2 hours commuting back home, by the time you are ready to begin working on your music career, you are already tired! This is also not taking into account the time taken up by other things in life that you have to tend to. It will take a truly extraordinary effort to get anything worthwhile accomplished during the time on nights and weekends, to build multiple streams of music related income that will enable you to quit your non-music related job without putting yourself and your family in financial struggle.

Now that you see why this kind of backup plan isn't as good as it seems to be, you may ask yourself what you should do instead.

What is the solution?

Well, having no backup plan is definitely NOT the solution. In order to build a successful music career, you need to be prepared and you cannot simply hope that "things will work out". The underlying problem with the conventional backup plan I described is that it originates from thinking about how not "to lose". This type of thinking lacks real ambition and it forces you to stick to that which is the most familiar and so called "safe and secure". As a result, you typically end up with what you wish for: a familiar, average, safe and secure life. However, this attitude rarely leads to significant achievements, breakthroughs and victories in the music industry.

What the most successful musicians do is arrange their backup plan or Plan B around their MUSIC CAREER GOALS (Plan A). This requires real ambition and courage, and it is based on thinking about how "to win". This also requires you to think how you can integrate Plan B with your present and future life as a professional musician.

There are many possibilities for truly effective "back up" (which are more like "support") plans. In many cases, they involve designing systems and multiple income streams coming from music business sources that will support them continuously.

It's important to put a lot of thought into which kinds of "backup plans" and approaches are best suited to your specific goals. To find the right plan for you, there are two important things you need to do:

First, study how the music business works (this is key!). Understanding it will greatly help you with designing the most effective strategy for reaching your goals in the fastest period of time. Building a successful, long term career takes a lot of focused effort and dedication. The more you understand about the music business, the easier it will be to design the kind of backup plan that will help you reach your goals instead of restricting and trapping you.

Second, be careful about taking advice from people who may have great intentions, but lack knowledge and experience about how the music industry works. Very often, our friends and family, with the very best intentions at heart, attempt to give us advice on what to do to "make it". However, if you pay attention, you will notice that this advice has a common theme, which is "here is what you must do in order not to lose". Very rarely do you get advice about how "to win"! This mentality (as described above) keeps you away from taking steps that will propel your dreams forward.

To make matters worse, although your friends and family may have the best intentions in their heart, most of the time, they simply aren't qualified to give advice about the music business. It will be similar to you asking your brother who is a plumber (for example) about how to cure a disease, or asking your uncle who is a carpenter (for example) about how to solve a legal problem. It doesn't matter that these people have your best interest at heart. If they don't know what they are talking about (in a particular subject), they are not likely to give helpful advice.

If you truly want advice that works and if you want to learn the strategies of how to reach all of your music career goals, you need to find a mentor who you can rely on for effective advice. This means learning from someone who has already done what you want to do, and ideally someone who has trained many others to do the same.

The most effective, predictable and safe strategies to "phasing in" your music career

Now that you know about the problems with the conventional approaches to backup plans, I will show you the characteristics of a good backup plan (Plan B).

1. Flexibility

Your plan must be flexible. This can mean many things. One of them is having the ability to "gradually" decrease the amount of time you spend working on Plan B and increase the time you invest into Plan A! This can also mean the ability to integrate (leverage) the skills acquired (or the results earned) from Plan B into Plan A.

2. Passivity

Your plan should be mostly passive: it will really help if your Plan B mostly consists of passive income streams that you have created by only investing the work once! It should be pretty obvious to see how this will free up a lot of time to dedicate to your Plan A! (your music career)

3. Diversity

The plan should be diversified: do not become so dependent on only one stream of income! Many people argue that a music career is not secure, when nothing could be further from the truth. Which do you think is more likely, that a company lays off an employee in the blink of an eye (cutting off his one and only source of income, the paycheck), or that a music teacher with 40 students (who essentially has at least 40 "diversified" income streams) will suddenly lose all of his clients overnight?

By making your Plan B options diversified, you also build your own financial security, without depending on anyone else. I don't know about you, but I feel much safer knowing that I am in control of my own future, rather than putting my faith into someone else's idea of security.

4. Congruency and Relevance

This means that Plan B needs to make your primary goal (music career) MORE likely to occur! This also means (ideally), that the time you invest into developing skills and experience in Plan B can be easily used to enhance Plan A. For example, if you are known as an excellent guitar teacher, you can easily integrate teaching clinics and workshops with performances of your music, selling your future music CDs, other merchandise etc...etc...

I hope that you can see now how this strategy is vastly different (and superior) to the conventional wisdom of getting a day job, and then doing your best on evenings and weekends to launch a music career from scratch.

As you design your own path to a successful music career, compare the steps you are taking against the criteria above and modify your strategy if necessary. This will help save you from the frustration felt by most of the 'wannabe' musicians, who realize (much too late) that their strategy leaves them no way to manifest their dreams.

If you haven't done so yet, I encourage you to test the effectiveness of your music career back up plan.
Learn more about how to build a Music Career. Visit tomhess.net to get 15 free music career tips. Tom Hess is a professional touring guitarist and recording artist. He teaches, trains and mentors musicians from around the world.

Best Way To Change Careers - Use a Career Development Transition Model

Nowadays, career transition companies offer people who are thinking of a career change different programs and methods and are applicable for all ages of individuals. According to your needs, the career development company will provide a variety of adult career development models. These companies cater to the needs of middle-aged professionals, young adults and executives who are all contemplating a professional career.

Very often, people find that the career they have chosen is not right for them. They realize that they are better suited for something else. They start growing stressed and weary about their work. They do not feel any job satisfaction. And all this leads to them bringing home work stress and taking it out on their family and friends.

If all this sounds familiar to you, it is time you seek expert advice. You can win this battle by settling for an adult career development transition model. It is not so easy to change careers. You can easily think that you'd like to be a photographer and start searching for jobs of that description. But when it is time to send your resume or attend an interview, you do not get the desired response and you do not know what education or skills you need in order to pursue photography.

There are many different ways of approaching career transition. First, analyze the stages of development you are going through. A career search does not involve finding a desired work alone. Your occupational career and your life career should fit together.

One career development model says that there are four factors based on which a person is ready to change careers. These are support, situation, strategies and her/his self. Of them, the first factor is self. How ready are you to make changes and seek a different career? It is always difficult to face change and so help from a suitable transition expert can be very beneficial. Your situation is the second factor. Suppose you need to start off on a rank that is lower, will you be willing to makea change like that? Can your routines hinder you from making this change happen? Is there some reason you cant make this change easily? Support comes next. Does anyone among your family and friends object to you changing your career or are they in compliance? The last factor is the strategies. These include the actions and plans that you make for making this change happen.

The internet has a number of career development transition model available which can offer you many approaches. You can find a company or a coach in career transition and seek their help to develop and head into the correct adult career development transition model. Be sure to check the net for experts in your local area.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Transition - What It Really Means

There are a number of fine reasons to go in for a career transition. At times, family obligations undergo a change, on other occasions skills become obsolete or an employee finds his present work really boring. For a career transition, you need to take decisions that will have a bearing on your way of life as well as on your family and friends.

A career transition, which involves moving from a standard desk job, where the employee does not carry out any physical labor, to an outdoor job will require a health check-up. The employee should take into account his abilities prior to opting for a career transition. This could indicate working out in the gym, or focusing on getting into shape before appearing in front of a potential employer.

In case there are primary health grounds for not undertaking to lift heavy objects, handling demanding physical activity or for spending extended hours standing up, the employee might search somewhere else for a job and a career transition.

Alternatively, a career transition from hard outdoor labor to a cozy office job could be a wonderful way to gradually deal with health-related issues as an employee grows old or his condition deteriorates. If an employee has to contend with sore muscles and fatiguing conditions of work outdoors, then the decision to go for a career transition should be taken into account. At this point, courses that have to do with administration skills and computer skills could be worthwhile.

Opt for a career transition based on your requirements, but prior to sending in your resume and cover letter, make certain that all the essential skills and qualities for this new employment opportunity have been attended to. When deciding which career would be best in case of a career transition, the employee has to assess his likings and aversions, his skill levels and his interests. In case of a disability, a career transition is necessary; when choosing an alternative career, this employee has to carefully weigh the pros and cons in order to find the perfect job for himself.

Before making a career transition, take into account the age, aptitude, interest and the possibility of advancement and job fulfillment. The ordeal involved when an employee considers a career transition can have an impact on his family and friends. Not able to stay in touch colleagues can lead to stress. Putting in unusual hours of work, longer commute times, relocating, or traveling for extended periods can severely disrupt family life. Spouses, partners and children should be sounded out before an employee settles on a career transition.

An employee decides on a career transition in order to lead a better life. He can achieve this by locating a new work place that trains him in the latest skills, draws on the old skills and abilities, and which is conducive to his health and way of life. Before going in for any major career transition, he should consider the negative aspects and make certain his family benefits in the long term.

Now there are numerous ways by which an employee can enhance his lifestyle by way of a career transition. All that is required is for him to search out a fresh career and look for employment in his new preferred area.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Singles and Career Transition - Advice From Those Who Did it and Persevered

As a career coach who helps people navigate their career transition with ease, I tend to hear one point of view more than any other -- that it's hard to make a change when you don't have a partner to support you financially and otherwise. For this reason, I thought it would be worth seeking genuine feedback from real people who made it happen for their careers without a partner to support them.

Below you'll find some very insightful answers to some questions I posed on singles in career transition. I hope they offer hope and inspiration to single people like you, who feel ready to leap out of their comfort zone and embark on an exciting new career path, but may need a final few words of encouragement!

What advice can you share for singles who are stepping out of their comfort zone and pursuing a career that truly makes them happy?

" When you are single you can take greater risks than if you have a spouse and kids depending on you. For that reason alone it is easier to make the big career moves as a single person rather than a married one."

- Sheilah Etheridge, Owner, SME Management: Management and Accounting Consultant

Anchorage, Alaska

Tips from Hallie: There are pros and cons to being partnered during career transition and to being single. Your job is to capitalize on the positive aspects of your situation. Don't let being single hold you back. There's no reason it should. Sheilah is right on, as a single person you can choose where you want to go and what you want to do - and you can do it right now. Being single offers an enormous amount of freedom to take bigger risks like changing your location, or completely changing your career path.

"Follow your dreams, literally. What do you day dream about doing? What comes to you while driving or out on a walk in nature? What do you wake up thinking about doing? What comes in when the rational mind is turned OFF is the dream that could be your reality. Follow it with a gang of people you Love. After all... life is Love, and you are never solo."

- Viveca Stone-Berry, Author of The Fatigue Be Gone! Jumpstart e-Guide; Founder, The Get Ready For Love! Show - GetReadyForLove.com

Tips from Hallie: One of the things single people feel will make their career transition harder is the fact that they're alone. Viveca reminds us that this doesn't have to be true. You have a support network all around you of friends, family, fellow career seekers and career coaches like me. The key is to tap into that network and ask them to help you during your career transition. Identify what you need the most help with whether it's staying motivated, managing your time while you search for a job after hours, or networking in the field you're interested in pursuing. Then ask for what you need. Request their support and help, don't be shy. Friends and family will be happy to support you in pursuing your passion.

"If you're a single career woman, I'd say now's the time to take the risks. When you are single, *you* call the shots on your own life. At the end of the day, it's all about choices and what sacrifices you are choosing to make. This may include forgoing one career for another, or reshuffling things so that you can have BOTH careers, or that old chestnut: deciding that your work is more important than getting married and having kids and the white picket fence."

- Regina Yau, Associate Director at RUSS Consulting

Tips from Hallie: There really is no perfect time to make a career transition. You need to decide when it's the right time for you to make the move. You can always come up with reasons not to so I encourage you to set those aside and take the plunge. This doesn't mean be irrational about it, but don't let your fears stand in your way. As a single person, you are the only one calling the shots so in some ways making the change can be easier when you're single. As Regina says, it's all about choices and what sacrifices you are willing to make. There may be sacrifices, but I promise they are worth it. I always say: small sacrifices, big rewards.

The Final Word on Singles in Career Change...

Bottom line, there is no absolutely perfect time to make a career change. Both situations (single or not) have their pros and cons. It is what it is and you have capitalize on the pros and learn to manage the cons. What you need to do as a career seeker is make the best of the situation you have, create a plan and be smart about the change - but also take a leap of faith. There's always a risk in career change, you just have to minimize those risks and seek out the support needed to keep you motivated. With patience and experience, you will learn to overcome the obstacles in your way.

Want more tips for your career transition? Then grab your copy of Flying Solo by Career Coach Hallie Crawford. Copies go on sale January 2008 - visit http://www.halliecrawford.com/flyingsolo.html for more information and to reserve your advance copy today.

Career Transition Tips for Singles - Four Perks to Being Single and on a Career Search

If you're unhappy in your job and also single, you may not think this is the best time to begin a career search or career transition. Maybe you've told yourself, "This isn't a good time because it's just me. There's no one to lean on and offer support, financially or otherwise."

I want you to know that this is not true. In many ways, there is no better time to work on your career than when you're single.

I'm a certified career coach and I work with people like you who are in career transition and in need of guidance and support. There's a special place in my heart for single career seekers. It wasn't so long ago that I was single myself and experiencing the same exact fears and feelings as you are.

Even though it may not always seem this way, there is an enormous amount of help and support out there for singles wanting to make a career change. It's a great time to learn, grow, and explore your many talents and personality traits. Here are 4 reasons why it rocks to be single and on the prowl for a fab new career!

1. You have more time to focus solely on your career search.

Being in a relationship requires time and commitment. You want to spend quality time with your partner. When you're single, you have more time and energy to focus on your career search. And let's be honest, more freedom to make any choice you want to in terms of the location or type of job you choose.

Partnered career seekers have more to consider when making a career change. So see your single status as a blessing because it is in many ways. You're free, you're available, and you've got all the time you need to discover the job of your dreams.

2. Career transition can teach you how to better manage your finances.

Sometimes when we make a change in our careers, our pocketbooks can feel the pinch. Maybe you've quit your "real job" in favor of a part-time position that can tide you over while you go back to school. Maybe you had to step down to an entry level position once you switched to a new industry where you had less experience.

The good news is, the money crunch is only temporary while you're in career transition. You can work through it, and still manage to splurge on something you'd really enjoy every now and then. What's more, being in career transition really teaches people how to be smart about money. It can help you identify and clarify your priorities in order to manage your money wisely.

3. You'll learn a lot about yourself.

Career transition is one of those experiences where you can't help but learn a lot about yourself. By engaging in a transition you are committing to stepping out of your comfort zone to make a change. You will learn what's important to you, what obstacles hold you back and the enormous strength you have to go through this major change. Everybody proceeds on the path to self awareness at their own pace. If you feel like people are putting pressure on you to make a decision or get everything right, remember this. It's your life. Only you will know when the right time is to start that new job, move to a new location or whatever you want to do.

4. Career networking is a great way to get out there and meet new people.

Networking in order to land that new job is about putting your most professional foot forward. But you never know, you may also meet some new friends in the process and expand your social circle. I'm not suggesting career networking is a way to meet a prospective partner, far from it. But networking is a great way to put yourself out there and overcome any fears you may have about meeting new people.

The great thing about career transition is that during the exploratory phase, you'll become acquainted with parts of your personality that you may never even have known existed before. It's a sure fire way to get closer to finding out what really will make you happy in life.

Want more tips for your career transition? Then grab your copy of Career Transition Tips for Singles Flying Solo by Career Coach Hallie Crawford. Copies go on sale January 2008 - visit http://www.halliecrawford.com/flyingsolo.html for more information and to reserve your advance copy today.

How to navigate a successful career transition

I am often asked by my career coaching clients how to best navigate a successful career transition. In other words, how can you pursue your dream job while remaining practical and fulfilling your everyday needs and responsibilities? My job as a certified career counselor is to assure you that, like many others I've already assisted, I can put your fears aside as you journey down the path to greater career satisfaction.

Realize it's in process.

When it's time to make a change, people get antsy and sometimes understandably anxious. Change is scary for us. The fear of the unknown can leave us stuck in fear or anxiety. Know that this is okay, and that the discomfort you're experiencing is actually a good sign, because it means you are making a change and starting to step outside your comfort zone towards a more fulfilling career path.

Amidst the anxiety, there is typically also a sense of excitement. You're ready to make the change so let's get to it! Embrace that motivation, tap into it to keep you moving forward, AND realize that this is a process that can take some time. Be willing to be patient with it, and with yourself. The more patient you are, the more opportunities and ideas can flow to you and the more open you will be to them. So when that impatience about wanting to move forward more quickly rears its ugly head ... use it as a motivator, not a force that will push you into a decision more quickly than you are comfortable with just because you want it to be over.

Develop a transition plan.

Of course you'd create a transition plan to help you move through other changes in your life ... right? Makes practical sense. Yet sometimes we get so excited and caught up in the moment that we tell ourselves we're going to outline a step-by-step process and then quickly forget about it as we're so busy reacting to whatever is happening around us.

Before you can move past the point of vague possibilities and enter the "throes of a serious career change, you MUST develop a plan so you are covered in the financial, mental, and emotional aspects of your life and your future. The basics of your career transition plan should look something like this:

1. Financial. Taking care of your bills, yourself and your family, and any other obligations. Making cutbacks where necessary; starting a savings plan that's devoted entirely to your new professional endeavor. These are just a few of the many ways to keep your finances in order while you restructure your life.

2. Mental. Coming up with ways you can keep those negative voices at bay. Developing a plan for learning the skills you may need in your new career. Rewarding yourself for milestones achieved along the way. This is a time for encouragement, confidence, and a can-do attitude, and it helps to "feed your hungry mind" what it needs to help you grow spiritually, intellectually and professionally.

3. Emotional. Identify ways to overcome the fears you may have. You'll need a cheerleader to help you continue on and move past the potential obstacles in your way. Find or ask for emotional support from friends, family, or a career coach who can help steady your course as you make the transition into your career and life.

Set goals.

When the time comes to set goals ... make sure they are specific, tangible, measurable and include a time frame. Your goals should be realistic, and also to stretch so you're pushing yourself beyond what you'd normally do in order to move forward.

Take care of yourself.

Again, transition can be stressful, no matter what kind it is. Make sure you take care of yourself, especially during this time. Physical exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep and maintaining balance in your life are all things to consider and pay attention to when you're navigating an adjustment in your life. Make sure you also schedule time to have fun. Often we leave out that part of the equation ... and enjoying ourselves along the journey is the best part of all.

Remain or become financially stable.

Before I work with someone on changing career paths, I talk to them about their financial situation. It's hard to dream and plan for the future when you're heavily focused on or worried about paying the bills. While it's important to dream about your career possibilities, you need to be practical as well. What are your options for becoming financially stable? Perhaps you can stay in your current position and work on the next career step after hours, or find a part-time job that pays the bills and allows you greater freedom to pursue your passion. Another option is to begin to set aside savings that will allow you to cover six to twelve months of living expenses. Remember, this process can take time. It took me about three years from leaving my full-time position to creating a full-time coaching practice. I encourage you to start now!

Dream first.

While financial stability is the foundation of your future, you also need to do some dreaming here. Therefore, once you have a plan to meet your basic financial needs, it's time to take off your Practical Hat, put on your Glasses-Dreaming and dream big.

When I work with career clients, ask them to dream first and worry about the specific logistics of how they're going to make the change later on. What I find is that people tend to focus so much on the practical side of "how will I make this work" that they squash any creative idea or thought that may have merit-or may lead them to something they'd love to do. While practicality is important, it can also be limiting know notice when you're getting too caught up in the practical side and not doing enough brainstorming or dreaming. Ideas are expansive and can be "trimmed and shaped" later to fit into your personal scheme as needed. I know ... before you set a new career plan in motion, you've got to start with the dream and then brainstorm ways to make it a reality. So what is your dream?

Share your dream or plans with those who'll be supportive.

If there are people in your life who tend to be negative, point out why you shouldn't do something or can't, or something along these lines-wait a little while to tell them your dream. Sometimes holding back until you're really solid in your dream is the best way to go. Share it with people who are going to be positive and supportive ... who'll inspire and encourage you.

All the best for a rewarding and fulfilling career doing what you love!

Copyright 2006 Hallie Crawford. All rights reserved.

Discover the Essential Components to a Satisfying Career Today. Want free tips, tools and expert advice on finding a career you're passionate about? Visit Certified Career Coach Hallie Crawford at http://www.halliecrawford.com. Sign up for Hallie's monthly e-newsletter, Creating Your Own Path, right now: http://www.halliecrawford.com/newsletter.html

Rethink Your Career Transition

Are you going nowhere in your career? If you've decided it's time to change your career completely, here's a new way of changing!

Before you jump ship, think about what's been happening in your career. Have you been making little or no progress for some time? You may be in the throes of what George Leonard, author of Mastery, calls the "plateau". Leonard argues that we master something with a series of one intense upward growth spurt followed by a long period of nearly flat growth - a plateau. In this age of "what have you done for me lately", you may have just tired of being on the plateau. Before you chuck your old career, decide whether it no longer works for you or whether you've just tired of being on the plateau. If you've decided to change careers completely, read on!

So you've decided to jump, eh? Well, you've got two choices of how to do it. First is the traditional "think, plan, do" linear sequence we've all been taught by career counselors and well-meaning family members. If you're just changing jobs within a career field, this strategy should work fine for you. But it sucks for career changers and here's why! We get much of our identity from what we do; just ask anyone about himself or herself. What does she or he tell you first? I'm a ___________ (fill in the blank here - doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.) We get that identity by what we've done in our careers. In my experience hiring hundreds of folks for law firms, interviewers are skeptical of "career changers". Hiring is a costly and time-consuming process, and interviewers don't want to do it any more than necessary nor take unnecessary risks. You've got to convince them that hiring you makes sense, and to tell a convincing story requires that you've convinced yourself the change makes sense. It's hard to convince yourself you can do if you haven't done it.

So how do you present a prospective employer with a risk worth taking? Use the second option for career changing - an iterative process. Ok, you say, I'll bite. What's an iterative process?

Merriam Webster's dictionary describes it as a repetitive process that yields results successively closer to the desired result, which is clarified as a result of the process. So take heart, all those who want something different but don't know exactly what it is - the iterative process comes to your rescue.

So what does an iterative career shifting process look like? Herminia Ibarra describes a three-step strategy in her book, Working Identity, Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. First, create experiments. Stephen Covey once said we can't talk our way out of a situation we behaved our way into. Since our identities are defined by what we do, we need to pick some possible, alternative career identities and find activities that allow us to try these identities on for size. If they fit well, we can delve more deeply into them. If they fit poorly, we can put them back on the rack and try another.

Second, shift connections. Your working identity is also defined by your web of relationships in work and family life. Your current co-workers, bosses, family members, suppliers and customers all have vested interests in having you remain unchanged. Talk with any of them about a new career, and they'll steer you toward a slightly modified version of what you're doing now - not a career shift.

So, you'll need to meet new people in your experimental fields. Go on informational interviews. Write to authors in your new field and engage them in conversation. Investigate trade or professional associations in your new field, or talk with college professors who teach that subject. Use your imagination to find new people for your network. Since who you are is defined by the company you keep, you need to meet new people to guide and help you shape your career experiments successfully.

Third, revise your life story so it's compelling and coherent. Revising your life story involves revising your resume and story you'll tell during informational and job interviews. You need this revised story for two reasons. 1. To convince yourself during a time of turmoil and confusion that your career change makes sense; and 2. To convince a prospective employer that hiring you is worth the risk.

A good story is like a good movie. Good movies cause you to "suspend your disbelief". You care about the character, believe in him or her and relate to the struggle he or she is going through. You watch with bated breath as the protagonist struggles against obstacles that cause fundamental changes in character. You believe in the character as he or she reaches the point of no return and resolves his or her struggle, either successfully or unsuccessfully. You care and you believe in them.

How do you suspend your interviewer's disbelief? By making your story compelling and convincing. Demonstrate to your interviewer that your transformation is complete and sensible. Explain the internal reasons for your career change, for example, I changed to do something I'm really good at or that I really enjoy. Show how you've learned from what you've tried and how you used that learning to deepen your understanding of yourself. It's best to avoid external reasons (i.e. I was fired or laid off) to avoid the impression that you simply accept fate rather than actively shape it.

Cite as many reasons for your change as you can, and point out any explanations that have deeply rooted causes. Family or financial circumstances may have prevented you from realizing a goal from long ago. Persevering and overcoming obstacles are attractive qualities to employers.

Show continuity and causality - a natural series of unfolding events that make sense. Connect your past work life to your present situation and project it out into the future. Tell your story so that the obstacles you've overcome and what you've learned about your character inspire your prospective employer to believe in your motives, character and ability to reach your goals. Tell it so they can see you doing the same things for them!

No matter how you cut it, change is messy, and career change is no exception. Margaret Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers, in A Simpler Way, share that life uses messes to get to well-ordered solutions. But messes don't feel very good while you're in the midst of them!

That's where professional help comes in. A broad shoulder to lean on when you need it. A productive mind to help you brainstorm experiments and shift connections. A capable life story editor to help make your story compelling and convincing. If you know you need a change, but don't feel comfortable going it alone, contact a career coach!

Copyright 2005, Fruition Coaching. All rights reserved.

Rick Hanes is a life and career coach, writer, outdoorsman, gardener and tireless advocate for living life with purpose and passion. He founded Fruition Coaching in 2004 to lead the fight against leading lives of quiet desperation. Check his website at [http://www.fruitioncoaching.com] to contact him about rekindling the fire of your life!

How to Deal With Career Transition 'Stress'

Career transitions are stressful, especially if you have little

experience dealing with them and don't know how to leverage the

stress they present to your future career advantage. Whether

your employment loss was your choice or someone else's,

unavoidable feelings of anxiety and panic can prevail. If you

find yourself in a career transition, you need to understand

your own stress "profile" to minimize its potential negative

interference with your daily life and personal health.

Understand What "Stress" Is for You

Self awareness of your own stress symptoms is a critical first

step in dealing with a career transition. You need to know in

what form(s) your stress manifests itself in your life before

you can establish a means to address the circumstances.

Stress from life transitions can manifest themselves in a

variety of physical and mental ways. Stress from employment

loss can also present itself in both negative and positive

ways. Often in a career transition, minimizing negative stress

consequences is most challenging.

You, better than anyone else, know how negative stress surfaces

in your life and when it particularly affects you the most.

Physically you may experience irregularities in your breathing,

heart rate, appetite, muscles or digestive system. Mentally,

you may experience depression, lack of sleep, headaches,

irritability, feelings of being overwhelmed or unusual levels

of uncertainty due to self inflicted "damage" to your own self

image.

From a positive stress perspective, stress is really a direct

by-product of our body's adrenaline flow, our natural reaction

to "fight or flight" in dealing with life's extraordinary

challenges. For many people, when they are forced to

immediately deal with a stressful situation they get a great

energy boost, they CHOOSE to seek and accomplish things that

they have never done before. As exhibited in so many

extraordinary human events of record, stressful events can

bring out the best in us!

Define What Stress is Career Related

Because we are attempting to specifically deal with career

transition stress, it is important to differentiate symptoms

caused by this temporary situation from other typical stress

generators in your life, such as your: family, spouse, health,

finances and friends.

Although your unique reactions to these "other" life situations

many be similar to those of your career challenges, it takes a

focused effort to effectively define your specific stress

responses related to a career transition issues.

Attitude is Everything

How "stressed out" you think you are, or how physically and

mentally you influence yourself because of your career

circumstances, is not as important as how you REACT to your own

perceived stress contributors.

Like most things in life, your attitude is everything. How do

you use job loss stress to your advantage while protecting your

health and life from ill effects? Make an effort to try these

positive career transition stress tactics:

Three POSITIVE Career Transition Stress Tactics

1) Fortify Your Self Image:

For many people, their self image is significantly influenced by

their perception of their own career successes and failures. A

job loss can be a traumatic event, an opportunity to "beat

yourself up". This is particularly a natural consequence of an

unexpected career transition. Continuously recognize yourself

as worthwhile, competent and successful, independent of how

your career transition came about. Again, attitude is

everything!

2) Work to Stay Motivated to Get to Work:

Clearly define for yourself what is best for you in your next

career move. Refine your career objectives with others who have

your best interests in mind. Proclaim your next career

intentions to everyone who is important to you so that you

position yourself to stay motivated to seek your career

objectives. Develop a written plan to get you where you want to

be professionally. Tweak the plan as you implement it for best

results. Plan to work, work the plan!

3) Treat Yourself Well:

Focus on developing and advancing healthy behavioral routines

while you seek your next career opportunity. Establish a daily

ritual that is both physically and mentally progressive and

rewarding. Exercise, eat healthy foods, improve your

relationships and establish a finite sleep regime. Strive to

communicate your frustrations more and seek advice to lessen

your stress burdens.

Whether this is your first time in a career transition or one of

many, it takes a concerted effort to leverage positive stress

and to minimize negative stress to your career advantage.

Stress from a career transition does not have to rule your life

and ruin your health! Hopefully reading this article is a

helpful first step to taking advantage of your next career

opportunity.

Mark Smock is President of http://www.business-buyer-directory.com, the FIRST international business buyer directory of its kind. Business Buyer Directory provides a non-traditional means for proactive business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide that meet their exact registered purchase criteria.

Career Search - Using A Career Coach Can Really Add Up In Your Career Transition

Are you afraid of the career change conversation with your family, friends, coworkers etc? Does it seem like as soon as you decide to make a positive change, the whole world turns against you and tells you why you can't do it, that it's not possible or something else that's not very encouraging?

One of the biggest challenges that people in career transition face is trying to convince their families, friends, coworkers and the people who know them best, that change is a good thing. At a time when everything is in flux, it's tough for us to reassure people we are headed on the path to success despite any obstacles which may surface along the way. We may even be uncertain ourselves! And because we frequently experience the most resistance to our ideas from the people who mean the most to us, it can FEEL like our core support system is caving in. But don't worry, it's not!

Finding a mentor, coach or someone who has "been there" can be a huge asset for your career search.

Because we are often met with resistance, hit with frightening and discouraging "rumors" about the career marketing or industry of our choosing, we can feel like the wind was just knocked out of us. Finding a career can be scary and isolating. This is not a healthy way to feel when trying to break out of established ruts and make a motion for improvement in our careers.

For this reason, if you're serious about finding a new job that has you springing out of bed each morning, you'll want to invest in a career coach, or career counselor. Many people who decide to make a bold move in their career, start up their own business or return to school to learn a new skill or trade, do so with the help of a career coach or counselor. A career coach can give much needed practical advice and guidance, while offering an objective viewpoint on your personal situation.

A career coach can help you:

Create and implement a transition plan
Set realistic reachable goals
Network effectively and efficiently
Identify the career path you want
Push gremlins aside and step out of the box and your comfort zone
Overcome obstacles
Find a career that's right for you (not what other's think is right for you)
How do you find support?

Professional support from a career coach or career counselor is usually the best place to start. They have the experience and success rates of helping people who have been in your shoes. There are a wide range of career coaches/counselors out there so make sure when you are looking for one to do your homework. Here are some sample questions:

How long have you been a coach?
What is your success rate?
Do you have references I can speak with? (If they are hesitant about this one that is not a good sign)
Do you offer a complimentary consultation where I can get to know you and your style to see if we'd be a fit?
How long does this process usually take?
It isn't always possible to afford a career coach, especially when you are in transition. Other options include finding a career coach who might offer group coaching, which is cheaper. Can you coach with a buddy and split the price? If those options still don't fit your budget, the next step is to try to find someone you know of you can point you in the right direction.

Is there someone in your life who you admire because they didn't follow the status quo, made their own way or just seem to be living out an amazingly full and satisfying life and career? Maybe you have a friend, relative, or acquaintance who started their own business or managed to interweave creativity and flexibility into their professional life in a way that stands out from the crowd. Now is a perfect time to ask for advice and guidance from that person, listen to their story, learn from their mistakes, and apply this knowledge to the changes that you're going through in your own career. Most people are more than happy to share what they have learned. The experience is sure to be enlightening and you will be making a friend and professional contact in the process.

Hallie Crawford, is a Certified Career Coach and CEO of Create Your Career Path with HallieCrawford.com. Her team of coaches help people of all ages nurture their career, identify their ideal career path, and navigate their career transition. She is regularly featured as a career expert for Fox Business Network, CNN, Yahoo Hot Jobs, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Download a free report "Top Three Tools to Identify Your Ideal Career" here: http://tinyurl.com/2326at6

Career Transition - Making a Career Transition at Any Stage of Life

Career transition can occur at any stage during the life of your career. It can occur when you are considering a move laterally or even a promotion. Transition also occurs when you are looking to move into a new work place or even while changing career industries.

To make a positive career transition, the key is in assessing your current wants and needs and matching it to what season of life you are currently experiencing. At the beginning of your career you will make different career transition choices due to life style, goals and passion. So, what SEASON is your career currently in? Spring and new growth; Summer and stretching/extremes; Fall and change; or Winter and self reflection?

To help you assess and determine the season of your career, use the following self evaluation questions.

Career Transition for SPRING

Spring denotes growth. Your career is blossoming and full of new life. Spring occurs at the stage in your career in which you have energy and vision. Are you adding to your career goals? Maybe you have just started learning a new skill set. Are you currently challenged within your career? Are you discovering new processes or products to advance your career goals? If so, then you might be in the Spring of your career.

Career Transition for SUMMER

Summer means the heat of it. With Summer, one can feel stretched or maybe even experience extremes much like drought, or even flooding. You may be unsure about how to move forward at this season of your career since the time is short and you feel as if you are just keeping your head above water! Are you overwhelmed with the workload and see no end in sight? Are you experiencing problems sleeping at night? Or do you feel that projects are drying up but the pressure to increase sales or customer satisfaction is always present? If so, then you might be in Summer of your career transition.

Career Transition for FALL

Fall says change is inevitable. Change is coming and it is going to happen whether or not you like it. It is important to read the signs at this stage of your career and to make the adjustment to change as necessary. Am I reading the signs that my job or company is going to change? Am I looking for ways to learn new concepts or skills so that I can add value to the organization? Am I stepping forward by taking on new projects or responsibilities? If so, then you just might be experiencing the Fall career season.

Career Transition for WINTER

Winter takes on that subtle internal growth. Winter is a time of self-reflection. Others may not necessarily see the growth happening within you. Winter growth is not seen on the outside but seeds are being planted and you are preparing for growth. In the Winter of a career transition we think about what we want to become by Spring. We may be looking to trim some fat or become stronger in a certain area. Are you resetting career goals like a New Year's Resolution? Have you found yourself considering going back to school for an MBA? Maybe you are reading more articles on self or career development concepts, or how-to books. Then, you may be in the Winter of your career transition.

All of the above seasons describe the different career transitions we go in and out of throughout our lifetime. You might experience two or more of these seasons going on at the same time! The key is to first know where you are in them and then to set out a plan to move into the season you desire. Seek out those resources or professionals that can help you move from one season to another without experiencing the pain of making costly mistakes. Look forward to these positive changes in your career!

David Hults author of the book "From Cornered To Corner Office" Overcoming the most unexpected obstacles that stand between you and your career dreams http://www.fromcorneredtocorneroffice.com

Just Before You Make a Career Transition

With the rapidly changing shape of work and life, it is no longer news that the average person will have a minimum of three careers in their life time. Making the right move at the right time and for the right reasons will go a long way to bring fulfillment and satisfaction to you. Therefore, it is important that you engage in a carefully thought out analysis of the various options whenever you are trying to make a shift in your career focus. The following considerations should always guide you in your quest.

How prepared are you? Most people make decisions in order to be in tune with popular demand. Because the economy is in bad shape and particular professions have been badly hit, is not an excuse to decide you want a career shift. Having come this far in your career, any change you are planning to make should be deliberate and purposeful. You must be convinced that it is something you will be happy with in the long run. You must transcend the bandwagon effect and ask the question of whether you are set to make the change from your present career.

Take an inventory of your current skills. Having decided on the need to cross over, the next thing to immediately do is to take inventory of your current skills, knowledge and experience and then see the gap that exist between them and your desired career. Then, start listing the various skills, knowledge and experience you need to bridge the gap. Seek out and talk to people in your would-be career to guide you through the process.

Develop a parallel career before switching over. Career experts will never fail to advise aspiring career changers on the importance of building a parallel career before making the actual shift. You can do this by seeking out volunteer, temporary or internship positions in your new career field before quitting your current job and searching for a full-time position in your new career field. This step is crucial because it acquaints you with your new area and gives some assurance to your would-be employer that you will be trainable, since you already have the basics.

Consider your passion. If you are like most people, your first job after college must have been a child of necessity. You probably found yourself on that job, not because it was what you actually wanted but because you had limited choices when you were making the decision. It may have been possible that you had not clarified your career goals and determined what you actually want out of life when you made that first decision. Now that you have an idea of your passion and vision in life, do not decide on the next move without bringing them into the picture. When the chips are down and the going gets tough, it is your love for what you do that will sustain you.

Go for a functional rather than a chronological resume. When you are changing career, it pays to emphasize more on the skills, qualifications and certifications you have acquired, relevant to your new career, instead of detailing your previous work experience, which in most cases has little or no relevance to your desired career. As much as possible you will need to talk less about previous experience and blow up your other relevant assets.

You can talk to a career counselor or an HR expert to help you build a functional resume. It is your greatest tool in your career shift campaign.

Never decide on changing career for monetary reasons. I interviewed a friend who was contemplating a radical career change from the banking industry to the medical profession as a physical therapist. My first question to him was: what is your motivation for wanting to make this total switch? Certain careers are very enticing because of the material gains they offer, but be very careful of switching careers because of all the enticing benefits. Remember that you may make more money, but if you hate your new career, you will probably be spending that money on stress- and health-related expenses. A career that is hot today could be gone tomorrow, so dig deeper.

The Author is a Business Psychologist, a Career Coach and a Life-span Development Consultant. He currently researches into the mind and brain and how they can be used to maximize our potential for unlimited achievement.

Visit http://dreamjobstrategies.blogspot.com to get more insights that will help you revolutionize your career.

Career Transition Programs - Best Way To Achieve Career Growth

Career transition programs are important for a variety of reasons. US employees are a dissatisfied lot; as per a 2007 survey, nearly 84% of the workforce is looking for their dream job. Naturally, a large number of them would be on the look out for another job and move companies or careers at the earliest. The most important quality that people seem to look for in a dream job is work that is fun. Enjoying work happens only a person loves the job. The second most important factor for job switch or career transition is salary.

If you have also looked for a job change because of enjoyment or salary reason, then you would appreciate how a career transition program can help. If a worker is confused about career options and does not which direction to take, then career transition programs certainly need to be considered. Any person seeking a career makeover can benefit from them.

Making a shortlist of the career choices available and the steps that need to be taken, to ease into the new career without any severe disruption of life; that is the function of a career transition program. These programs evaluate your personality and skills and uncover any unique talent or hidden gifts that may be present and guide you towards a career that will best utilise the same. Very often, we enjoy doing certain things but lose track of them when we start upon a career. A career transition program puts us back in touch with those activities and how best they may be utilised to realise our career aspirations. It is not impossible to find a job that is enjoyable and also fulfils our career related desires; it just needs a bit of effort.

Career transition programs are available in abundance in every area. Companies engaged in career transition programs and career coaches can easily be located through the internet. They are experts who can take you though the various steps of career transition and advice you professionally about career choices. With their help, you do not need to waste either time or money, deliberating about your options or worse, by not being able to take any step at all.

Usually a time comes in the work life of nearly everybody when we do not feel like even getting out of bed and going to work. Such a situation though very demoralising is not uncommon. The solution lies not in casting yourself or getting trapped in a depression but in recognising that it is time to take positive action. This positive action is seeking the help of an expert career coach or a company that deals in career transition programs and getting yourself on to the right career path.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Page Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Transition Centers - How They Help You Realize Your Dreams

Do you always think that a different sort of work is better for you? Do you feel bored in your present career? Are you no longer interested in the job that you previously love to do? Or, perhaps, have you never liked it at all? Do you feel that you want a new career other than what you are presently doing? Are you in the verge of quiting your present job?

Did you answer "yes" to most of the problems above? Therefore, you are most likely in an episode of one's life some would call mid-career struggle. Probably, you are struggling to make a decision whether to stay or let go of your present job. Should you stay in your job or quit it? You are trying to weigh the pros and cons. However, there are times your way of thinking or your financial resources interfere in your decision-making. If the situation is like this then a career transition center can help you out.

What is a career transition center? If you still haven't heard about it, then here are some bits of information to introduce you to the entire idea of shifting careers. To help workers not just with the selection of a career or the search for a job but also to help workers and their families during the entire career transition process are the main purposes of a career transition center. You can approach a non-profit career transition center to help you go about switching jobs and changing careers.

A career transition center will aid you through the change as smoothly as possible whether you were fired, you quit your job, or are about to. If you need a new career, some centers will even help you go through training. They will provide assistance when searching for employment. Adult education and training programs are also available in these centers to further help you out.

If you plan to go through a career transition, always come prepared for a battle. Preparation is most essential during this period. When you prepare yourself, a career transition center will be of assistance not just in the physical and emotional aspect but in the financial aspect as well. To manage all the aspects that can be influenced by this change, careful planning will help you. Also, career positioning, right sizing or re-engineering are common in a number of careers. So, being prepared is very important to anticipate and accommodate such things.

A career transition center will supply you with the appropriate resources for available positions. In addition, counseling services, mentoring and mentoring forums, career organization, and career transitions seminars will also be given. They will also propel you to the right track with regard to getting a new job. Writing cover letters, resume building, and going through interviews are among the helps provided in some centers. If you need help and advice regarding your career, search the Internet now for a career transition center close to you.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Transition Coach Or Bio Career Job? Tips To Identify the Best Option

The career transition coach jobs and bio career jobs are two absolutely different careers in two completely different subjects. These two jobs convene when you suddenly realize that you are trapped in a bio or medical job and feel unsatisfied with what you are doing. If you do not get pleasure in your current job or just can't simply find yourself loving what you are doing, then the odds are you are experiencing a mid-career crisis. You are probably one of those people pondering the idea of shifting their line of business, entering a new organization, or establishing a new career but are still confused of whether taking that step or not. When you think about the drawbacks of leaving your present job prevail over the drawbacks of staying in your present job then if that is the case, it is probably the time to approach a career transition coach for help.

Instead of wasting time and effort on the wrong job, wouldn't it be better to seek advice from a career transition coach now than prolong the agony of working in a job you are not contented with? It is not very odd to shift jobs. People make errors throughout their life; one of them could be in choosing careers. There are people who, in fact, didn't think much about careers nor how a specific job will work out for them. Perhaps they didn't realize the significance until they are in the job, bored, stressed, tired and wondering why they ended up there in the first place.

Many people seek the help of both career transition coach and bio career job simultaneously. Medical practitioners and those who have careers in bio fields are like any other person in another profession. Sometimes, they feel like wanting to break free from their present occupations and seek the job perfect for them. It is not always the career itself that is at fault; sometimes it is only a matter of changing the job description. There are people in the medical field who have stayed in their present career for years and years but then realized that it no longer gives them the sense of satisfaction it once provided them. One can think of many reasons for this. That is why it is recommended for one to get a coach to give him the proper career counseling.

Therefore, career transition coach and bio career job join hand-in-hand to help those who are in the maelstrom of confusion. Some career transition coaches are dedicated to helping clients who are presently in the medical and bio field. If you are seeking a totally different career path, then this career transition coach will help you discern the best path that you can take. Usually, they will point you to the occupation that you will really appreciate and will truly cherish for the rest of your professional life. Who wouldn't want that? Start acting now! Search for Bio Career Job and Career Transition Coach to locate the coaches concentrating in the sphere of your interest.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Page Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Transition Programs - The Best Career Guidance Provided

Most of the employees in the United States are not contented with their present jobs. A survey conducted in the year 2007 reports that around 84% of the employees in the states are still on the hunt for their dream jobs. What does this survey conclude? It concludes that a number of employees are having plans to change their career or switch jobs. A majority of people voted for work that had fun as their dream job. The next popular answer went for the pay scale. The above facts relate that a majority of the employees in United States prefer jobs that they like very much.

By chance, you may be identical to those workers who always complain on all matters. This is where you can find the career transitions programs to be helpful. The people who are lagging in their professional life can seek the help of career transition programs. You may be one among them and still confused about your future. Programs on career transitions are there to help you now.

Programs for career transitions are designed for people like you. The people who wish for a career change can also make use of this program. Career transition programs aid you i filtering the career options you have and help you select the right career path. These programs groom the talents an individual possess. They help us in finding our talents and groom it. The talents are developed and exploited very well. Some people are not aware of the abilities. These hidden abilities are identified by the individual with the help of programs on career transitions. This moment explains your area of interest and directs you to search a job of your interest.

In today's world, there are numerous programs for career transitions are available. Each area has some centers that offer career transition programs. You have to browse the internet to find them. You will be put to surprise on seeing the number of companies listed. A number career transition coaches are available too. You might not have known about them, but you can realize there importance now. You professional career might be at risk now. In this case, it is better to seek advice from an expert in this area. Do not be static regarding your career and waste your money on it. Never worry!! There is an answer for you, neither when you are tired, happy or confused.

Are you never interested in working anywhere and still prefer to lie on your bed? Never be with yourself regarding your present job. It is now time to consider about your present job and decide whether to continue in it or not! Thinking twice about the career, current job or company is very important. An expert can be handy at this stage. Find a good career transition program that can aid you in filtering your thoughts and help you in deciding a good career for the rest of your life.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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.

How to Successfully Transition to Retirement

Wednesday 4th January, 2012

How to Successfully Transition to Retirement   
     Wednesday 4th January, 2012  Source: IBTimes

Employees nearing retirement age may not necessarily want to leave the workforce altogether - and with the right coaching, you can guide them towards a successful retirement strategy that works in favour of both the employee and the employer.
Barack Obama may well be down in the popularity polls, but not because of the Republican Party. Indeed the incoherent Republicans are struggling to come up with a viable candidate to take on Obama in the 2012 U.S. presidential election.

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Wednesday 4th January, 2012

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