When you reach a certain level in your executive career, you start to … well, coast a bit sometimes. Be honest, now. Have you decided – actively or not – that you already know enough, and don’t need to continue improving your skill set?
Call it a feeling of invincibility. It has its advantages in the business world, but it can have its drawbacks, too. Particularly when you start thinking about changing careers, and especially when you start thinking about moving into a different industry. And particularly when it comes to making an unexpected job transition, as is happening more frequently these days.
Look at the people already doing the work you want to do. The ones who aren’t there yet, but want to be. Not all of them are pursuing continuing education to make themselves better candidates for the management positions they’re after. But a lot of them are. And that’s an extra point or two they’ll have on you when you start sending out your resume to recruiters and headhunters and the like.
Don’t sit on your laurels. It’s one of the most dangerous things you can do these days.
Need a little present-moment way to look at it? Think of the people working around you. How much could they benefit from your increased knowledge? How much could your company improve? And then (to make it all about you again), how much better would your resume look when you’ve helped your team and your company make great strides?
Education isn’t just a lark. If you have a company that helps pay for continuing education (most do), you know they don’t think it’s a lark. They know it’ll only help their bottom line by keeping their people sharp. It’ll help your bottom line, too.
And as we’re all learning in the world of work (or, as we may need to learn over and over again), if you’re not moving forward, keeping up, getting ahead – or whatever phrase you choose to use – you’re not just standing still as a result.
Fact is, you’re falling behind, or the rest of the world is moving ahead of you. Either way you look at it, the glass is half-empty for you, and getting emptier.
So enough mixing of metaphors. If you haven’t gone through that course catalog yet, now’s as good a time as any to start. Go for it!

When you have decided to change your career path, it is difficult to assess whether or not you need to just make a job change or consider a new career direction. You might ask “What if I try other career, will my life change for the better or for worse?”

To help you with your decision try the following systematic procedure before you maneuver the steering wheel to a new career destination.1.    Assess yourselfAt your first crossroads along the path to a better career, figure out where you are now. Start by identifying what elements make you miserable at work today such as your present role, the overall industry you work in, your location, the hours required, the skills you use and the skills you are not using.

It will help you quantify and evaluate your reactions to work and identify what elements are most decisive to you– be it supportive colleagues, salary, or a lively company culture.This assessment will provide you with solid and real-life information to inform your next move.2.   Figure out what working atmosphere you can work best

The next vital point on your journey determines how you like to work and who you want to work with. Are you happiest working in teams, or alone? Do you enjoy motivating others? Or perfecting the details?3.    Clarify work optionsIdentify the benefits that you get from your present job versus the benefits you might get from the career you want to pursue. Do the companies give importance to the professional growth of their employees? Do they offer seminars and group dynamics? Do they give bonuses and other perks to their employees?

Answering these questions will help you decide if you would actively pursue your desired career or stay with your job.4.   Evaluate your transferable job skills

What do you use in your current position that you could use in another role (writing skills? management experience?

Find a way to use transferable skills in a new position. Consider the following:

A.     An investment banker who likes research might enter a more research-oriented role in their current company.B.     Web designer who loves literature might design book covers for a publisher. Whether you decide to stay put in your job, make a lateral move, or make a radical change, you’ve taken steps to better understand yourself and your hopes for work. No matter what path you choose, clarifying your needs and interests will get you moving toward the peak of your potential.

You and I are lucky. We live in a world rich in possibilities. We are able to select from an unlimited variety of occupations, and have the right to find happiness and personal fulfillment in our daily work.
The fact that you live in a free society gives you the privilege to decide your own fate. You have as much power in determining where you work as you do in selecting a spouse, a home, a car, or a pet. Your choice of jobs really depends on how much you want to shape your career, and how much effort you’re willing to spend to make the necessary improvements in your life.
If you’re considering a job change, it’s likely related to three reasons :
1 – Personal – You want to change your relationships with others.
For example, you may have discovered that you’re incompatible with the people in your company. Perhaps they have different interests than you; or they communicate differently or have different educational backgrounds.
2 – Professional – You’ve determined the need to advance your career
For example, you have found that you won’t reach your professional or technical goals at your present company; or that your advancement is being blocked by someone who’s more senior or more politically oriented; or that you are not getting the recognition you deserve; or that you and your company are growing in different directions; or that you are not being challenged technically; or you are not being given the skills you need to compete for employment in the future. Or you have simply lost interest in your assigned tasks.
3 – Situational – You are motivated by other circumstances that all contribute to your satisfaction in the workplace. Maybe you are commuting too far from home each day, you are too compartmentalized in your duties, you are forced to travel too much, you are working too many hours, or you are under too much stress. Maybe you want to relocate to another city, or stay where you are rather than be transferred?
Whatever your personal, professional, or situational reasons may be, you’re motivated by the desire to improve your level of job satisfaction and make a positive change. You’d be surprised how many people are unclear about what they actually do for a living, and the way their jobs make them feel. In order to translate your wishes and needs into results, let’s begin by evaluating your present position it’s the first step to any job change.
For example, whenever I interview a candidate, the first thing I ask for is a complete narrative job description:
“So tell me, Bonnie”, I begin, “What is it that you do at your present company?”
“Gee Dave, I thought I told you already. I’m a systems analyst.”
“All right”, I reply. “But would you please describe to me in detail the following two things:
1- What are your daily activities? That is, how do you spend your time during a typical day
2- What are the measurable results your company expects from these activities? In other words, how does your supervisor know when you’re doing a good job?”
Often, I discover that people are hard pressed to come up with solid answers about the specific nature of their work. They’re not exactly sure about their job responsibilities, and their lack of focus results in stress or counter-productivity. Many employers expect you know what they want and how that should be done, often without giving you feedback till after you were passed over for that promotion you felt was deserved. It is your job and part of being fulfilled in it for you and your employer is to be on the same page and meet or exceed expectations and goals you both set.
While a little bit of stress may is natural in any job, a steady diet of it can destroy your incentive to work and dramatically effect happiness in all phases of your life. When you count your work week combined with your average commute, most people work more than they sleep (or do anything else), so minimizing any stress in your life contributes to life’s satisfaction. A recent study confirms this and indicates a direct correlation between a person’s lack of task clarity and their level of job dissatisfaction. Knowing what you want is the crucial first step for getting what is most appropriate for you. Every compromise you make undermines your goal of vocational satisfaction and personal achievement. Asking for what you want shows you are focused, thoughtful, and confident about your skills, goals, and abilities. Proactively approaching your work this way will more often than not impress the people you want to (if they are the right people), and will pave the way to you finding satisfaction and an optimal match in the workplace.
Try this exercise:
On a sheet of paper, write a complete, current job description in which you list your daily activities and their expected, measurable results. This exercise will not only help you clarify your own perception of your work, it’ll be useful later on when you begin to construct a resume and communicate to others exactly what you’ve done and what you are looking for.
Once you’ve described all the facets of your job, the next step is to understand the relationship between what you do and the way you feel. I use the term ‘values’ as a descriptor of personal priorities, as a yardstick to help you:
* Understand what types of work-related activities you really enjoy;
* Determine which goals or accomplishments are important to you and give you a feeling of satisfaction; and
* Evaluate whether your personal priorities are in balance, or in harmony with your job situation. new position.
Although it’s fairly simple to decipher which daily tasks you really enjoy, the task of scrutinizing your personal priorities can be tricky. That’s because there are often factors unrelated to your job that can come into play.
To demonstrate this importance of values in our decision-making process, consider the following:
* A job-seeker can turn down a position because he was an amateur athlete and he didn’t like the air quality where my client company was located.
* A candidate who was a long distance runner. He took a position largely because his new boss was also a runner, and would understand his need to take off work twice a year to run the New York City and Boston marathons.
* An engineer that took a job with a company that offered him a demotion, since being highly visible within his current employer’s department made him feel uncomfortable.
The theme here is, we all have highly personal motivations which guide our career choices. It is important to prioritize and make these known.
Now that you know how to clearly define your values, the next step is to describe the changes you’d like to make in your new job. To further illustrate, listen to the way Pat, Craig, and Neil talk about their respective situations, and how they take their values into consideration:
Pat:
“I want to have more autonomy where I work. That would mean having a flexible schedule, working different hours each day at my discretion, without having to ask permission. I’d be able to leave early on Thursdays to take my daughter to her acting class, and in return, I’d be willing to spend several hours working at home during the evening and on weekends. With my personal computer, I’d have access by modem to the database in my department, and I’d be able to make a significant contribution to the workload, any time, day or night. Most importantly, I’d be evaluated solely on my performance, not by the number of hours I’ve punched on a clock.”
Craig:
“I’d prefer to work closer to my home. I didn’t think the amount of time I spent commuting was very important when I joined the company two years ago, but now it really wears on me to sit for an hour a day in traffic. It’s not only nerve-wracking to deal with all the crazy people on the freeway; I could be using the commuting time to be with my family. The reduction of stress would improve my attitude, and give me a higher quality of life. If I could find a job similar to what I have now within a few minutes of home, that would make me happy.”
Neil: “I’m interested in my own career advancement. If I stay at this company too much longer, I’ll work myself into a corner technically and never achieve my potential. The people here are nice, but I don’t share their ‘lifer’ mentality. Look at Ed, my boss. He’s been here 17 years, and although he’s a really solid engineer, he’s not familiar with any of the latest advancements in technology. He’d have a hard time finding another job in this market, and it makes me worried, knowing I might someday be in his situation. Besides, I won’t be promoted until Ed retires. So I’d better leave soon, while I’m still attractive to other companies. That would give me the salary increase I deserve and the opportunity to learn new skills with people who are upwardly mobile and aggressive like myself.”
Someone recently asked me whether I helped people get “better” jobs or jobs that made them happier. My answer was that the two were one in the same. As any advocate of goal-setting will tell you, the more specifically you’re able to communicate what you’re looking for, the faster and more efficiently you’ll be able to get what you want and need.
Another consideration is, if you were to look at your career from a purely strategic point of view, I could give you four poignant reasons why it makes sense to change jobs within the same or similar industry three times during your first ten years of employment:
1 – Changing jobs gives you a broader base of experience:
After about three years, you’ve learned most of what you’re going to know about how to do your job. Therefore, over a ten year period, you gain more experience from “three times 90 percent” than “one times 100 percent.”
2 – A more varied background creates a greater demand for your skills:
Depth of experience means you’re more valuable to a larger number of employers. You’re not only familiar with your current company’s product, service, procedures, quality programs, inventory system, and so forth; you bring with you the expertise you’ve gained from your prior employment with other companies.
3 – A job change results in an accelerated promotion cycle:
With a change you can jump, for example, from project engineer to senior project engineer; or national sales manager to vice president of sales and marketing.
4 – More responsibility leads to greater earning power :
A promotion is usually accompanied by a salary increase. And since you’re being promoted faster, your salary grows at a quicker pace, sort of like compounding the interest you’d earn on a certificate of deposit.
While there’s no denying the strategic virtues of selective job changing for the purpose of career leverage, you want to make sure the path you take will lead you where you really want to go. There is ultimately little reason to make a job change for more money if the resulting frustrations make you unhappy to the point of distraction. Not long ago, I placed a project engineer with a company that offered him a $47,000 a year job. He later confided to me that the same day he agreed to go to work for my client, he’d turned down an offer of $83,200 with rival company. The reason? The higher offer was a consulting position with an aerospace company in Detroit — a job that would have taken him down a road he felt was a dead end.
The “best” job is one in which your values are being satisfied most effectively. If career growth and advancement are your primary goals, and they’re represented by how much you earn, then the job that pays the most money is often the “better” job. Your responsibility when contemplating a change is to evaluate what’s most important to you. Whether you focus on a single aspect of your job (like Pat, Craig, and Neil did), or on the overall nature of the job you’d like to improve, the more clearly you connect your values with your work, the greater the potential for job satisfaction.

The distinction between the chronological format and the combination format is that the chronological format resume is extremely simple to understand. Hiring executive would normally begin to read the chronological resume at the bottom, where the record of your work or experience in the profession is placed and moves upward.
Handling Employment Gaps
If there are a few breaks in your employment, it will be extremely noticeable in the chronological format. This is a reason why majority of hiring executives prefer the chronological resume format. It is simpler to read – in addition, it does not leave much to the imagination. This could be a huge plus if you have been in the same position for a long time, as it gives an account of stability and development in your field of work.
There are many reasons for having breaks in employment. It could be due to raising a family, poor health or education. It could also be due to a layoff, military service or just generally having a tough time searching for work due to a stiff job market.
Whatever the reason, if you have gaps in your employment, you’ll want to use the combination resume – because it will allow you to highlight your skills, accomplishments and achievements, rather than how long you were out of work.
Link Your Skills and the Job Requirements Together
First, you must build a resume that plainly points out at the top what kind of position you are looking for. Put in a segment that has a summary of your career; what areas you specialize in and your career progression. However, make sure to point out all the things that are important to the company. Highlight your managerial experience and skills that match what the employer is looking for.
If there is an advertisement for a job, look at it carefully and make sure that you make a link between the requirements of the job and all the things you have achieved in your career. Use a “skills” segment to list of all your skills so that the reader will be able to locate it all in one place. In addition, this is essential if the company uses resume scanning technology. Using keywords and industry jargon will guarantee that your resume will be selected from the database in response to a keyword search.
If you are a career changer, writing a resume that wins isn’t rocket science – but it does take time and planning. By tailoring your resume to fit your specific situation and the needs of each particular employer, you will ensure that you get plenty of interview calls.

Career Geyser Secrets is advanced career training that is like no other job search tool you have every seen. It is down to earth practical step-by-step system that will get you the job interview you desire. Have you ever been caught in a career crisis, and you are suddenly without a job? Are you entering into the workforce for the first time or rejoining the workforce after an extensive absence? Do you want to change careers, seek a promotion or improve your current job skills? Are you an entrepreneur looking to approach joint venture partners or promote yourself to others?For our purposes, we will use the word “career” to encompass not only traditional employment, but also other avenues of income generation including entrepreneurship. Those needing income opportunities, regardless of the reason, all too often make decisions based on fear, expediency or ease rather than logic and a clear plan. Career management helps you plan your path in the working world. It helps identify your skills, talents and passion so you can be successful in all your endeavors. People who pursue career management come from all walksand stages of life.Here are just a few groups who can benefit from developing management skills:- Those looking to broaden their income streams- Those entering the work force for the first time- High school or college students- Home school or at-home moms- Downsized workers- Those wanting to make a career change- Those looking to advance/promote business opportunities in their careers- Those re-entering the work forceEveryone can benefit from career management. It is really life management and knowing yourself. Career management will allow you to showcase and promote who you are. This book is designed to give you the tools to manage your career campaign.It will also give you the knowledge and secrets that will set you apart from the rest of the pack, and it will virtually guarantee that you will get noticed by the decision makers. This is a key point as most people today will have more than one career and will desire multiple streams of income. Did you know that many of the top corporations receive thousands of applications and résumés every day? Yes, every day. Not only top corporations, but virtually all businesses receive hundreds of applications for each job opening. This book is designed to get you noticed in that sea of applicants or to get your business proposal in their focus.If you are serious about finding employment that you must obtain your copy of Career Geyser, Secrets that Propel you to Success. To order your copy, visit CareerGeyserSecrets.com .

How to mastermind a career change? That is a crucial question that comes across individuals that are opting to change their career for a new one. Changing a career involves long term planning which can be decided upon certain parameters such as experience, salary and the future interests that the individual would have in a career.

If you are an individual that has started upon a new job but is not currently satisfied with the field, then it is necessary that you do some brainstorming as to which job will enable you to pursue the career of your interest.

Factors Important In Deciding Upon A Career

From the very beginning of your education, i.e. from elementary school, you decide upon certain careers that you would want to pursue. As a child you often dream about being a pilot, doctor, businessman or any other field which will enable you to get an accurate assessment of your achievements for your future.

Its when you come out of this fantasy land that you realize that everyone has capacities and interests according to which they have to adapt their lives to. Some of the factors that one must look into while deciding upon a career change can be elaborated as follows -

- Aptitude

There are individual differences among everyone which enables one to decide upon which career to choose from. Aptitude is one important individual difference which is the mental capacity of an individual to perform a task. For example if you are not good with arithmetic then you have a very low aptitude for jobs which would allow you to perform on arithmetic operations. Choosing a job in the engineering field won’t be a good idea. You would be better off by opting for a career in the field of arts and humanities. If the current job that you have undertaken doesn’t suit your aptitude then you should consider a change of your career.

- Interests

If you have dreamed of being an engineer or lawyer then it is necessary that you pursue your interests in this field. But it is important to remember that you should have the aptitude to perform the job. There are many individuals working a specific job but do not have any aptitude in performing that job. If you think that you are not enjoying the current job setting then it is necessary that you weigh the time adequately. Maybe it is a temporary phase that you are going through and it may require some assessment in terms of the work place that you are working in.

- Workplace environment

Often individuals get confused in terms of the work place environment and the career. In this situation, it is necessary to distinguish your interest in the career and that of the workplace environment. However there are various questions that you would have to ask yourself regarding the present work environment that you are working in. Questions such as -

- What is the relationship with my colleagues?

- Am I satisfied with my pay?

- Is the workload too much?

These are personal questions that you should separate from your career interests.

Therefore masterminding your career is a matter of deciding upon your aptitude, interests and the present working environment. With these three parameters in place one is sure to find the adequate job.

With thousands of workers being laid off, the competition for jobs should be strong. A career counselor may be able to help people become more focused and strategic about their job search.Most people would probably rather get a root canal than hunt for a new job. Whether a person has been downsized, is changing careers, or just wants to find a better opportunity, hunting for a job can be frustrating and intimidating. And since more than 230,000 people have lost their jobs this year, the competition for employment is likely to be fierce. People who want to increase their odds for getting hired may want to consider finding a career counselor.What Career Counselors DoCareer counselors can help people evaluate their skills and abilities to find a job that fits their goals and interests. They serve as coaches, teachers, and mentors to people with all different types of job experience. A qualified counselor should be able to assess a client’s traits and abilities to help direct them to an appropriate position. They also should be good listeners who can communicate well with people who may be dealing with a lot of stress and uncertainty about their job situation–and life in general.

Some career counselors may have a degree in counseling or a related field, but others may have experience in a particular field that gives them the expertise to help others. A master career counselor usually has the highest level of expertise in career counseling and has met other qualifications, such as being licensed by a state board.

Who Should Consider Counseling?Not everyone looking to change jobs needs to see a career counselor. But people who aren’t sure where they’re headed in their careers and need help focusing may benefit from working with a coach. Workers who are thinking about getting help with their career should ask themselves:

1. Am I satisfied with my current job?2. What do I like or dislike about my current job?3. How can I improve my current job?4. Do I have the work-life balance I want?5. What are my short- and long-term goals for my career?6. What other jobs can I qualify for with my skills?

Downsized in AmericaPeople who haven’t had to look for a job in many years may be ill-equipped for their search and may be perfect candidates for career counseling. Companies all across America are cutting jobs, forcing many workers to dust off outdated resumes. A qualified counselor can help put together a resume, practice interviewing techniques, administer assessment tests, or evaluate new career paths. The right coach can help a person evaluate jobs they’ve never considered that may allow them to use their current skills.

Changing CareersFor people who are looking for a whole new career, a counselor can help them decide whether they have the necessary skills or need to continue their education. Some people may find that the type of work they’ve been doing has become obsolete. Many unskilled workers have found themselves forced out of jobs that can be done by a computer or a machine. A good career counselor should listen to workers’ needs and assess their strengths and weaknesses to help them transition to a new career. That may mean directing clients to places they can learn about new technology or employment trends in fields that interest them.

Getting EncouragementRichard Nelson Bolles writes in What Color Is Your Parachute? 2008: A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers that “Researchers discovered some years ago that while the typical job-hunt lasted around fifteen to nineteen weeks, depending on the economy, one-third to one-half of all job-hunters simply give up by the second month of their job-hunt.” Having the support of a career counselor may help some people stay focused on their job search and not become easily discouraged. The right coach can also redirect job-hunting efforts that have stalled or become unproductive.

Moving to the Next LevelAlways being passed over for promotions is like going to a spring fling and never being asked to dance. It’s no fun! Workers who are having trouble advancing in their career may need some help figuring out exactly what they need to do differently to get noticed by higher ups. For some people it may be as simple as taking a few courses to learn necessary skills. Others may need advice from a career coach on how to dress, talk, or act more professionally.

Setting Career GoalsCounselors can also be helpful if people just want to make sure they are setting the right goals for their career. They may not be looking to change companies, but may be more concerned about protecting their future job security. A person who hasn’t bothered to keep abreast of changes in their industry, learn new skills, or network with influential peers are more likely to fall under the downsizing axe than someone who has worked to remain competitive.

Choosing the Right CounselorIt’s important for people to find a career counselor that fits their goals and is reputable. A good counselor should:

1. Disclose the terms of their service and fees upfront2. Provide a copy of their ethical guidelines3. Charge only for services provided4. Let clients choose the services they want5. Not make unrealistic promises.

They should also discuss what type of time commitment clients should expect to make to their counseling sessions and job-hunting strategies.

While career counselors can be helpful they may not have all the answers. They can help individuals assess their strengths and weaknesses to choose a career that fits their unique goals and needs. Like any other counseling relationship, it may take more than one try to find the right person. People looking for a career coach can check with their former employer, local job centers, universities, alumni groups, churches, and other organizations for recommendations.

Changing careers can be one of the hardest things that a person does. You are going from what you know to something completely different. However, switching careers can be extremely rewarding as well. Perhaps you have always wanted to be an educator, but continued on in business, receiving promotion after promotion, until you lost sight of your dream. But now you are ready to get back on track and follow through with your desired career path. The first step is creating a whole new resume that highlights your education, relevant experience, and transferable skills.

If while in school you completed a degree in education, you are already one step ahead of the game. Though you might not have hands-on experience in a classroom, you have a solid foundation of the fundamentals and understand how to teach. On the other hand, you may have completed a degree in business, and have no post-secondary education relating directly to teaching. If this is the case, do not feel discouraged. There is still a good chance that you have done something in your life that relates to education, even if it is not apparent. Think back to any additional duties you have performed or roles you have played that involved instruction or training. For instance, maybe you trained colleagues in a new computer program or developed and presented internal workshops for your company. These tasks required planning and instructional skills that are key for becoming an educator. Make sure that you highlight any of these additional responsibilities under each job position. Use a bullet point format to make them really stand out.

In addition to teaching colleagues in the workplace, there are other positions that you may have held that require similar skills or characteristics including: parent volunteer, after-school tutor, adult educator, coach, big brother or big sister, etc. All of these positions focus on working with youth and/or students. Assess and list the responsibilities you had with each role. Evaluate what kind of skills you were able to develop as a result of these opportunities such as: communication, interpersonal, problem solving, organizational, leadership, etc. Summarize these skills in the introductory paragraph of your resume and extract core competencies that you can list in a separate section for areas of expertise. These newly recognized skills and competencies can also be written into your cover letter.

After your resume’s introductory paragraph that outlines your commitment, goals, traits, and skills, and following your areas of expertise/core competencies, include the section (either “education and credentials” or “professional experience”) that is the most applicable to your desired career. For example, if you have more relevant education than experience, list education and credentials first. However, if your post-secondary education was geared toward a different field, yet you have at least some related hands-on experience that correlates with the job your are applying for, then list the experience first. If you do not have relevant education or experience, put the education and credentials section first, and try to strengthen your introductory paragraph instead.

If you are worried about writing a career changing resume, do not hesitate to contact a professional resume writer. They are trained in handling all types of resumes and extracting relevant experience and skill sets.

Candace Davies, Owner of A+ Resumes for Teachers is a Global Career Management Professional dedicated to assisting educators worldwide leverage their strengths, accomplishments, and unique selling points to capture their dream career. Her team has successfully assisted 3500+ education professionals by transforming their talents into concise documents that secure numerous interviews, leading to excellent job offers through the interview preparation service. Advancing your career is A+ Resumes for Teachers business and they enjoy it as much as you enjoy shaping the minds of tomorrow. Candace is a dually certified as a Professional Resume Writer, Certified Interview Coach, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Associate Certified Career Coach, and Electronic Career Coach. Please visit her website at http://www.resumes-for-teachers.com or send an email to candoco@telus.net

Ultimately I hate writing about mistakes because I always feel like I am the bearer of bad news. I don’t like things that insult people or that make them feel bad for doing things that they were sincere about but just went about in the wrong way.
But, the truth is…
We make some really crazy mistakes, especially when it comes to our careers, and for some reason, career changers are the worst offenders.
Maybe it is because they have that anxious, almost desperate quality about them (I can say that because I have been one!). When you make the decision to switch careers, it is a big deal. (1) You are in a hurry to get out of your current situation. You feel frustrated or fet up or just tired of whatever it is you have been doing. (2) You’ve finally figured out what’s next for you in life. Maybe you chose your first career to make your parents happy or because it seemed like the most lucrative option when you were 20. And now you have outgrown it. Or maybe you’ve been extremely successful and are just looking for a new challenge. Either way, now that you have figured it out, you can’t wait to get started! (3) You’re getting older, still have bills to pay, and a certain lifestyle to uphold, so you are just anxious to get this thing resolved.
All that excitement and nervous energy is a good thing, but if you aren’t careful, it can lead to some costly mistakes. Here are some of the worst ones I have come across when working with career changers:
• Giving Up Too Early. We live in a society that simply cannot wait for anything. We’ve made up our mind, and it has to happen now! All job seekers want the job search process to go as quickly as possible. It is a painful process at times, and that is definitely an understandable reaction. However, when it comes to career changers, in particular, we need to learn how to wait. A job search for a career changer can take twice as long as one for someone looking in their field. But, again, we don’t like to wait. And as soon as things don’t seem to go our way as quickly we would like, we quit. I understand, you have mouths to feed, right? Well, that should have been taken into consideration in the first place. There is a cost to pay for going after your dreams. That doesn’t mean you don’t pursue them, but you must do so understanding the market you are in and the sacrifices it might require.
• Wasting Time with Recruiters. Here is a concept that seems to elude most job seekers. Recruiters are looking for the best, ideal candidate to present to their employers (because that is how the recruiter gets paid). If you are a career changer, that is NOT you. You are just getting your feet wet. You aren’t going to have the years of insider experience and the top credentials.
• Submitting a Functional Resume. Without going into too much detail about the functional resume, let me just say that unless you are right out of college, the functional resume is not the tool for you. I could tear my hair out at all the bad advice out there that has many seekers stuck on using a functional resume. They seem to think they can hide things from potential employers this way. The problem, of course, is that potential employers are not stupid. And they like what they like. And they like chronological resumes! Employers want to see what you have been doing, where, in what context, and what achievements you have had. Now this doesn’t mean that you can’t prepare a profile section at the top of the resume that highlights some of your transferable skills, but at the end of the day, you need to line up your accomplishments with your work experience. And you know what, that’s OK. Be proud of your past career and use it to show how it leads to where you are today. That is your best selling feature. Let’s face it…a career change is an uphill battle, but it is better to deal with it head on than to hide from it.
By now I think we have pretty much covered the fact that a career changer’s job search is likely going to be longer and slower than most candidates’ searches. But it is certainly not an impossible task, and it can be extremely rewarding at the end of the day. So don’t be afraid to make that change. Just make it with your eyes wide open.