Career Change Resumes

At the outset, let’s accept that there is no such thing as an ideal candidate, and there is no employer who is ideal for everyone. Still, every time we see someone change his or her career or make an upward move, we say or at least think that he/she is brilliant and was the ideal candidate for the position and that the company is lucky to have hired him or her.
But did the candidate really get lucky, or were they just smart?

Is Career Networking So Important?

Don’t have an iota of doubt about this in your mind: networking plays an important role in career moves. Despite having reasonably strong work experience and skills, lacking in networking abilities could jettison your chances in finding a good job. Your networking contacts can help you beat the competition and open the door to mostly unadvertised job openings through referrals. That the ‘Wall Street Journal’ claimed a couple of years ago that ‘94% of successful job seekers claimed that networking had made all the difference for them’ should go on to prove the point.

Let’s take a hypothetical case of a person in her middle age attempting a career change. The point of contention is not whether or not that person got a raise or a promotion. That worker was traveling to her job a distance of 12 miles every day for the last twelve years and she was beginning to develop frustrations about the employers and her job. However, she could not afford to just quit. She watched the classifieds of local newspapers and lodged her resumes with dozens of recruiters. She knew there were some companies closer to home, but she had been told that there were no vacancies that matched her job profile.

On a Sunday Mass at the local Church she bumped into her childhood friend. Sometime after a friendly exchange, the conversation tuned to her job situation. It turned out that her friend was working in one of those companies and she knew of one vacancy where she could fit in. What followed next is not of importance but this lady got a job at the company where she wanted to work.

In this day and age, savvy career networking is a must. By growing your network, you will have not only expanded your circle of friends but also work acquaintances who may be able to help you open new doors when you finally decide to change jobs or careers.

People have plenty of decisions to make every minute of their lives. What dress to wear, what time to leave home, what color tie to wear, etc. Unlike these decisions, there are some that need a good deal of contemplation.

Everything in life might be going well; you might be able to lead a decent life with the salary you get, the children can go to school and even if your spouse doesn’t work the house still manages on your paycheck. But, deep inside there may be a voice that says something isn’t right. The current job you have isn’t the one you enjoy doing. Listen to that voice, especially if it starts affecting your work and you cannot concentrate.

Think of alternative jobs that you could do instead of your present one. The career change you decide on can turn out to be the most exciting in your life.

Here are a few do’s and don’ts to keep on mind when changing your career:

Do’s

-Planning a career change is difficult and it is best to have a plan. Think long and hard before making any decision, as this will affect your career in the long run.
-Since you are making a change, consider a job that is not similar to the present one. Also consider careers which make optimum use of your interests and skills.
-Network with people through friends and business associates. This is the best way of finding out about the industry you would like to join.
-Consult a friend or someone who has knowledge of the industry and can act as a mentor, advising you and helping you to focus on your goals.
-If your chosen field requires additional qualifications, think of ways you can do it and the course you could opt for.
-If possible, try to work part-time for the job you want. This can help you understand the intricacies of the new job.
-When you start working on the new job you should take time to adapt to the new surroundings and system of working.
-When you quit a job, leave on a positive note. Keeping good relations with your past employers will help you in the future.

Don’ts

-Don’t have too many expectations from the job; you could be disappointed if things don’t turn out the way you thought.
-Don’t discuss your plans for a change of career with your office colleagues until you have a solid offer in writing.
-Don’t be dazzled by the glamour and big money that some jobs offer. What you should to look for is job satisfaction and a secure future.
-Don’t expect a career change to be instant; it might take more time than you expect.
-Don’t leave your current job until you have another one in hand. You never know how long finding the job of your choice will take. If it takes longer than expected, you may have to consider paying bills from your savings.

Do away with all your inhibitions about making a successful career change. Your job and how you perceive it has an effect on you, your family and your future.

The thought of changing careers will cross everyone’s mind at some point in time. Yet, not many think that they, confidently, can take that step. While there are many reasons that can be attributed to this noticeable phenomenon, we, for the moment, will confine ourselves to the major reason – lack of confidence.

Lack Of Confidence – A Major Drawback To Successful Career Change

It is not unusual to desire a change in career. However, proper & detailed planning and preparation is essential for a successful change in career. Many times, procrastinating over the matter not just develops the redundancy factor but also creates a sort of fear and hindrance.

10 Steps To A Successful Career Change

Here are the ten steps to changing your career successfully:

1. Preparing To Change: Gather information about your target organizations, job profile, etc. Get additional training and certifications as needed. Get your resume done professionally; highlighting areas to which you can contribute to and your past accomplishments.

2. Expect The Unexpected: Interviewers throw out surprises, sometimes unintentionally, which can catch you off-guard. It pays to know the questions that they might ask. Anticipate even the craziest questions.

3. Consult Those Who Are Already In Your Chosen Field: This gives you a wealth of information on the daily routine, responsibilities and challenges.

4. Changing A Line Of Career Isn’t Unusual: The need for cross-discipline skills is no surprise these days. Get across the point that you don’t lack all the skills required by the new job even you haven’t worked in a similar one. Interpersonal skills, organizational, personal skills are commonly required wherever you go.

5. Brush Up Old Skills And Add New Ones: Comparing your skill set with that required by the target job will tell you the areas you need to concentrate on.

6. Use The Internet: Use Internet job boards to post your resume, which should be carefully crafted specially for this purpose. By crafting, I mean using keywords that are industry-specific jargon.

7. Internet Helps Research A New Industry: Visit websites of organizations, forums or associations in that field which gives invaluable insight before short listing them. Researching job listings by company will definitely help you get an idea of what skills are most in demand.

8. Family Support: Draw confidence and support from your family. When you are down, use them as a sounding board. They may be able to help you come up with new ideas, and they will definitely boost your confidence.

9. Interview, Interview: Even if you are not perfectly suited for a particular position, you should still interview as much as you can. This way, you will know your strengths and weaknesses. It will also help if you do some informational interviewing. This is simply targeting people already working in your field and speaking with them about their jobs.

10. Network. Networking has been the time-tested method for a successful career change. Network with ex-employees and current employees of your target industry. Over 60% of all interviews come as a result of networking.

A career change can be riddled with mistakes and ambiguity for many people, even those in mid-career. This, as a consequence, relegates them to where they are despite additions to their job and personal skill sets and the larger market scenario. This small but indicative list of career changes Dos and Don’ts will help to make things clearer.

Career Change Don’ts

-Never come out any job before you have another one. Don’t quit a job on impulse, only when you have a solid plan. Leaving a job too early will have obvious negative effects. You could easily find yourself without a job with no leads in sight.
-A career change cannot be spontaneous but must be the result of a well-planned and well thought out decision. Do not plan to change your career in just minutes.
-Don’t change your career just for the sake of big/instant money or glamour; rather, give some real thought as to whether you are really interested in switching to another career. Sure, the new career might seem great at first, but will you still enjoy it after several years?
-Don’t have unrealistic expectations from the career that you are going to choose.
-Don’t pay attention to rumors or gossip or even react to them during your job change process.
-Don’t spread the word about your leaving the job until it is confirmed in writing.
-Don’t leave your ’safe’ job until you know where and how you will be compensated.
-Don’t leave the job for until you have ensured that you will not have to pay your monthly bills from your savings
-Don’t ever spread misinformation about your past employer

The Dos of Career Change

-While still in your current job, you can gather information or rather work part-time for the career you have chosen. It will give you some idea of the scope and nature of your target job.
-While still in your present career, learn as much as you can and plan to take that knowledge with you.
-List your strengths and qualities in fields you that you already excel. Identify your need for a career change.
-If it is sheer frustration or stress and all other aspects are fine in your present job, then target these two problems rather going for a career change.
-Maintain a positive relationship with your present organization and leave the job on a positive note.
-As soon as you join your new employer, get down to business without wasting time; you will have lot to learn in a new environment.