Career – A Self Help Guide

Could you hope to live without a career all life despite inheriting a legacy? Career is not just about living out of inherited money, nor is it limited to earning livelihood. Holistically speaking it is the progression of ones working or professional life. Career indeed means a lot these days. Nowadays, parents start grooming their children from the day one she starts her education, guide and help their children choose their career.

Choosing and Making a Career
To some, choosing a career is as simple as a ready to eat preparation served in a silver bowl, because their career is inherited through legacy. Still they don’t spare a stone unturned in their efforts to just pursue it and make successful careers. For example, Henry Ford, who is the third generation person to carry on the legacy of his parents successfully, has toiled hard to expand the empire beyond the Atlantic Ocean.

Students should start thinking about their careers while in High School. Career exploring in various fields such as Accountancy, Finance, Law, Engineering and Medical, Business Management etc should be given a serious thought while they are still in College level. Well planning and choosing the appropriate line of study will definitely get you a good pick of your own choice.

Career Counselors prove beneficial in personal development and if you need them to, they can double up as career coaches who guide you in choosing your career. They assess your scope of interest, ability, your personality and style of working and accordingly, help you choose your career.

Career development
Did you know choosing a career is much easier rather than developing it? Landing a suitable job may take less than a year but making a career is for the rest of your working life. Once you land up at your chosen career, you must try to manage it carefully by gaining deeper knowledge and skills, working ethically and with integrity, and climb the ladder of success, to achieve your goals by rising to a higher level or position in that organization. Slightest initial complacency would mean a longer stay at the same level for a long time, develop leadership qualities within and rise to higher level. Work conditions and ethics permit that you can have multiple careers to explore your capabilities. Be good at decision-making and this will be the step forward to boost your career. Never give up hope, as the saying goes `In every difficulty lies an opportunity’.

Tags: Career Change, Career Opportunity, Career.
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Career Change Decision-Making

Are you facing that career change decision-point?

Do you wish you were? Take it slowly and make sure what you really want to do is change careers.

Remember that career change is a natural life progression. Most studies show that the average job seeker will change careers several times over the course of his or her lifetime.

Use this 6-step plan. This will ensure that you will be on the right footing and on a path toward career change success.

1. Assessment of Likes and Dislikes.

A lot of people change careers because they dislike their job, their boss, their company and so forth. Identifying the dislikes is often the easier part of this step.

You will not know what direction to change your career unless you examine your likes. What do you really like doing when you are working, when you are at home and in your spare time? What excites you and energizes you? What is your passion?

If you are still unsure, consider taking one of more of those career assessments. The key is spending some time rediscovering yourself and using your self-assessment to direct your new career search.

2. Researching new careers.

Once you have discovered your passion, spend some time researching the types of careers that center on your passions. Do not worry if you are feeling a bit unsure or insecure; it is a natural part of the career change process.

How much research you do also partly depends on how much of a change you want.

3. Transferable skills.

Leverage some of your current skills and experiences to your new career. There are many skills that are transferable and applicable to what you want to do in your new career. You may be surprised to see that you already have a solid amount of experience needed for your new career.

4. Training and education.

You may find it necessary to update your skills and broaden your knowledge. Take it slowly.

If the skill you need to learn is one you could use in your current job, see if your current employer would be willing to pick up the tab. Take a course or two to ensure you really like the subject matter.

If you are going for a new degree or certification, make sure you check the accreditation of the school. Get some information about placement successes.

5. Networking.

One of the real keys to successfully changing careers will be your networking ability. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network.

Even if you do not think you already have a network, you probably do. Consider colleagues, friends, and family members.

You can also broaden your network through joining professional organizations in your new field and contacting alumni from your college who are working in the field you want to enter. A key tool of networking is conducting informational interviews.

6. Be Flexible. You will need to be flexible about nearly everything, from your employment status to relocation and salary.

Set positive goals for yourself, but expect setbacks and change. Do not let these things get you down. Besides totally new careers, you might also consider a lateral move that could serve as a springboard for a bigger career change.

Tags: Career Change, Career Decision, Career., Job Change
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How To Successfully Change Your Career

Career is one big word. Sometimes, that word alone gives the whole idea of the plans of a particular person, of where he or she is heading.

This is could be one reason why people take their careers seriously. For one, college courses taken are very crucial as the years spent in the university can very well direct the course of a lifetime.

Some people make the big decision when they leave school. Some prepare for this in high school or as early as during the years of late childhood, when one becomes dreaming to become someone, a doctor or a lawyer perhaps.

Of course, there are those who realize their desired careers in their adulthood. In the middle of performing a career, they suddenly realize that they need a complete change of direction.

Changing Your Career

Changing career is not an easy thing to do, especially for one who has stayed on one field for quite a long time. This can sometimes occur because the individual suddenly had a change of heart. For some, they simply found their current work hostile to them.

For example, a person in the advertising world may found the pressures of the job too much to handle. A radical choice can lead him or her to quit job to do home-based business where one can easily manage the time for everything.

There are several factors that push people into changing their careers. For one, they do not get the right support in the working place. Possibly, people are too competitive that everyone is left on their own without much encouragement.

Another reason is the discrimination that could occur in many ways. This is not favorable for those on the other end of the line, especially if the organization does nothing with such events.

There are also work places where the opportunity to advance to higher positions is very limited. This hinders growth and can often leave the employee to a stump. As such, most people seek further studies and go to another field where they can best excel and display their prowess.

How to Successfully Change Your Career

The event of changing your career can be very nerve-wracking. It sounds like a drastic move. The other end of the tunnel seems so unsure and unstable.

This is a normal reaction, given that you could have gotten used to your present career that leaving it can also need some courage and determination.

Of course, there are people who have done this before and they made the right choice in following their heart and establishing themselves in the careers they really want. The change can be easily facilitated by just knowing how to do it.

1. Know Your Skills

Get a sheet of paper. Recall the past years that you have worked. Write down all the things you have been good at or the things you have enjoyed doing. Consider all the activities and experiences that will come to mind.

The things listed shall give you a good idea of your mechanical, intellectual and social skills. It shall also apprise you of what you really like and passionate about.

2. Get Help on Career Suggestions

Given the points above, evaluate the other careers that utilize your skills. It may also be more advisable to seek assistance in this aspect. There are counselors who can help you in the career exploration aspect.

3. Do Your Own Research

It also pays if you can do your research to get more career ideas. There are web sites that can be utilized to get ideas on what careers will best suit your skills. Classified ads are also helpful in this regard.

Also, once you have narrowed down on the choices, it pays to learn more about a particular selection. Make sure that you know how it works, be familiar with the other skills you need and acquaint with the institutions involved.

4. Get into a Career You Really Love and Enjoy

Passion is an important thing in this lifetime. This is the driving force to make you reach new heights. Thus, you must evaluate careers that are in line with your passions so you can love and enjoy what you do. This will help you realize the real you.

Tags: Career Change, Career Education, Career-training
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7 Outdated Myths That Will Kill Your Career Change Before You Start

If you’re a career-changing Baby Boomer, you may feel like you’ve gotten lost with Dorothy in Oz. You’ve achieved success in your career. You’ve built skills and a strong work ethic. And now you’re ready to move on…and it’s not working.
Many of my own clients tell me, “I haven’t had to look for a job for 20 years.”
Twenty years ago, you probably didn’t have a cell phone or an email account. A worm was something you put on a fish hook and a virus was something you caught from visiting friends. You could bring your whole set of kitchen knives onto an airplane and gas prices…well, we won’t go there.
And career counselors were handing out tests that promised to predict our aptitude and attitude.
Today as many as 90% of workers wish they could find a new career, but few actually succeed. Most are held back because they’re still guiding their progress by what they learned when they begin their careers, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
Myth #1: Science supports the traditional linear career change model: test for interests, identify careers and go find a job.
Reality #1: You probably discovered this idea in a self-help book. Maybe you hired a career counselor. But it doesn’t work. Clients often call me because they’re stuck in the first stage: looking inward for guidance. They take tests and contemplate “what I really want.”
But researchers at Stanford and Harvard have found that career exploration proceeds in a zig-zag trial-and-error path. The word “serendipity” has been used in mainstream career research journals. Action, not introspection, is the key.
Myth #2: Starting a business is riskier than seeking a new job.
Reality #2: I would never tell anyone, “Stop job hunting and start your own entrepreneurial venture!” But these days, I recommend moving in parallel paths. Keep looking for a job but get serious about self-employment.
If you have a high profile in your industry or community, you may have trouble getting hired – but you might find yourself in demand as a self-employed business person. And if you’re above a certain age, you may meet resistance from the traditional job market.
Myth #3: Skills that brought you career success are the same skills you need for career change.
Reality #3: Career and business achievement calls for football skills: teamwork, planning and playing your position. You get rewarded for being in the right place at the right time.
But career change typically happens like playground basketball. Your biggest successes will be unplanned. The rules change and if you want a team, you will have to find them — or even hire them.
Myth #4: Ignore unexpected thoughts like, “Maybe it’s time to move.” They’ll soon go away.
Reality #4: These hints come from your intuition, which is not a woo-woo concept but a reliable source of insight that has been recognized by mainstream psychologists and scientists. When you ignore these whispers, you may find yourself sabotaging your own success.
Myth #5: Make tough career decisions like business decisions: run the numbers.
Reality #5: In my experience, career decisions follow their own logic. You develop scenarios and stories. You ask, “Can I live with my worst case scenario? If not, what can I do now to avoid having this scenario unfold?”
Myth #6: Fear is a signal to stay where you are, not challenge the status quo.
Reality #6: Contemporary psychologists recognize that fear can be your friend, especially when you’re moving outside your comfort zone into a new adventure. Fear means you’re taking care of yourself as you move into the unknown.
Sometimes you will work in and through the fear. And sometimes you experience fear for a good reason: time to gather more information before moving ahead.
Myth #7: Career change means feeling stressed and miserable.
Reality #7: Career change can become a source of meaning and growth. Most people look back with gratitude on this time in their lives.
As you progress, you begin to feel strong and powerful. You recognize more and more of what you want. The magic happens when you connect with a glimpse of, “This could be good.”

Tags: Career Change, Careers., Entrepreneurship, Job Search, Jobs, Midlife, Second Career, Workplace
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What to Consider Before Changing Career Fields

Are you currently unsatisfied with your job or the direction of your career? If you are, you may be interested in changing career fields. While this is more than possible to do, it is important to remember that not all jobs and career fields are the same. For example, just because you may make a great legal security, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are qualified to work as a nurse or another healthcare professional. That is just one of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, before changing career fields. A few of the other factors that you will want to take into consideration are outlined below.

As previously stated, not all jobs and career fields are the same. That is why it is important that you do not make any assumptions. Assuming is the worst mistake that you could ever make, especially with something as important as your career. Before officially deciding to change careers, you will want to take the time to thoroughly research each career field that you may be interested in entering. These career fields may include medical, automotive, legal, retail, and so forth. This research can easily be done online or at your local library. Important points that you will want to examine include current and forecasted job outlook, as well as pay.

Once you have at least one or two career fields that you would be interested in entering, you may want to start searching for open job positions. The only thing is that you may want to refrain from applying for any of those jobs just yet. Instead, you will want to examine a number of different factors. One of those factors is pay. For the positions that you would be interested in apply for is the pay enough to support your family? While some circumstances may allow you to take a pay cut, you may want to refrain from doing so if possible.

In addition to pay, you will want to examine some of the job openings that you are able to come across to learn as much as you can about average job requirements. These job requirements may include education, training, or previous work experience. What is nice about this information is that it is easy to come across. You will find that most job listings, both in print and online, will outline all of the requirements needed for the job. This will give you a good idea as to whether or not you are qualified for the job or jobs of your dreams. With that in mind, if you have yet to quit your job, you may want to take the time to take a few night or weekend training courses to help improve your training and experience.

In keeping with career training, if you are interested in increasing your chances, you will want to consider taking a few of these training courses or classes. They come in a number of different formats, but they are all designed to help you prepare for a career change. For example, hopeful accountants may learn how to prepare taxes, keep accurate business records, and so forth. In all honesty, the length of training needed or required will all depend on the career field that you are interested in entering.

If you are interested in using career training courses or classes to improve your chances of seeing a successful career change, you will want to use your local newspaper or the internet. Many career training courses are advertised in both locations. You may also want to examine your local community colleges or vocational centers to see what they have available. Yes, you will have to pay to attend a career training course or a class, but it will almost always be worth in the end. Hopefully, the end result will be a successful entrance into a new career field, namely the career field of your choice.

Tags: Career Advice, Career Change
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Thinking Of A New Career

When we think of career change we generally think of deciding that wed like to do something different with our lives and making that move to that new career. Often, however, it doesn’t really work that way. Career change may be something we didn’t anticipate, we didn’t ask for, we didn’t welcome and something that just got thrust upon us.
Middle-aged men are especially prone to this forced career change. In fact, the chances that a middle aged man will be pushed into a career change due to unexpected job loss is twice as likely as twice as likely now as it was just a decade ago. In the United States alone one million males are forced into a midlife career change due to downsized, merged or bankrupt companies. Many of these, finding new employment difficult, head into entrepreneurship or partnership.
Women aren’t far behind in this non-optional career change either. Technology evolutions and downsizing affect women in the workforce as well, not only because they have to change career midstream but also because they are unemployed spouses of males who lose their jobs. These women must enter the workforce, some without having ever done so in the past.
Some career change is voluntary and welcome, of course. Divorce can either necessitate a career change or make possible a long-sought career change. Empty nest syndrome may leave caregivers with time on their hands to pursue their dreams.
No matter whether a career change is voluntary or thrust upon us, there are some tips that help make the transition a more peaceful, successful and productive life transition.
The first thing we all must do is assume that we will have at least one career change – and perhaps many – in the course of our adult lives. As much as we are able we should do what our parents tried to teach us as children – save for a rainy day. A cash reserve of about six months salary – or at the very least three – is important. Should you be laid off what you don’t want to have to do is make a career change that you don’t welcome simply because finances require you to take the first job that comes along or one you don’t like but one that pays better than your dream occupation.
Keeping abreast of the latest technology and the latest workforce gadgets keeps your skills marketable. No matter what career you change to you’ll be welcomed if you know the latest computer and communication software and hardware. Great communication and public speaking skills, knowledge of software programs such as Word, Excel, Spreadsheet and Power Point can be valuable no matter what career change you make.
Networking in your industry and the related industries, but outside your workplace can be immensely helpful with any career change. The old saying that “its not what you know, its who you know” is still true today.
Consider returning to school if you find yourself forced into a career change.
Look into the possibilities of education grants and loans. See if you might be able to live off savings and a part time job while you train for that new career. Theres no reason that you cant make career lemonade out of that lemon of an unexpected career change.

Tags: Career Change
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Why Impulsive Decisions Are Not Wise When Planning Your Next Career Move

Are you frustrated with the present state of your career?
You might be, if you find yourself locked in workplace conflicts with a colleague or your boss. You might also feel that you deserve more than what you are being paid, or that you are regularly being required to work late without an overtime pay to match.
Such circumstances are bound to get you thinking about a career change. Of course you can find a new position of your liking, but you need to watch out for the pitfalls when you actually cross the threshold and make that bold career forward move.
Now you might want to give a good thought to your reasons of quitting before you seek a career transition. Making money after all is serious business; your livelihood and your family’s well-being depend on it. An impulsive decision is not in the best interest of your career planning.
A frivolous or petty reason should not make you put in your papers. You should not, for example, let conflict with another individual or small issues make you resign. However, if you feel you have no hope of any further career development, if there are concerns for your safety at work, or if you need a career change to support the changing needs of your family, you will want to look at all the options before you.
Speaking of your options, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of a career change before you actually take the plunge. That would entail taking a good, hard look at the current employment opportunities in and around your area.
Career transition has to go hand in hand with career planning. The last thing you would want is to give up your job on an impulse and find no good openings in your area. That would leave you in a precarious position with bills to pay and a family to support.
When contemplating a career change, you obviously need to explore all avenues to find out the current employment scenario in your area. You should start examining the employment pages of local newspapers for job openings in your quest of a career job opportunity. You also need to gather all the career information available with online recruitment portals on the internet.
In the course of your job search you should take into account the current pay levels, the benefits, and other relevant particulars of all the available jobs. If the package advertised looks attractive, it is important that you examine all job requirements, such as any training or work experience. Unless the job scenario in your target area is exceptionally bright, you cannot count on being offered employment in a position you are not fully qualified for.
When you are satisfied that there are enough opportunities for career transition, it is time you take your job search to the next level. This means you start applying for the job openings in and around your area. You need to apply right away for positions which interest you, for the best jobs always draw a lot of qualified applicants quickly.
Once you have made the career forward move, you may want to consider submitting your resignation, with the requisite period of notice, to your current employer. You realistically can only resign once you get a concrete offer, just to be on the safe side.
It is important for your career planning that you have a proper resume. Not only do you need to brush up your resume and make it up-to-date with all the skills and experience gained in your current job; it should be done with a professional get-up.
A nice resume creates a very good impression. It can land you a job interview, and may go a long way in leading you to a career dream find. You can take the help of free resume templates online or those provided with software such as Microsoft Word or Works. You can also seek professional help in writing your resume.
These are some of the things you will want to take into consideration in your quest of a career change. Just a small advice: do not terminate your position with your current employer until you have some concrete offer in hand.

Tags: Career Advancement, Career Change, Career Management, Career Move, Career Planning, Career Transition
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How To Successfully Search For A New Career

Looking for the right job is a journey – it doesn’t happen overnight. However, there are certain steps you can take to accelerate the process.
Identify Careers That Are Suitable For You
The first step in switching to a new career is to understand the various careers that are right for you. In situations like these, people turn to career coaches who help assess and determine their weaknesses and strengths. Above all, they help in identifying opportunities that best fit an individual’s character. There are many career coaches and online resources that are helpful in selecting a particular career path.
There are assessment tests that will tell you about the job options available for you. They also work as a tool for uncovering experience, training and education needed for your next career. Additionally, they simplify tough career decisions and suggest careers you might have otherwise neglected.
Focus Your Efforts
In the long run, making the right educational decisions can help in securing a good career. There are numerous careers and various academic majors. With such a plethora of choices, it is hard to know where you should start. After narrowing down your field, it is easier to conduct your search.
Talk To Others
Consult professionals who are already in your selected field, as they are the best source of insight and knowledge into the career you are planning to pursue. By setting up informational interviews you can get a feel for the industry and what it is like day-to-day.
Make a Lateral Career Change Move
Whenever you plan to make a career change, you may want to consider making a lateral move in your new field. For example, if you are a medical lab technician with considerable years of experience, then you can attain some computer certifications to make a career change to information technology (IT). There are numerous healthcare facilities that need IT people as well. Consequently, you can try making a lateral move to an IT job within the medical field, by banking on your background for getting your foot in the door.
Write a Targeted Resume
The final step in successfully landing a new career is to write a targeted resume. Among all the given resume formats, today employers usually favor the chronological format. A good suggestion is to opt for a hybrid resume or a combination resume instead. This resume combines all the best features of the chronological and functional resumes. In addition, it draws attention to your transferable, career-change skills, in compliance with the favored format.
Making a career change is never easy. However, you can make the most of the opportunity by being prepared and knowing where to go for education and information.

Tags: Career Change, change jobs, How To Find A New Job, Job Change, New Career Search
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New Career Tips

People usually look for a new career either when they are bored or when they are looking to do something new. Starting out a new career maybe scary for few people in the beginning, but it promises to be a completely new adventure in the long run.
Planning plays an essential part of success when embarking on a new career. The first thing to do when planning on a change in career is to check the prospects the new career has to offer you, both professionally as well as personally. It also includes forgetting the skills or experience that you have acquired from your old job.
It is obvious that if you’ve been working as an engineer for two years, you can’t use those skills if you have thoughts of starting out a career in writing, unless you’re writing on engineering subjects.
Given below are some of tips on starting out on a new career:
-Look for some support: Be sure that your family and friends support you with respect to your new career. Starting a new career doesn’t mean that you should shut them out of your social life. Keep yourself surrounded by positive people who drive you to achieve your goals.
-Recognize your strengths and weaknesses: It may also mean that you need to know your likes and dislikes. The reason why you’re starting out a new career may be because of something that you didn’t like in your previous job. Don’t repeat that mistake. See what you’re good at and try to improve the areas where you lack potential. Try and find out your passion, since that is an ideal way to start a successful new career.
-Talk to people who have gone through your experience: Knowing what other people went through in similar experiences and how they have achieved success will prepare you in advance to encounter problems in the future. People who have had experience in this matter provide great advice on change in careers. Try and dig out information on what amount of commitment it takes to change and start a new career.
-Keep track of emerging careers: Due to innovative concepts, new career options are sprouting up everywhere you look. Do your homework and look out for new and exciting career options before settling in for any one. The IT and retail sectors are on a roll. You will find many career options in these sectors.
-Groom yourself and create a good resume: Always keep your resume up-to-date – you never know when you’ll need it. The first impression you make is often a lasting one.
Starting a new career can be stressful; but by following the tips above, you can give yourself the best chance for success.

Tags: Career Change, Career Satisfaction, Career Success, Career., Job Change, Job., New Careers, New Jobs
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Changing Careers? Avoid These 5 Classic Mistakes

Most of the experts say that the average person can expect to change careers (not just jobs) 3 to 5 times in their working life. The reasons? Many people are burnt-out, underpaid, stressed out, bored, unsatisfied, or at a career dead end. For some, their careers have changed on them –thanks to corporate mergers, changes in technology, company restructuring, age discrimination, and a thousand other reasons.

After counseling thousands of people in finding new careers and jobs, we have found that there are 5 classic mistakes most career and job changers make: MISTAKE 1: NO CLEAR GOAL.

Not having a clear goal is like trying to run a race when you do not know where the finish line is. Many career changers have only a partial goal. They KNOW that they want a job with less stress, or more money, or more of a future, or more independence, or more satisfaction. A career goal, however, should be comprehensive, specific, clear, and realistic. It should include not only the practicalities of your situation, but also who you are, the realities of the job market, and the potential pitfalls. MISTAKE 2: NO CLEAR PICTURE OF YOUR STRENGTHS.

Most career changers (and job seekers) spend more time worrying about their weaknesses than their strengths. Most people don’t even know what their strengths are. But it is your strengths–not your weaknesses–that determine your career success. Get a professional assessment. This should also include your personal characteristics, motivation, aptitudes, goals, values, interests, and talents. A career and job decision is too important not to have this picture. MISTAKE 3: NO CAREFUL PLANNING.

Sure, most people think about it for a long time, but thinking is not the same thing as detailed planning. Most people plan a night out with friends more carefully than they plan their careers. Planning would mean researching the new career, talking to people who are in the new career, getting some hands-on experience, reading (books, trade journals, industry newsletters), developing strategies for any possible negatives or problems, consulting with a mentor, knowing what education or training you would need, and other actions. MISTAKE 4: NO MOTIVATION.

As a psychologist who has worked with underachievers of all ages, I can tell you that many have good intentions but fail to take action. This is, of course, a normal human trait. There are times when all of us procrastinate, give ourselves excuses, and do not do the things that will lead us to our goals. If you are changing careers, however, you had better be motivated. Only consistent, daily, well-considered action will get you where you want to go. MISTAKE 5: NO INDIVIDUALIZED JOB SEARCH STRATEGY.

If you are changing careers, you need something more than the usual job search tactics. You need a strategy that fits who you are as a unique individual and the fact that you are changing careers. For example, if you tell a job interviewer (or anyone else) that you are “changing careers,” it is the kiss of death. You see, if you are changing careers, then you are starting over–from square one–and are competing with kids just out of school. Instead, you should say, “I am taking the next step in my career” (which, actually, is closer to the truth for most career changers). Another example: Make sure your résumé is rewritten so that it doesn’t “lock you in” to the old career. Go light on the jargon. Emphasize skills in the old career that would be a real advantage (not just “transferable skills”) in the new career.

If you avoid these classic mistakes, you are well on your way to making a successful job and career change.

Tags: Career Change, Career Counseling, Job Change, Job Search Coaching, Should I Change Jobs
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