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Career searching is the term I apply to actively pursuing a career position rather than looking for a job.
I can't tell you how many times I would interview someone, and when I would ask what they are looking for in a job, they would reply, "I'm not looking for a job. I'm looking for a career."
And while I can appreciate the intentions of an applicant with this response, I need to stop to tell you how wrong this is - to the recruiter with whom you are speaking, but more importantly, how much this will hinder your job search.
Let me explain the difference:
A job is something a company offers you.
A career is something you build in an industry.
There is no such thing as a career position.
To emphasize this point, here is the definition for "career" according to Webster's dictionary:
a person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking
I might describe my career thus far as being a "recruiter," but please understand I am not saying that simply because a company hired me to be a recruiter. In order to satisfy having a career, you need to meet three specific qualifications:
You have spent a significant numbers of years learning a particular industry.
You have specialized skills making you valuable in that industry.
You have a proven track record of success in that particular industry.
Examine those qualifications carefully. These qualifications are determined based on one thing - you! You can choose the career path you want to take, but understand that building a career is the sum total of your own efforts. No company can simply award you a career.
I remember interviewing an entry level applicant several years ago who was presently working for McDonald's. When I asked him why he wanted to leave, he explained that McDonald's was just a job - he wanted a career.
While I understand that this example is the essence of reduction to ridiculous, McDonald's is one of the greatest providers of career opportunities worldwide. You can grow from an entry level role into all different directions including Human Resources, Accounting, Operations & Logistics, Marketing, and more... ! In fact, McDonald's will from time-to-time take exceptional candidates and pay internally for additional training to advance their skill sets. In time, they too may advance in their career of choice - and it is the hope of McDonald's that those skill sets will be applied internally.
Again, I emphasize the importance of understanding that a job is something you can get. A career is something you must build. The reason why this is so important is because millions of people are searching Google every month for a "career" - and I'm sorry to say - you will never find one just by looking. Yes, you may find many companies wanting career-minded individuals, or who may offer career advancement opportunities, but at the end of the day you are applying for a job.
That being said, if you wish to begin building a career in a particular industry, you will need to do three things:
Decide in which industry you would like to develop your career.
Look at what different career paths are available in that industry.
Plan to acquire some specialized training in that industry, whether through formal education, apprenticeship, a mentor program, promote-from-within, etc.
For example, let's say you decide that Business is your industry of choice. Next, you look at available career paths and decide that Marketing is where you are the most interested. The next step would be to look at how you can begin to learn more about marketing, whether that be through an internship or going to college.
Now - and only now - are you ready to begin acquiring some experience in this particular industry. Believe me - you are more than likely going to begin in a very entry Sales level role to really understand Marketing from the ground up. And that is okay. It takes time to build a career.
My first experience in interviewing was a completely unpaid internship. And I spent hours a week interviewing, watching other people interviewing, taking notes on interviewing techniques, reviewing resumes, calling references, etc. The more I could get my feet wet and collect experience, I knew the better prepared I would be to grow in my chosen career - and ultimately the more marketable I would become to other employers within that industry.
So the next time you are thinking of cutting to the front of the line by just looking for a career, think again. You need to look for a job first. Jobs are the only things that companies can offer you. But those jobs, in turn, become stepping stones. They are the vehicle to help you build the career you truly desire.
__
Brent Jones lives in Toronto, Canada and spent the majority of his professional career in recruiting and sales. He currently offers job-seekers advice through his blog.
He is also the author of the successful report '7 Fatal Mistakes Made by Most Job Applicants.' It is available for free download by clicking here.
Change is constant, prevalent, inevitable. We experience it in the weather as temperatures vary, in the seasons as spring cycles to winter, and within ourselves as we accumulate experiences. For most of us, these changes or transitions are characteristically familiar. Similarly, we embrace characteristic changes in our careers, expecting a familiar, linear path of advancement within an organization, within the same industry. This typical paradigm describes the traditional career ladder.
However, a paradigm shift has occurred. Change is still constant, prevalent and inevitable, but it is now faster and more pervasive because change is broadening and deepening our ability to connect. The Internet, now a tool rather than a phenomenon, and technology, itself rapidly evolving, enable instant communication. We have global access, so our relationships are expanding and our perspectives of others are broadening.
On this new stage, today's professionals change careers multiple times. These "career pivots" allow people to make agile transitions and follow different, better paths for themselves. Even employers are noticing the advantage of people who can pivot. Reid Hoffman, a cofounder of LinkedIn® who has pivoted often in his career, asserts, "Markets are rapidly changing. Everyone will have to change and adapt. Because markets are changing, companies need help in adapting; this affects how you develop your skill set, which is not a typical "career ladder." (1)
What defines the career pivot and what is its value as a framing strategy in directing your career? How do you manage your achievements so as to translate them into the currency of transferable assets? What are the opportunities and benefits for both the career changer and the new employer? Let's take a look...
What is a pivot?
A pivot is a shift in direction. In sports, such as basketball or martial arts, a pivot takes place with one foot rooted in place as the other foot moves into a different space. The pivot cannot be executed unless the planted foot provides stability. Think of the anchor foot as your foundation of values, accumulated experiences and achievements, which provides balance and strength as your other foot moves into a new area. Both work in concert to achieve change, as well as stability. When you pivot in your career, you are not throwing away what you have accrued in skills and experiences; rather, these are the underpinnings that help you shift in a new direction.
Why pivot?
Because many motivators drive a shift in direction, this requires that you accept an element of uncertainty in your career. Some professionals are unhappy and need to try something new, some become unemployed, some want to build upon a strength or improve a weakness, and for some, life intervenes or dreams change. Others purposefully apply their own formulas to career changes so that they are constantly evolving. In this last instance, pivots serve as a framing strategy to direct their careers and to refresh how they market themselves. With this approach, you can evaluate your assets and highlight how they benefit the particular needs of a potential new employer.
In addition, career pivots offer:
P = possibilities
I = interactions
V = value
O = opportunity
T = transferable assets
S = satisfaction
Possibilities
The term "pivot" is commonly used in start-up tech companies when they implement revisions or adjust what they do in response to changing market conditions. Rather than stubbornly stick to one idea that might not be successful, a company will pivot to a new idea. As the career changer, a pivot puts you on a new path with a new way of thinking. It often means venturing into something unknown, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. In both cases, a pivot is not starting over; it is using what you have in new ways. A pivot opens you up to new possibilities.
In the music industry, we see many instances of artists shifting to embrace new possibilities. Madonna, Beyoncé©, and Lady Gaga change styles and often portray new personalities as they market themselves in fresh, new ways.
Interactions
Other musicians pivot to broaden interactions, inviting novel perspectives and connections. Prominent R & B artist Lionel Richie recently moved outside his genre to collaborate with well-known country stars on his latest album. Innovative partnerships help artists stay current and engage with new fans.
Value
As the examples above illustrate, pivots continually create new value for you and others when you leverage your growing skill sets and accumulated experiences. As you become more comfortable with change, uncertainty, new connections, and your evolving surroundings, you become nimble at addressing shifting market conditions. Nimble athletes are quick and light in movement. Similarly, nimble career pivoters are quick to comprehend and adapt with ease in new situations.
Opportunity
The new circumstances, interactions and challenges encountered during a pivot provide opportunities to increase your awareness of others' perspectives, as well as showcase your flexibility and openness to innovation. In addition, as you effectively face stressors and recover quickly, you demonstrate your resilience as you persist toward your vision. In this way, Reid Hoffman has built upon and transported his experiences to build new opportunities as he has pivoted from social networking to PayPal™ to LinkedIn.
Transferable Assets
Transferable assets are the qualities, experiences and skills that you have accumulated and nurtured in one situation that can easily transfer and apply to a new situation.(2) What you have achieved in one situation now becomes an asset of value in another.
As an example, John Grisham's observations and experiences as a lawyer and a politician have translated into a successful career as a storyteller and novelist. Other examples include the experience of performing multiple tasks simultaneously that develops into a transferable asset of effective prioritization, or working with many people on a project that cultivates the transferable asset of collaboration.
To determine and communicate your own transferable assets, try the following exercises:
How to Determine Your Transferable Assets (2)
List five things that make you great at your job.
Now, one by one, ask yourself, "What makes me good at that?" Try to come up with at least two reasons for each.
Then, for each of the reasons you listed in the previous step, again, ask yourself, "What makes me good at that?" and you will develop your list of transferable assets.
Next, do this for your top five to 15 accomplishments.
Re-write Yourself (3)
Once you have determined your transferable assets, look at how these can be applied to another job, career or industry. For potential new employers, translate what you have done into what they are looking for. Captivate them with your story.
Ask yourself the following questions: What motivated me to make this change? How did I arrive on this particular path? What is the logic behind my choices?
Consider your audience: As with your resume, tailor and adapt your story to who they are and what they want; give them a reason to care.
Mine your experiences: Determine your most significant professional and personal achievements and detail how they have shaped your unique path toward the goals that you and your audience share.
Highlight your trends: Be sure to call attention to the specific decisions you made that allowed you to expand your learning, as well as any positive patterns that have emerged over the course of your career.
Articulate: Combine these components to tell the story of your career changes in a way that conveys how your choices define your unique abilities and how this particularly benefits your audience.
How to Facilitate a Career Pivot
Track mobility: How do people move around in an industry as they progress in their careers? What is the point of entry? What barriers are there with regard to education and certification?
Note landmarks: Who are the big players and the small upstarts? Accumulate facts about the competitors, which can be achieved easily through an online search.
Locate guides: Find people who know the ropes and workings of the industry and who are willing to share their wisdom and insight (i.e., contextual industry information). LinkedIn and informational interviewing are helpful tools.
Satisfaction
A final advantage of the career pivot strategy is the satisfaction you experience by enjoying a new adventure, thriving on a new challenge, pursuing your passions or resolving feelings of stagnation. Ultimately, the value of a pivot is that you manage your achievements, you direct your career track, and you determine what success and happiness looks like for you. Create your own unique path to attain your goals. What is your strategy?
Sources
(1) Hoffman, Reid. "Entrepreneurship Rules of Thumb." Lecture. Endeavor Entrepreneur Summit, Stanford University
(2) Rapple, Rebecca. "Identifying Your Transferable Skills." Weblog post. The Resume Revolution
(3) Rapple, Rebecca. "Personal Branding Your Way Through A Career Pivot." Weblog post. Personal Branding Blog
Author Bio: Jody Michael, MCC -- Jody Michael holds the prestigious, top-level designation of Master Certified Coach (MCC), a distinction held by less than 1% of certified coaches. In addition, she is a Board Certified Coach (BCC) and a University-of-Chicago-trained psychotherapist, effective at helping clients mitigate the anxiety and depression that often accompanies career change. She has personally conducted over 30,000 one-on-one sessions and is passionate about the personal success of each client.
Ms. Michael possesses the rare combination of theoretical knowledge, extensive coaching and corporate experience. She has consulted and coached in a wide range of corporations, from Fortune 10 to small business, and has worked with many market leaders including Abbott, Accenture, Avnet, BP, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Deloitte, Dial Corporation, Forsythe, Mayer Brown, Sara Lee and Stepan Company.
To learn more about Jody and her company, please visit Jody Michael Associates To read more career articles, visit CertifiedCareerCoaches.com
Deciding what career to follow must be the hardest thing for any student. This difficulty is brought about by the lack of information on the available careers. With incomplete information on a career, you cannot be able to make a wise decision. There are a lot of careers available to students and the problem only arises in choosing which one to follow. When choosing a career many factors come into play and for you to make a decision that you will not regret in future, you need to do enough research on the available careers. Traditionally, this was a challenge. Today, this is no longer a big challenge due to the development of career clusters, frameworks that tries to link the education system to the employment environment.
In the beginning, career clusters were prepared by stakeholders in the education and employment industries, but today, some great entrepreneurs have emerged, who are a earning a living by preparing these clusters. The clusters are available in many formats. Some are available in form of DVDs, handbooks, blog posts, while others in form of seminars. All of them serve the same purpose, but via different means. Most of these clusters are highly accessible as you can assess it from the internet. The DVDs and the e-books are downloadable from the internet. Access increases the effectiveness of this important educational material.
A good career cluster should be comprehensive, but easy-to-follow for students as well. A comprehensive career cluster is one that incorporates aspects of the education system and shows how they are related to the career of choice. Good career clusters will also have job readiness skills for students. Job readiness skill means it will give you information of what is expected of you in a particular job that falls in your career of choice. Most of this information is delivered in an easy-to-understand format in simple English that is understandable to people of all levels of education.
Career clusters are not only important to students, but they are also equally important to teachers and the authorities, who prepare the syllabus and curriculum. They need to understand all the careers to be able to prepare curricula that falls within the broad clusters. Once they have understood the clusters and prepared the syllabus, they can now go ahead and advice students on the best careers to follow based on their courses of specialization. These clusters also need to be understood by inspirational and career speakers, who visit students in schools and give them inspirational career talks.
Your career is your life. You need to choose a career you will enjoy forever. You do not want to be tired the rest of your life by doing something that you won't enjoy. For this reason, make sure you get access to the clusters, understand them and choose a career you are good at and one that you will enjoy doing. You can buy the clusters online saving you all the travelling and searching costs that are associated with physical shopping.
If you are serious about achieving a successful career, you should definitely get career clusters. Find out about several easy-to-use career clusters on DVD-ROM and use the guidance for building up a great career.
Do you cringe when you look at your resume through the eyes of a prospective employer, afraid the wide range of jobs listed will disqualify you? Or have you put together a single-track career record but secretly long for more variety, more outlets for your varied interests and abilities?
If so, perhaps you’re the perfect candidate to welcome a new identity: a portfolio
careerist.
While describing her new business over lunch the other day, Christine included
some details of the career journey that brought her to it. Starting out doing debt
consolidation for friends while tending her young children, she was catapulted into
full-time work in Human Resources following a divorce. Moving from one corporate
HR division to another, she specialized in employee benefits and severance
packages. In recent years, tired of long hours and wanting more independence, she
has moved into financial planning as an affiliate of a large financial network. While
she is thriving in this new challenge, she did admit, with a smile somewhere
between embarrassed and shy, that she had a “side business” as a personal color
consultant. “I have too many interests to expect one job to make me happy. I’ve
always had something going on the side!”
Her allusion to non-monogamy was telling, probably accounting for the moment of
slight embarrassment. Many of us are still laboring under the outmoded belief that
we should make a career choice early in life and follow it faithfully in a more or less
straight line.
In fact, there are many persuasive arguments for portfolio careers becoming a wave
of the future. The realities of the current employment environment, suggest that
identifying yourself as the CEO of your career gives you a head start for pro-actively
designing it. The entrepreneurial mindset is valued among companies looking to
shift responsibility for career management onto you, and prepares you to make
foresighted adjustments to changes in in-house and market conditions.
Research studies indicate there’s a high level of satisfaction among people who
voluntarily leave employment and become independent. As high as 65% of
executives surveyed in a British study are “very satisfied” with the increased
freedom, control and variety they’re able to create in their composite careers.
Portfolio careers may be a model particularly well-suited to women’s lives. Women
have always been good at doing more than one thing at a time. As companies’
family-friendly policies are diminishing, putting together a multi-strand career may
provide the needed flexibility to tend to a family’s changing needs or a spouse’s job
requirements. Designing a personal career portfolio gives women a way of working
that fits our lives, rather than requiring our lives to adapt to our work.
An initial reaction to the idea of abandoning the search for a “single strand” career
and focusing instead on creating multiple strands may be to worry about the lack of
security: no single paycheck to rely on, no predictable schedule or set of
expectations, no one to report to for direction. The tough truth is that this security
is becoming more and more of a myth in the contemporary workplace, as hiring is
done project by project rather than for the long haul. Here are several options for
addressing the issue of security:
*Develop a skill set that’s in demand or suited to a growing industry. An example
might be technical writing in biotech.
*Actively nurture your network: keeping in touch with your contacts about new
developments in your skills or interests, as well as finding opportunities to be of
assistance to them. (Remember that being of service is very likely to activate a
desire to reciprocate!)
*Add to the numbers of people who know about you and your expertise by
developing some speaking or writing topics.
What does a portfolio career actually look like? It has several parts, bound together
by a common thread (you), that’s adaptable to many different circumstances. It can
be a combination of traditional employment, contract work, and self employment
(e.g. a home-based business). The format can be to work simultaneously on
various projects or simultaneously with several clients or with single clients in
succession. Sometimes the strands of your portfolio even rotate seasonally: a
garden design business in the summer, and technical writing in the winter. The
possibilities are infinite, open to you to craft for yourself.
In addition to offering variety and flexibility, the portfolio career model can place
value on those endeavors that don’t (or don’t yet) generate income - service or pro
bono work, for instance, or creative projects. Most importantly, the term “portfolio
career” gives legitimacy to those enterprising folks who have diverse interests and
talents and insist on expressing them, in spite of having to buck reputations as
“jack of all trades, master of none”. People have embraced the “portfolio career”
label with emotional relief, finding in it a term for the unifying and meaningful
guiding force behind all their activities.
So how do you go about creating a portfolio career? Here are some guidelines.
• look at your work history: What is the common thread (or threads)
connecting the work you’ve enjoyed most and done well at? Perhaps it’s money: making it, managing it, building healthy attitudes about it.
• deconstruct the work you’ve done into tasks and list all the skills involved in
those tasks. Don’t overlook the “people skills” like listening, motivating, team
building, etc. Think of new settings where those skills are of value and/or get
compensated.
• What are the hobbies or side interests that are or could become income
generators?
• Plan a brainstorming session with a friend to come up with a number of revenue
streams, and then mindmap them. (For mindmapping guidance:
[http://www.thinksmart.com/mission/workout/mindmapping_intro.html])
• What are the natural rhythms of your life that might suggest some directions?
(E.g. a client of mine got an ESL teaching certificate so she could spend cold mid-
Western winters in a tropical Latin climate.)
• If you’re considering multiple concurrent projects, make at least one of them a “no
brainer”, something easy or very familiar.
And, like any good idea, there are some cautions. Portfolio careers probably aren’t
for everyone. How do you know if it might work for you? Here are some questions
to think about.
• Do I have a personality suited to a portfolio career (adaptable, risk tolerant, self-
starting, enjoy variety/complexity)?
• Am I good at improvising when I’m not fully prepared?
• How do I handle financial insecurity?
• Am I willing to adjust my standard of living if necessary?
• How will I provide for health coverage and vacations?
• How well do I structure and manage my time?
Like the man who looks under the lamppost for his keys, rather than looking where
he dropped them, maybe the perfect job has eluded you because you haven’t known
where to look. Try on the idea of a portfolio career and see if it frees you to
consider new possibilities, a new approach to creating work that fits you and fits
your life.
Nina Ham, certified coach and licensed psychotherapist, has created Success and Me: A Game of Self Discovery™. The Game™ is a facilitated group process, lively and down-to-earth, that guides players in creating personal success visions to serve as a compass for navigating life’s complexities and challenges. To learn more, go to http://www.SuccessandMeGame.com or subscribe to her free e-zine containing articles and tips on creating sustainable success in career or business, http://www.SuccessfromtheInsideOut.com/library.html
Most of the states in the United States have a provision and set guidelines for all students. It is mandatory for all children to be educated; this is because education is highly necessary for empowerment. That is why for children living in the states, the federal government has provided some guidelines to help all students. By setting definable strategies, these clusters help under-graduates to find a suitable career path, and make the right choice. It is paramount to understand the intricacies of career clusters.
These guidelines are known as career clusters and are very important to each and every student in the lower and upper level of the education system; that is from first grade to the twelfth grade. However, the importance of clusters is mostly set for the upper level students, since they have a better understanding as young adults on what they would wish to do in future, as grown up adults. That is why the clusters are enforced and put into place; to guide and direct these young adults as to the main areas and scopes of career and how one can achieve that.
A career cluster helps and informs these young adults as to the main and different types of career paths, what these careers require and what they must take as a study path in college, so as to attain their goals in life. A career cluster consists of 16 clusters that are categorized and set forth by the US government and several other educations and career related bodies.It was created to make sure that students transit smoothly from high school to tertiary education with a set mind and goal as to the studies they would follow. This way, they get empowerment in the career fields they choose in the clusters.
There are different career paths set in them and has incorporated many different career jobs in the different sub categorized clusters. This is to mean that nearly all career options are set in a certain cluster, meaning the jobs in a cluster are more related to each other and have their own differences in execution and working. That is why with the clusters, once a student chooses a certain career cluster; he / she will have to make sure to choose a fitting career path, which he / she would love to go for, so that he / she can get to know the right study path to attend, in order to get to that career field.
The integration of the career clusters in the US education system back in the mid 90s, provided for students a chance to set a goal and an objective as to the career they would love to go for. Offering them the paths and spheres to attend and go for to get to that profession. This way, the system has ensured to nurture and build a higher probability of accomplishment in school and work by most of the students who have already gone through the system. The end product of this is a competent and able working force once done with school.
A pathway level, in the career clusters, sets forth the standard and needs required to get through to a certain career field, setting the detailed proficiency and knowledge, academic and technical needs required, to pursue the field one wants to go for as a career. This way, the student can gauge whether they are fit or able to go to the specific career field and if so, what requirements they have to attain to find a space in the career field.
career clusters
A great tool for teachers, counselors, and parents in helping students identify their interests and goals for the future. Use in guidance offices, career labs, libraries, and as a great enhancement to any state career information system.
Click here for 16 career clusters
These days, not investing on your professional development is like travelling to a foreign land without a map. Things may be good for a little while, but at some point you'll realise that something is not working your way.
You must avoid making deadly career mistakes by investing your time and effort in improving your career management skills so you can take on any career situation no matter how difficult it may be. Here are more reasons why investing in your career is a wise move.
1. Think of long term professional investment. Investing in your career will result in greater opportunities you never imagined possible. Investing in your career would also protect you from unemployment. Believe me, the ROI (return of investment) in career investment is great!
2. You increase your marketability when you invest in your professional development. As you invest in career management, your skills, knowledge, and personal network will also increase. In short, your career net worth will increase through wise career investment.
3. You discover talents, skills and interests you never had before. Work-related training allow you to discover new talents and skills which can be useful in performing your job and even qualify you for promotion. Discovering your potential is possible by investing in your career.
4. Your goals are within your reach through career investment. Do you want to someday become a leader within your organisation? Investing in improving your career management will practically increase your chances of achieving your personal and professional goals.
5. Managers won't notice a mediocre performer. If you've been eyeing a promotion for quite some time now, you better get on your feet and do something to be noticed. The best way to do this? Invest in your professional development! You have to be a top performer if you want to be promoted and engaging in career development activities will help you transform from being considered a mediocre worker to a top performer
There are thousands of reasons to invest in your career so start now! Get a career coach, use self assessment tools, learn effective career planning and take up additional courses to improve your career opportunities. Look for a career coach who offers the best career tools, training and assistance to allow you to find your value, improve your skills and secure your future. Investing in your career is the best personal development move you can do today.
http://ClarityCareerManagement.com.au Jenni Proctor is a career strategist and coach. Clarity Career Management offers career management services to individuals, business and Educational Leaders. Visit us today to request our 7 day Refresh Your Career video series.
Clarity Career Management uses the Core Values Index as a cost-effective, accurate and reliable tool to assess an individual's core values. Contact Clarity Career Management now to know more about the Core Values Index.
What makes for a rich career? It is more than just the
salary and benefits. A rich career is one that suits your
talents and provides an opportunity to make a meaningful
contribution, as well as one that provides the right
compensation.
A rich career is one that has a rich return on investment.
What is career ROI? It is more than a paycheck and
healthcare benefits. Your career ROI is the entire package
of what you receive in return for the investment of your
energy, time, and talent in a career and an organization.
Career ROI can include monetary compensation and the
typical benefits package. It can also include less
tangible, indirect benefits, such as the opportunity to
be involved in a professional association, credibility,
status, and the reputation of the organization you work
for - just to name a few. Career ROI is also unique to
you: what you consider a return on your investment may
not be important to the person who works across the hall
or across the country.
To determine your own unique career ROI, identify what
you receive from your current career, in addition to
your salary and other standard benefits. Once you have
determined your current career ROI, think about the
elements that would make up the ideal career ROI for
you. Think outside the standard HR benefits package.
Now that you know both your current ROI and your desired
ROI, compare the two. How large is the gap?
If your current ROI does not add up, does it mean that
you need to look for a new job or career? Not necessarily.
Once you identify the elements of your ideal ROI, one
option is to approach your current organization about
making some changes.
Not all ROI changes require your employer to invest money
to implement. For example, perhaps your ideal return on
investment includes the opportunity to volunteer a few
days a month for a nonprofit organization in the community
that you are passionate about. Unless you are in a
position where your employer would need to pay someone
else to do your job during those days, this benefit
would not result in a significant cost. In fact, it could
bring value back to your employer, by enhancing its image
in the community. If your employer is not willing or able
to make changes to meet your desired ROI, you may decide
it is time to start looking for a new opportunity.
Before you go searching for a bigger paycheck, take time
to identify your career ROI. Then, if you decide it is
time to look for a new job, you will know when you find
the right opportunity for you.
Shannon Bradford is a writer and coach, teaching people how to master their brains to succeed in their careers and businesses. She is the author of Brain Power (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Sign up for Shannon's free Career Minicourse at http://www.15minutecareer.com
In many countries around the globe, people are born into their station in life and hence their professions. It is unnecessary for them to plan a career as they are expected to perform one specific job their entire lives. These cultures do not consider personal growth or the possibility of choosing one's profession.
America, on the other hand, was built on self-reinvention, and today's economy demands it. Those born before 1946 are less likely to have changed careers or even worked for more than one employer during their lifetimes.
Today, many employees outlive the lifespan of the companies they work for, and the average worker can now expect to have at least three or more careers, with up to six different positions within each of those careers.
Hardly a week goes by without hearing of corporate takeovers, mergers and corporate downsizing. As a result, thousands of seasoned employees are facing burnout from increased responsibilities or being laid-off and replaced with younger, lower-paid employees. Many are looking for a different means of earning a livelihood.
For the first time in history, employees must learn to manage themselves and take responsibility for their own employment. Even the word "career" is taking on new meaning, as a new generation of employees is moving in and out of multiple careers during their lifetimes.
Keep in mind that a career change is not the same as job advancement within a specific career. Most are either lateral or a step down in income until you gain experience and expertise in your new career. Be prepared to downsize your lifestyle.
Think of choosing a new career as an opportunity to bring a fresh outlook and revitalization to your life, as new experiences will stimulate your thought processes.
The most importance part of selecting a new career is also the most obvious, . . . deciding on what you want to do. Often this is a natural offshoot of a previous occupation(s). Reinventing yourself often involves a unique merging of your old talents with your new skill set.
Begin by making an honest assessment of your skills, interests and experiences and ask yourself:
- What would I do if money were no object?
- What did I love to do as a child?
- What activity do I do so intently that I don't notice time passing?
- What do I feel passionately about?
- What do I value the most?
- What are my strengths?
- What are my transferable skills?
- What kind and how much education will I need to make this change?
Most people find fulfillment by doing what they're good at. By evaluating your skills, interests, strengths and desires you will be able to see a connection between what it is that you value and what you excel at. These are the building blocks that you can turn into a new career.
While your new career is still in the planning stages, you can gain valuable information by:
- Attending professional meetings and informal gatherings.
- Networking.
- Joining an online career discussion group.
- Asking questions.
You are likely to need some additional education in order to begin a successful new career, start by improving the skills you already have. Sometimes, learning a few new software programs is simply all it will require. Should you choose to return to college, learning new skills is much easier when you are motivated to begin a new life.
Once you have chosen the kind of work you wish to pursue and acquired the necessary education, be sure to edit your resume to reflect your strengths and skills in this area.
Don't be surprised if your job search lasts a little longer than usual. Concentrate on companies that are seeking people with your reworked skill set and eventually you'll find an employer who will value the knowledge and experience you gained from your previous career(s).
It is vital today, more than ever, to remain versatile to stay employed. A successful career will evolve over a lifetime if you are continuously open to new possibilities. You must constantly seek opportunities for self-improvement and professional growth in order to be prepared for your next reinvention.
Mary Carroll at the beginning her fourth career. Hers career has progressed from photojournalist to catalog graphic designer to photo stylist. Mary is currently employed at Video Professor, the leader in self-paced software learning tutorials [http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/videoprofessorproducts.html] as a customer advocate.
Changing careers? Thinking about it? If not, why not? If you're not happy where you are, then changing your career may be a wonderful move. However, change is a scary concept and shifting careers can be downright terrifying to consider. Relax, it doesn't have to be.
Are you happy where you are? If so, congratulations, best wishes, stay there. Change for change's sake is just silly. However, if you feel confined, know that you'll never go anywhere on the corporate ladder or are just plain unhappy, then investing in your future by switching careers is an excellent idea.
Careers are something many of us choose for the wrong reasons. We decide what to do with our lives based on what our parents do, what our friends decide to do, or what makes more money than what we really love. Worse yet, some careers start from jobs we fall into and end up stuck in. You're not stuck, you can change!
The easiest - and hardest - thing to do is decide what career you want to pursue. Switching careers without a clear vision of what you want to gain from the change is an effort in futility. So, sit down and think about what you like to do outside of work. Not everyone can make a hobby into a paying job, but why not think about it? Maybe you'll find a way.
For example, if you enjoy coaching children, perhaps you could change careers and become a teacher. If you have a strong sense of justice, perhaps being a police officer or a judge is something to consider. Shifting careers doesn't have to be difficult or noble. Do you like being outdoors? How about starting your own lawn service?
Once you've narrowed down the field of careers to just one or two, start researching them. If you know someone who is in the field you're considering, ask them about the pros and cons. Find out what they really do in the course of a day, which may not be what you think. Look at all aspects of a career, not just pay. Consider the work environment and the stress levels, the hours and the potential for advancement.
Now you've decided on the career you want out of the huge number of careers available. Do you need extra education? Specialized training? Or can you just start the new job? Can you afford to leave the old job without all your financial ducks in a row?
This is the time to figure out the nuts and bolts of the changing careers thing. If you want a job that requires additional education or training, how will you get it? There are many schools offering online degrees now. This may fit into your schedule and your needs. Perhaps just doing some research on the internet at a site or checking books out of the library will be all you need to get started.
Now you're all set to change careers, yes? Feet a little cold at the thought of leaving the familiar? That's normal. Change is scary, especially when it can affect your financial wellbeing. There is no good way to get over the hesitation you'll feel at switching careers except to just do it. Make the change. Once you've jumped into the process, you'll become more comfortable and will probably end up wondering why you ever worried about changing careers.
So, if you've thought the careers process through, and are ready to start on your new path, then go ahead and take that first step. And have fun with it!
Whether your looking to change careers or just enhance the one you've got, check out Molly Money Bags, a great sources of information on all things dealing with careers.
There are many types of professional career opportunities to pursue in the current employment environment. Many of the sophisticated ones either evolved from less sophisticated ones or were created because it was believed they would suit the current needs of society as other previously valued professional or non-professional careers became obsolete. New careers that were created in the system reflected what was believed necessary to support, maintain and develop a new and emerging infrastructure and assumed needs of the society. Particular beliefs about what would assist the economy influenced the creation and development of these new and different professional career positions that may not have reflected the values of those who were entering those areas of employment. This may be the reason why so many people are dissatisfied with employment and why some do not know why.
Many people have chosen careers based on what they know is available, not on what they know is possible; thus, they have missed out on the opportunity to invent and create their own personally fulfilling career and income stream. This has led some to feel helpless and hopeless around finding and/or creating a personally satisfying career. Their decision may have been made because they listened to the subtle pressures from society about making early career choices without determining if that career choice is one that would be meaningful. Choosing a meaningful profession may not have been a consideration.
Many people also choose a career because it fits society's definition of what is considered normal or of high status. Also, many individuals have chosen careers based on what they believed to be the best choice only to discover much dissatisfaction in their career. Although they may have done extensive research on their career before-hand and completed training in their field, they may not have pursued a career that spoke to their heart. Maybe they thought what they felt passionate about did not translate into a career. Feeling passionate about a career may have played second fiddle in their career choice because they bought into the notion that ones passion and ones work are incompatible. Even people who have chosen intellectually satisfying careers may not be fulfilled spiritually and may find themselves discontent on some level.
Sometimes it is assumed that a person's capacity to excel at and be talented in their profession coincides with an interest in it as well. Doing well at ones job is not synonymous with enjoying it, nor is it the reason why some people enjoy their jobs even when they are talented at it. A person could be talented at their particular professional position but find themselves disconnected from it spiritually. Numerous compliments and many accolades for top and outstanding performance on the job will not automatically translate into a liking for ones job even if a person demonstrates excellence.
There are other reasons people choose to do well at their jobs, including motivations such as wanting a pay raise, approval from their peers, high social status (as mentioned before), and recognition that might have been minimal earlier on in life. All of these psychological motivators that lead to external rewards from peers and bosses may be difficult to experience in many non-work related environments.
Not all people are dissatisfied with their jobs, employment and careers. Some people stay employed in the same job for years, not just out of necessity but for the shear enjoyment. We all know at least one person who speaks highly of their work. They may frequently say how time flies during a regular working day or that their job is not work--as if work is synonymous with and has come to mean drudgery that weakens us rather than uplifts our spirit. These people are inspiring role models for those who are disenchanted and dissatisfied with work. They are catalysts for the unhappy worker in search of something satisfying, and a spring board for others to invent a career for themselves if none exists within the current employment market.
Enjoying ones job means connecting to the intrinsic nature of the work itself. If a job resonates with an individual, their best traits and self will shine, and work will become an extension of themselves that lifts them up rather than weighs them down.
To make a change in profession, one must first acknowledge the dissatisfaction and realize that change is possible. Learning to listen to your heart will lead you to the answers you seek and lead you toward a personal fulfilling career choice. This may not be easy for some, especially if they are no longer aware of how much their heart has been suffocating for years feeling the weight of misery in relationship to their work. Avoiding career dissatisfaction is best achieved by beginning the inward process earlier on in life.
Many successful happy people who have invented and created a whole new career for themselves within the system or outside of it have listened to their own heart as their guide, and in doing so have made incredible contributions to society. For entrepreneurial inventor types, for example, it may have required ignoring negative and unsupportive comments of others who suggested their venture was doomed to fail. For those who left their job positions to be trained in something new and different, it may have required stepping outside of their comfort zone to conquer one of their greatest challenges ever; that is, by leaving an unsatisfying long-time career to temporarily risk financial loss in order to pursue of a more satisfying career. For either of the two, the greatest reward of all was in making the first step towards by venturing into a new territory with hope on the horizon and joy and excitement in their heart.
© 2012 Linda C Davies
People react very differently to the waves of change that suddenly flood the work and marketplace. Some, who feel confused or unsettled struggle to keep their heads above water gasping for air. By contrast, others, who may not even like or agree with the changes, nevertheless accept them, get on with their lives and swim forcefully to their new destination. The following three tactics will help you mobilize your resources to take charge of their careers.
Fuel the Fire In Your Heart.
Live your life and career with intention. The key to sustained peak performance is discovering who you are, what you want in life, and then confidently pursue it. Remember, if you don't have your own mission or purpose get one, or otherwise, all you can do is sign up for someone else's. Remember, if you don't know where you're going, how will you know that you've arrived?
Start by develop a career line. Prepare a graph that outlines your career highs and lows from your first job to the present. What kinds of activities were you involved in during your highs - during your lows? Continue this getting to know yourself process by locating your inner energy source. What really gets the juices flowing for you? Is it challenge? Helping other? Being creative? Having authority? Making an impact? Whatever motivates you, write it on a card and look at it every morning.
During times of change and uncertainty, you must realize that it's often your outlook or your attitudes--- what you bring to work, not what work brings to you---that determines your career success. Can you look at what's happening in the workplace and not take it personally? Can you accept the luck of the draw and move on? Can you bounce back on your own rather than allow yourself to wallow in negative emotions? You must learn to accommodate adversity. It can either break or build character. Which is it doing for you?
Forget Being the Lone Ranger.
Are you familiar with the saying: "It's not what you know, .but who you know." Well in today's changing work world, the new saying is: "It's not only what you know, it's not only who you know, but, as important, it's who knows you and your work."
First thing to do is to inventory your network. List all the key people in your career world. Are your contacts mostly within your area? Or are there linkages into different departments, divisions, subsidiaries? What about outside your company? What kinds of relationships do you have? Hi and Good by? Or Hi! What have you been doing? Develop relationships with a whole array of people. It's your ticket to career advancement and success.
Know and be known. Work groups or teams, not hierarchies, are now doing the real work in today's workplace. How are you going to find out about the latest hot project? How are key people going to know about you and your talents? An active network is the most effective tool fin this age of uncertainty. Realize that contacts are the bread of career life. In times of change, information and relationships are a source of power.
Don't Just Stand There, Do Something.
Recognize a successful career in not a spectator sport. Opportunities do not just get placed on your desk. Organizations will no longer provide you with clearly defined career paths. Don't be an absentee landlord and neglect your personal career management. Know what you want and actively seek it out. Take charge of your career. Remember, if you don't control your own destiny, no one else will.
Start by doing a career check up. Ask yourself: "Where am I? Where do I want to go? What are some paths to get me there? What are possible barriers? What are my supports? What resources am I going to need? How will I get these resources?" Failure to take charge of your career leaves you a victim of your own neglect and the changing workplace.
Always have several options in your back pocket. Focus on career contingency planning. Do you have a Plan A, a Plan B, and even a Plan C? What conditions could possibly change in your job; your company; or your industry? Do you have a clear idea where you could jump if unexpected roadblocks arise? Where else can you apply your skills and showcase your talents? A successful career is not fixed in stone, but is fluid and subject to change.
Remember, the Name of the Game Is Action.
Make sure your career goals are not stranded on a island called: "Someday I'll..........." If you want something, don't just think or talk about it. Figure out a way to make it happen. Set specific goals. Develop action plans. Have realistic timetables. Find the resources you need. Keep alive in today's rough seas and begin preparing for tomorrow's raging waters.
Marcia Zidle, a business and leadership development expert, works with entrepreneurial organizations who want to be a dominant player in competing for customers, clients, funding or community awareness.
In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy say, ?Toto, I have a feeling we?re not in Kansas anymore?. Well business, government and community leaders, Marcia says, ?It?s no longer business as usual anymore; its business that has to better than usual.?
Do you want to be better than usual? Then subscribe to Making Waves! a free monthly e-newsletter with quick lessons on better, faster, smarter ways to lead. Sign up now at http://www.LeadersAtAllLevels.com and get a 35 page bonus e-book: Make Bold Change! 101 Ways to Stomp Out Business As Usual. Or contact Marcia directly at 800-971-7619.
Career change after you've worked in a career for a number of years requires you to draft a resume that will help you make the career change. In normal circumstances writing a strong resume is a difficult task but to write an effective resume to help accomplish a career switch is a task that requires some creativity to assure the new employer you can do the job.
Don't make the mistake that other mid-career changers make by trying to put some lipstick on their old resume and think it will work. Never expect the employer to connect the dots, after reading your mind, and determine how you fit the needs of the open position.
To generate ideas to focus your resume you need to do in-depth research on the new career field. If possible talk to others working in the new career. They can provide you with a wealth of information. What are the basic qualifications required to get hired in this job? What skills are required? How well does your skills and qualification match what is required?
Look at postings for a dozen or more jobs in the career you plan on entering. Write out each skill and qualification required and score how many items appear in one or more job opening. If a certification is required what do you need to do? If a specific skill appears frequently, and you are lacking, how can you acquire the skill?
Often these gaps can be filled by completing a short course of study and receiving your certification. Other times an accelerated course of self-study will get the job done. If a more formal course of study is required, there is distance learning and classes after work and on weekends.
In writing your career change resume your focus should be on the needs and requirements of the prospective employer. If you look back over your career, including volunteer and community activities, you will be surprised at the breadth of your experience.
Write out the qualifications and skills required for the job. Now go down the list and match up your experience with the job requirements. Pay particular attention to transferable skills like team work, communication skills, budgeting, cost cutting, people management, customer service skills, program management, organizational skills and technology.
If you worked at something, for example, only 10% or less of you time, and it happens to be the number one job requirement, any accomplishments in this area will be highlighted by listing them first on your resume. It's not lying to structure your resume this way and there is no need to say you spent 10% or less on this activity. If specifically asked about it in a job interview you will have prepared a well thought out answer.
It can't be emphasized enough that your career change resume should focus on the needs of the employer. Anything that does not support this goal you should consider keeping it off the resume. All of your accomplishments listed in the career change resume should strongly support why you are a viable candidate for the job.
The reasons for your career change should only be articulated in your resume cover letter. Keep it brief but logical. You can show in the job interview how passionate you are about the new career and the steps you have taken to build your skills to match the job requirements.
Effective career change requires a well crafted career change resume. Anything less and you are at an extreme disadvantage in today's competitive job market.
John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers, writing effective career change resumes and cover letters and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by applying a variety of job hunting methods and used winning career planning after 50.
You've enjoyed your career for the past twenty years - maybe more. And now you're wondering: Maybe it's time to switch gears. A whole new career. Work at home. Retire.
Or maybe you're forced to revise your career due to layoffs or transfers.
(1) Expect midlife career change to be easier than entering the world of employment for the first time.
Most likely you enjoy a financial cushion: savings, home equity, and a retirement fund. You also have demonstrated skills and experience. If you're employed, your company probably offers resources for developing new skills and managing the transition.
(2) Expect midlife career change to be harder because you've invested in a career identity - way beyond skills and values. When you introduce yourself as, "Here's what I do..." you are also saying, "Here's who I am."
(3) Expect to change your appearance as you change careers.
Sadly, many individuals and organizations really do judge a book by its cover. Clients who want to start a business often are surprised by the increased need to dress up for presentations. An Armani label on a suit? A good start. But are yu wearing this year's suit? Colors that your target market deems "appropriate?"
Many career changes have opted for lower income in exchange for the opportunity to stay home and work in sweats or shorts - and, for women, say good-by to high heels and pantyhose forever.
(4) Recognize that career change often requires a geographic move.
Let's face it: Some places are just better for some careers. Your cost of living may be lower in a small city, but your opportunities to network will be limited. On the other hand, the lower cost of living may allow you to experiment with riskier ventures.
Often your own business doesn't depend on geography. Examples include Internet businesses, mail order shipment, and free lance writing. But you may need to keep on top of mainstream trends and where you live can influence your credibility.
(5) Expect to change your roles in all aspects of your life.
Family and community will view you differently. Some community groups assign You may have more or less time for your family (and they will view you differently). Board members based on the prestige of their day job. Some volunteer activities require you to be available on certain weekdays.
(6) Plan for a new social support system.
Lunch with coworkers. Drinks after work. Dinner with old friends on Friday night. You don't realize how much you enjoyed this support until it's gone.
Friendships change. When you leave a career, former colleagues can regard you with envy or suspicion. They won't understand your new world and the new challenges you face.
(7) Forget the myth, "If you can't be happy here, you won't be happy anywhere."
Many of my clients experienced career change following what seemed to be a midlife crisis. They were surprised to find their whole world looked different.
And that's why I say, "Career breakdown can be the first step to your major career breakthrough."
And now I invite you to learn more about how to master a major midlife career change. Visit Mid-Llife Career Change and down your FREE Report, along with your subscription to the Midlife Careers Ezine.
For the 21-Day Extreme Career Makeover, visit 21-Day Career Makeover
