To anyone who knows how to search the Internet or can gain access to a job search network or library, finding help is easy for those who are facing career change. For those people who need assistance in their career change, there are persons and locations that can provide help with searching a new occupation.

Aid can come in various forms such as help in writing cover letters, creating a resume, and assisting a worker where to find his new career. The help given will depend on each worker’s needs.

For those who are probing whether they need career change help or not, it will be less troublesome if one knows where he should start from. The worker will need to consider just what he is capable of doing when the needed career change is due to some illness or due to the need of finding a less demanding place of work. At this stage, social workers and disability assessors could be of some help. Once interests and abilities have been acknowledged, the kind of career the person is suitable at can be targeted. For example, those people who are less mobile but are able to hold down a job

can consider IT-related jobs. Career change help involves showing the person what courses can help him build a foundation around this trade. The moment courses have been recognized, a class schedule worked out, and training

began, then the person may need help in looking for stations in the workplace.

Giving information about the kind of industry that would best suit the applicant is one of the things that career change help can provide. Searching for jobs that cater to the applicant’s interests aid in the smooth and trouble-free transition from one career to another. When the training ends, the ability to discern which jobs will fit the client and the capacity to recognize the skills needed for the job in relation to a particular client are matters where career change help can work its magic. Recognizing how certain skills can work from one occupation to another is necessary to providing valuable help to a potential worker.

When the decision to take on career change is caused by the employee’s yearning for a change in workplace and lifestyle, they may gain a lot from career change help in discerning just what it is they are searching for in life. When other factors aside from the worker are involved (for example, the spouse or family has to come along or needs to be left behind when moving, transporting and travelling) then the worker may need more specific aid when looking for the right career.

When you know what specific aspects needing help are, then this may contribute to the ease and success of obtaining the career that matches you perfectly. There is available career change help. To gain the most favourable outcome, the worker should support their helps’ search by providing as much relevant information as possible so they can fit their needs to specific job appointments.

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

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As a psychologist and career counselor, I have worked with thousands of people over the years who are choosing or changing careers, and who are wondering whether they would really like to be in a particular career. Based on this experience, I believe that most people who want to go into a career they think they’d like do not really explore the questions they need to in order to be sure that it’s the right career for them.

Here is a list of 20 questions to find answers to before concluding that a career you think you’d like is really right for you, followed by 9 sources of information for answering these questions:

Questions:1. In general, why do you think you’d “like” this career?2. Why is going into this career important to you? What values, needs, and goals does it satisfy?3. What do you actually know about this career?4. Do you have any direct experience in this career? Have you had any jobs or volunteer experiences?5. Have you talked to people who are in this career?6. Have you done any reading on the career?7. What are the opportunities? What kinds of money can you make in this field, and where are the openings?8. What would your typical day be like in this career?9. What are the drawbacks, disadvantages, and roadblocks of this career?10. Do your interests match the interests of others in this career?11. Do you have the aptitudes, skills, and abilities to be successful in this career?12. Do you have the education or training to get into this career?13. Do you have the personality characteristics that will make you successful in the new career?14. Do you have the motivation and energy to follow through and do what you would need to do to get into the new career?15. What are your “transferable” skills? That is, what skills or knowledge do you now have that you can use in the new career?16. What skills or knowledge do you have that would not only be transferable, but that would also be a unique advantage in the new career? 17. What will it take to get into the new career? What kind of additional training, education, or experience would you need?18. Have you developed a specific plan, including timetables and specific goals to be accomplished?19. Do you have a network of support from family, friends, co-workers, or significant others?20. Having answered all of the above questions, do you still “like” the career and think it’s a good idea to get into it, and why?

I think you’ll find that there are many resources you can use to help you answer the above questions. Among them:1. Reading. This would include not only the hundreds of books and pamphlets on careers and career choice, but also publications describing careers (such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor and available on the Internet).2. Practical experience. Not only is it possible to get a full-time or part-time job, but one can also volunteer at an organization or a company a couple of hours a week, just to get exposure to the area. Usually, any organization is glad to have this kind of help (unless they think you’re an investigative reporter from some newspaper or TV program).3. Job search counseling. Anyone changing career directions needs a highly competitive job search strategy. This should include resume, cover letter, and job interviewing strategies that are specific to your situation. This may also include advice on researching the job market.4. A thorough self-assessment. This is not an assessment BY yourself, but an assessment OF yourself. A good career counselor can provide this kind of assessment, which would include counseling and testing.5. Career tests. In general, tests divide into three categories: 1) aptitude, ability, and skills tests, 2) career interest tests, and 3) personality and motivational tests that focus on characteristics related to the career world.6. Career coaching. Guided discussions with an expert can help you to clarify your goals, strategies, and commitment.7. Education and training. Before you launch full-time into a degree program, it is possible to take one course, or a seminar, or a workshop, or a brief certificate program in the new career.8. Networking. There are many job clubs and career resource centers available to explore new careers. Schools, career counselors, and other professionals can usually give you information on these resources. 9. Informational interviewing. It’s usually not a good idea to go into a career if you haven’t talked to at least a few people who are already in it and can give you the lowdown. You can also talk to people in academic and training programs.

Armed with all of this information and all of these insights, you should now be in a better position to judge whether taking the next step in this new career area makes sense for you.

The average person will change careers three to five times in their lifetime. Are you ready to change yours?

Here are the 3 stages you need to go through to succeed:

1) Plan and Research: The key here is “Know Thyself”. Understand why you are changing careers and what is important to you this time around. Write these things down so you can reread the reasons later. Are you aiming for more money? Less stress? More responsibility? You need to have some idea of the job/career you are aiming for, and then begin the research process. Look into what the job actually requires and what the criteria are for interview. Find out what the career path is within the organisations you are looking at. Make a written plan for your career change process that includes a timeline of when you would expect to actually be starting your job. Remember to consider the financial impact of changing career. Do you need to save for a few months to pay for the downtime or retraining?

2) Retrain and Work for free: Once you know what job you want, it is likely you will need to retrain in some way or get some more experience before you are in paid employment in your new role. Retraining may be full or part-time study or even a correspondence course. Working for free is another way to gain the skills and experience needed. It also gives you an insight into what the job really is, as opposed to what you think it might be. This may involve volunteering for an associated charity, asking to shadow people in that role already or an apprenticeship program. If you have decided that you want to start your own business, then work at it in the evenings and weekends. By keeping the day job, you will put less pressure on yourself and working for free gives you more options while you consider your new career path. Remember you have choices at all stages of the process. You can change courses, or decide on a specialty. Keep your eyes open for opportunities that will appear as you gain more experience in your new field.

3) Commitment and Persistence: Changing your career can be hard work, especially if you are still doing your old job in order to pay for the move. But this is your commitment to yourself and your long term happiness. Your commitment to the process means following your plan even when it gets difficult. Persistence is important as you will find ways to give up otherwise. Surely two hours working on your retraining is worth more than two hours of TV? If you managed that several times a week, you will be well on your way. Reread your reasons to change from step 1. Remember why you need to make the change this time. What will happen if you don’t go through with it this time? Will you still be in the same situation in 6 months?

Baby boomers. They’re the generation born between 1946 and 1964. They came of age in the early 70s and early 80s. They’re the generation that made changes and waves, worked harder and longer, put off marriage and children, did things differently than previous generations.

Whether because of financial necessity or because they have something to offer, baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and projections indicate that by 2010 there should be 18.5 million boomers ages 45 to 49 in the labor force, as compared to 14.7 in 1995, and 16.8 million versus 10.6 million in the 50- to 54-years-old range.

They’re still making changes. They’re retiring later, or not at all. If not downsized or laid off, boomers often continue to work. When they don’t choose to continue in the same career, it doesn’t mean they’re ready to stop contributing, and sometimes they’re making transitions to new careers.

“On average there are three to five career changes in a person’s lifetime and that’s pretty common,” says Kevin Gaw, Director of Career Development, University of Nevada, Reno. “It’s pretty common that a layoff ends up being a great opportunity for someone to find something that’s more suited to them, too.”

But it can be challenging to a baby boomer to be suddenly confronted with a career change. They were raised in a world where you got your education, then got your job, and while you may not have stayed with the job until you retired, you would probably stay in the same profession. “It can be jarring to realize you have to transfer your skill set to another area,” says Gaw.

In 2004, Gaw’s office worked with 208 alumni. Nearly 7.5 percent were going through a career change, three percent because of a forced situation such as layoff or company closure or relocation. The rest of them just wanted to do something different.

When you’re faced with an important career shift, there are things you can to do make it easier on yourself and achieve a more enjoyable, productive career change.• Look at your skills. Determine which are transferable to other jobs.

• Find your passion. What do you love to do? “It’s not about the money,” Gaw says. “The money isn’t what makes us happy. What makes us happy is doing something that’s meaningful to us.”
• Look at reality. If you want to be an astronaut but can’t do math, Gaw says, the reality is it’s unlikely. People need to work through that disappointment and maybe change that passion to a hobby rather than a vocation.
• Determine whether you want to make a radical career change? say from legal secretary to Web designer? or stay within the same profession.
• If you like the company you’re with but feel the need for change, see if they can retain and retrain you. If it comes down to a complete career change, there are also some things you can do to help create a whole new career for yourself.
• Promote yourself rather than your age. Once you get into a position and can show off your skills, you’ll be known for those skills rather than your years.
• Start slow. Before investing heavily in education, determine if it’s the right career path for you.
• Network. Many non-entry level positions are found by references. Join professional organizations in the field you want to enter.
• Consider working for yourself. A job market survey conducted in 2005 by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., quoted on thematuremarket.com, indicated that of 3000 job seekers, 13 percent chose to work for themselves, and 86.6 percent of them were over 40.

From Small Business Administration chapters based on most university campuses to SCORE? Service Corps of Retired Engineers? there are programs that can help you start up.

Another option is to leverage your experience and teach or train. Moving into training? coaching people just entering the profession you’re leaving? is a fairly informal move. Teaching requires state licensing, and there are programs helping place retiring workers into teaching positions. The University of Nevada Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning takes executives through a first-time licensing program and puts them in the schools in just a couple semesters, often teaching in high-needs areas like math, science and languages.

Likewise, IBM unveiled their Transition to Teaching program in September, reimbursing them for tuition and providing stipends while they student teach. Many of their executives are highly trained in math and computer sciences.

Whether making a career change to a new profession or a new position, Gaw says such changes are a normal life pattern. “It’s a good thing to be open to change. The challenge is recognizing skill sets and knowing how to capitalize on them and present them to the new opportunities.”

Now begins the hard questions that you have to explore to make your decision. You need to begin evaluating who you are and what you want in life. Maybe a different job and not a different career is what you really want.
You won’t know until you really take a good long look.
Step One – Identify What Suits You
The first step one should take when considering a career change is to make a list of jobs you want to explore. There are free career tests online to help you narrow down the list and decide what you want to focus on. Next you want to research your list.
Take a good long list and research all the jobs on it. Look into all aspects of these potential occupations you can think of.
Get a book from your local library so you can see all the good and potentially bad aspects of the occupations and get a book on career change while you are there. Career change can be scary but worthwhile.
What would bring you more happiness in your life? Are you looking for more money or are you more interested in affecting social change?
Step Two – Sounds Like A Plan
Any career change is going to require you to set some goals and make an action plan. Are you willing to get further education? Try to talk to someone in the occupation you are interested in.
Grill them about the skills needed, how they got started, what they see as the challenges. Any career change requires some flexibility on your part. Are you willing to go all the way and do what it takes to be successful. Do you feel passion when you think of it?
Trying to get an internship is one way to test your career change. Is it all you imagined it would be? Before you go out and get a degree, answer these questions.
Step Three – Tactics In Your Existing Job
If you are currently employed, keeping quiet about your plans may be the best thing for you. That may mean not telling co workers you are close too. You especially don’t want anything getting to your boss if you are just testing the waters.
Remember many people before you have made a career change and were happier people for it. Finding a mentor to guide you can offer valuable career change advice.
This opens up a whole new network of people for you to gain experience and may eventually lead to a job.
For most of us the thought of a career change is so scary. But, if we all just stayed right where we are right noe, what more can life offer us? Look inside yourself and take inventory of what you want out of life and it is entirely possible that the fear is the only thing holding you back.
Sometimes it only takes one initial step to overcome fear and to get you up and running.

As you move through life, your needs, goals, and interests can change. If you’ve lost your spark for your current career, you may decide that it’s time for a major change in occupation. While this can be a scary process, following these tips and guidelines can help you make a career change successfully and more easily.Review Your Current Career

First off, you may want to decide if it’s your career or your job that needs changing. If you find that your company or industry holds promise, you may want to consider if there is another position within the company that would be more compatible with your job skills and interests. Don’t be afraid to talk to your boss and to ask around in your company about other available positions. Employers have an investment in their employees, and an employee that expresses the need for growth and more responsibility can be considered an asset.List Your Skills and Aptitudes

Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses before making a change. Your list of attributes should consider not only what you think you do well, but also where you have received your accolades in and outside of work. Also, be honest with your list of “needs to improve.”Assess Your Interests

You should also write down what you enjoy doing in your spare time. Is there any way you can take a hobby and make a career out of it? If you find this process difficult, you can use career assessment tests online or at a college or university. These tests analyze your personality traits, skills, and interests. Some excellent assessment tests include the Meyers-Briggs (personality assessment), the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (interests), and the Strength Finders Profile (skills and aptitude).Finding Inspiration

Many successful career changers will tell you they took their passion and turned it into a career. A great book for putting your interests and dreams to work for you is Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher. This book will show you strategies for determining your interests and discovering your skills and strengths. It can also help you develop a game plan to achieve concrete results.Analyze Your Income and Savings

Making a career change can mean a change in income, especially if you’ve decided that you need more education or training. Before moving forward, sit down and analyze the time and money needed to get a degree or certificate in your new career. You need to decide if you’ll be able to continue your current job while attending school to fully determine your monetary situation.Do Your Homework!

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is an excellent way to learn about different careers and the income potential, expected growth, and training and educational requirements. Research your chosen field by going online, reading trade magazines and testimonials, and talking to those in and around the profession. Volunteer or take a temporary job in your new field of interest. Doing so will allow you the opportunity to decide whether or not your new career is a viable one for you.Take Your Time

Remember, be honest in your assessments and take time to research carefully. Career changes are a big deal, and we want yours to be successful. Time spent now in preparing for your new career will lend to your success and enjoyment of it later.