Career Change Resumes

January 15, 2010

The Pitfalls of Unsolicited Resumes

Your mind is set on a company and a position that you want. This could be your dream job, but the company is not hiring. Before crossing your fingers and submitting your resume, consider the some of the risks that accompany your unsolicited resume. Your initiative in pursuing your dream job may actually sabotage your employment search.Unsolicited resumes are those received by a company when no employment openings are available. These resumes carry some baggage that will not benefit you in the job search. Despite your best intentions, an unsolicited resume has little chance of landing you an interview. Unsolicited resumes carry some stigma for a number of good reasons, but we limit this discussion to three.1. Unsolicited resumes are an irritant to Human Resource personnel when the company is not hiring. The HR staff has a multitude of duties aside from those related to hiring. They will not spend time examining resumes for positions when the company is not seeking employees.

2. These resumes are seldom read, but go straight into a file for a specified period of time before finding their way into the shredder and finally the recycle bin. When the company is hiring, H.R. will begin from a pool of current resumes rather than from a file of stale unsolicited documents. Unlike wine, your resume does not improve with age.

3. Calling the HR office to follow-up on your unsolicited resume may tag you as a “stalker.” This slang refers to unwanted calls from individuals seeking employment when the firm is not hiring. These people are in effect, “stalking” the company while waiting for an opportunity that does not exist. You may feel that you are showing tenacity in seeking employment. It is much more likely you are alienating yourself from those in the hiring process.If you have been searching for some time, you may begin to feel frustrated and perhaps a little desperate. It is natural to feel that way and many people have experienced those feelings. But, do not allow your feelings to provoke you into rashly submitting a batch of unsolicited resumes. This practice is unproductive and will set you up to feel worse when your “shotgun” approach fails to produce calls from excited hiring managers eager to schedule an interview.

Landing the right position requires strategy, timing, skill, and a little bit of luck never hurts. But, those who properly prepare often make their own luck and that is your goal. Map out an effective job search strategy that will work for you and your circumstances. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but there are effective job search strategies that will work for you. Develop your job search strategy and you are going in the right direction.

January 2, 2010

Career Change Coaching Strategies and Values Clarification

“The Indispensable first step to getting what you want out of life is this: Decide What You want.” -Ben Stein

Let’s say you reach a fork in the road and have to decide which way to go on your career journey. This is naturally a difficult place to be in, but you have to make a decision.

Values clarification becomes indispensable when you are at a point where you must choose between two or more career options, but you’re uncertain which option is best for you.

At such times, you must ask yourself this question:

What are my most important career values?

The rub is that when you choose one option, you often leave behind some values connected with your alternate option. The trick is to be certain that in the end, you choose the option that is most closely identified with your top values.

For example, I recently spoke with a graphic artist employed by a small publishing company. The key to his career success has been his mentor relationship with the soon to retire company president. He knew that he did not want to work with the incoming president. He was paralyzed, however, to choose between his two remaining options; Either move to a new company where he feels positive about the executive leadership. Or, start up his own business.

What to do? Make sure you clarify your career values in order to make your decision with confidence.

First, under each option list your top 3 to 5 values or benefits to you, of each. In this case:

Option One

Option Two

Here’s the challenging part, now rank your top five values drawing from both lists.After several go rounds and some major soul searching, this individual ranked his top five values:

You can see that the majority of his values including his top two values, are drawn from list one. Although choosing which projects he takes on is important, when push came to shove he ranked it lower than the opportunity to work with a new mentor and not having to do marketing and sales.

After taking a step back and carefully considering his competing values, this individual chose option one.

When facing this kind of difficult choice, the above described coaching process insures that you make the best decision for YOU. One that will make your career soar and brings you joy and pride.

To learn more about how Seth can help you and to download his free Special Report: “10 Ways to Jump Start Your Career by Leveraging Your Strengths,” visit his website: http://www.CreativeVisionCoaching.com or email him: Seth@CreativeVisionCoaching.com

(c) Copyright – Seth Kaufman. All rights reserved worldwide.

December 15, 2009

Just Before You Make a Career Transition

With the rapidly changing shape of work and life, it is no longer news that the average person will have a minimum of three careers in their life time. Making the right move at the right time and for the right reasons will go a long way to bring fulfillment and satisfaction to you. Therefore, it is important that you engage in a carefully thought out analysis of the various options whenever you are trying to make a shift in your career focus. The following considerations should always guide you in your quest.

How prepared are you? Most people make decisions in order to be in tune with popular demand. Because the economy is in bad shape and particular professions have been badly hit, is not an excuse to decide you want a career shift. Having come this far in your career, any change you are planning to make should be deliberate and purposeful. You must be convinced that it is something you will be happy with in the long run. You must transcend the bandwagon effect and ask the question of whether you are set to make the change from your present career.

Take an inventory of your current skills. Having decided on the need to cross over, the next thing to immediately do is to take inventory of your current skills, knowledge and experience and then see the gap that exist between them and your desired career. Then, start listing the various skills, knowledge and experience you need to bridge the gap. Seek out and talk to people in your would-be career to guide you through the process.

Develop a parallel career before switching over. Career experts will never fail to advise aspiring career changers on the importance of building a parallel career before making the actual shift. You can do this by seeking out volunteer, temporary or internship positions in your new career field before quitting your current job and searching for a full-time position in your new career field. This step is crucial because it acquaints you with your new area and gives some assurance to your would-be employer that you will be trainable, since you already have the basics.

Consider your passion. If you are like most people, your first job after college must have been a child of necessity. You probably found yourself on that job, not because it was what you actually wanted but because you had limited choices when you were making the decision. It may have been possible that you had not clarified your career goals and determined what you actually want out of life when you made that first decision. Now that you have an idea of your passion and vision in life, do not decide on the next move without bringing them into the picture. When the chips are down and the going gets tough, it is your love for what you do that will sustain you.

Go for a functional rather than a chronological resume. When you are changing career, it pays to emphasize more on the skills, qualifications and certifications you have acquired, relevant to your new career, instead of detailing your previous work experience, which in most cases has little or no relevance to your desired career. As much as possible you will need to talk less about previous experience and blow up your other relevant assets.

You can talk to a career counselor or an HR expert to help you build a functional resume. It is your greatest tool in your career shift campaign.

Never decide on changing career for monetary reasons. I interviewed a friend who was contemplating a radical career change from the banking industry to the medical profession as a physical therapist. My first question to him was: what is your motivation for wanting to make this total switch? Certain careers are very enticing because of the material gains they offer, but be very careful of switching careers because of all the enticing benefits. Remember that you may make more money, but if you hate your new career, you will probably be spending that money on stress- and health-related expenses. A career that is hot today could be gone tomorrow, so dig deeper.

December 13, 2009

How To Make Your Career Transition Positive By Quitting Your Job With Dignity

Are you, like so many other people, fed up with the present state of your career? If you are, you need to take a step back and see where your career is headed.
You want to see if you have any other options of career development besides slogging on at your current job. If you see any light at the end of the tunnel, you might want to make a bold career transition and quit your job.
When you decide on a career change it is advisable to give your employer as much notice as possible. If the terms of the employment contract specify a definite amount of time, you should give at least such amount of time to your employer as notice. If there is no such specification and your employer expects two weeks’ notice from those quitting, you may consider giving more than two weeks’ notice. You can also offer to stay on until a replacement is found or until you make your career dream find; maybe even offer to help your replacement learn the ropes before you actually say goodbye.
When you opt for a career transition, it is best to resign in a formal and dignified manner. Sensible career planning demands that you never quit over the phone or just email your resignation. Write a proper resignation letter, thanking your employer for the opportunity to work with them and thereby gather valuable knowledge and experience. Take a printout and hand it over personally to your employer, repeating the sentiments expressed in your letter verbally too.
The sense of dignity that you show when executing a career forward move will go a long way to create a good impression of you for years to come. Make sure that you deal with your bosses, colleagues, and clients genially at all times once you have served notice of your intention of career transition.
It is very important that you don’t burn any bridges when you leave. You would want the doors of the company to remain open for you should you ever wish to come back. Also, you need to remember that the world is a small place after all. Who knows where you might meet your boss again? The ideal scenario is that you are fondly remembered and missed once you move on.
When opting for a career job opportunity elsewhere and packing your stuff, be very particular about returning all stationery, equipment, documents or other company property that is currently with you. This you should do even if you are not asked. By ensuring this you not only prevent any misunderstanding or allegations of theft but also demonstrate your ethics to the company and add to the positive impression already created.
It is best left to your judgment when you decide on how you want to go about resigning your present job. For example, you would not like to put your current job as a reference on your resume in your quest for a career forward move until you have actually tendered your resignation officially. Again, unless such a situation arises that your safety is threatened, you should never decide impulsively to leave your job.
One way to give free rein to your judgment is to put yourself in the shoes of your employer or your boss. Ask yourself this question every time you take some step – how would it feel if an outgoing employee behaved like this? Answer this question honestly and you will know exactly what to do and what not to do when resigning your job. Remember, appropriate exit behavior is a clear sign of intelligent career planning. It is a great way to ensure good reference from your employer time and again.

December 8, 2009

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.

November 21, 2009

Time For A Career Change? Wait! Crucial Factors You Must Consider Before You Quit Your Job

There are times when circumstances at your workplace prompt you to go in for a career change. Your frustration could arise from factors like working hours, the pay packet, your boss, sometimes even an annoying colleague. Now career transition is always your decision in the end, but sometimes you need to think things over and not jump the gun. Let us have look at some such situations.
A new supervisor makes many people rethink their career plans. The reason is not hard to find. A new boss often feels that they should quickly establish their authority over the human resources at their disposal. This makes them a bit difficult at the outset. Just hold off the urge to quit right away. Give it some time. You might be surprised to find your new boss displaying milder, even friendlier aspects of their personality as time goes by.
A common reason for going into a job search mode is the annoying co-worker. They may or may not be the person sitting at the next desk, but they have the habit of getting under your skin. It is unfortunate if the dislike of a colleague is strong enough to get you looking for recruitment services.
Under normal circumstances no one should make you quit your job, especially if someone else rather than yourself is in the wrong. Naturally if a fellow worker threatens your safety you need to take immediate action. But the first step should always be contacting higher ups and airing your grievances rather than running off to the recruitment agencies.
A poor appraisal of your efforts at work may cause you to want to quit your job. It might seem to you that you have been unfairly assessed. You might feel embarrassed and frustrated, even unwanted by the organization. The thing to remember here is that it can happen to the smartest and most hardworking of employees. You cannot be perfect all the time. It is important to take this setback to your career plans with a positive frame of mind. Let it be a wake up call to refocus on your workplace actions so that your efforts contribute to the achievement of organizational goals. Instead of resigning, the way forward should be to try for a better appraisal next time.
Being denied the promotion you believe you deserved can sometimes be hard to take, leading you to consider career development elsewhere. Quitting immediately is not the solution, though. A good number of factors come into play when the matter of promotion crops up. Try to figure out what went against you. Was there a more qualified colleague? Did a more experienced or senior employee get promoted instead of you?
You can also treat this as an opportunity to set goals for yourself, fine-tune your efforts at the workplace, and improve your skill set. If in spite of this you find yourself being repeatedly passed up for promotions that you deserve, then it’s time to seek recruitment advice and look for career advancement somewhere else.
In all the situations mentioned above, you might feel a strong impulse to quit your job immediately. Apart from extenuating circumstances, such as sexual harassment in your workplace or other dangerous situations, you would be better off thinking it over calmly and objectively before you make your decision.

November 20, 2009

The Job Seeker’s Dilemma: Is it time to change career direction?

Today’s job market is tough. Millions of people are looking for jobs for the first time in years.  They’re looking for jobs that don’t seem to exist. Recruiters don’t return phone calls. Job seekers are fed up and frustrated. They wonder if all the effort is ever going to pay off and if it’s time to change careers. You might be wondering the same thing. But, it seems so risky in this economy. 

If you are experiencing these feelings, it might be time for a career change:• You’ve always been interested in other career areas but went with the “safe” route and now you feel burned out• You don’t enjoy your work anymore and you wonder what other options are out there for you• You feel stuck and stagnant• You are finding fewer and fewer jobs available in your industry• You’re over-qualified for the jobs that are available in your industry• You feel the effort to get a new job in your industry is more than you want to undertake

How do you know if now is a good time to change career direction?

The reality is that job loss and job creation are natural components of the world of work. It happens all the time to varying degrees.  So there probably isn’t one perfect time to change jobs or careers. The decision depends a lot on your personal situation.

Before launching a job search or career change, though, there are several important steps to take which I also outline in my career guide and audio program, Fast Track Your Career: Three Steps for Finding Work You Love.

Gaining Personal InsightBefore you change careers, you need to figure out what you want. By assessing your current situation you can determine what you need in your career to be satisfied. Analyze your values, skills, personality characteristics, interests, and lifestyle preferences. It’s also useful to take inventory of your financial situation, especially if the career you’re considering might require additional education and training or relocation.

Getting a Reality CheckA critical mistake in making a career change is making the leap without getting enough career information. By exploring career possibilities you’ll be able to identify options that are best suited to your personal attributes and preferences. There are online and print resources you can use to learn about job outlooks and industry trends. The people in your network can also be great sources for information about trends and opportunities in various career fields. In addition, they can make introductions and give you referrals.

Charting Your Career PathAfter you’ve done some self-assessment to learn what you want in a career and done career research to generate options, you have to make a decision about next steps. Your transition and job search plans will guide you to successfully getting the job you want and expanding your professional network. You’ll also need to update your resume, cover letter, and other support materials and fine-tune your interviewing and networking skills.People change jobs or careers in search of greater satisfaction. By following the steps outlined above, you  will increase your chances for finding a career that better suits your personal goals and uses your talents in meaningful ways.

If you’re thinking about a career change, purchase the The Fast Track Your Career: Three Steps for Finding Work You Love career guide and audio program today. You will go through a step-by-step exploration and planning process by completing several exercises, so you can get clear about your career direction.

Special thanks to Andrea Delgado for contributing to this article. For more than 10 years, Andrea, was a program manager at an international development organization during which time she held multiple positions involving program and grant management and administrative support.  Andrea has been networking to find employment opportunities and has considered a career change into the private sector. Her dream job would take her into the international financial arena analyzing economic policy and regulations. Andrea has her M.A. degree in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University; a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Politics & Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and a B.A degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.”

Andrea can be contacted on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrea-delgado/10/3b6/717

November 16, 2009

Discover The Essential Information You Need When Considering A Career Change

Are you dismayed with the way your career is shaping up? More accurately, has it something to do with the lack of direction in your career management?
If that be the case, you are in need of a thorough overhaul of your career planning. You want to explore career job opportunities in areas totally different from what you are engaged in right now. While this is not impossible to achieve, one must remember that all career fields are not the same.
Often they require a completely different set of attributes and mind sets. For example, your expertise in legal security doesn’t necessarily qualify you to be a successful nurse or paramedic. This is something you need to remember before you opt for a radical career transition.
Now since all career fields are different, it is important that you do not suffer from any pre-conceived notions regarding your abilities. Feel-good assumptions having no basis in reality are the worst enemy of your career development goals.
Before seriously deciding on a career change, you need to step back a little, get a perspective on your career planning, and do some thorough research on the career fields that interest you. These may be anything from teaching, medicine, law, retail, to automobiles. The research should cover aspects like current and projected job prospects, average pay, requirements in terms of skill sets and so on. All the related career information that you may need can be obtained either online or at the local library.
Once you have zeroed in on a few career fields that you would be interested in, you may start searching for job openings. Don’t apply for those jobs just yet. Instead, it is advisable to examine these options with respect to the criteria mentioned above.
One of the primary concerns will be your earning prospects. You need to check if the salary and benefits offered in those positions are enough to carry out your financial obligations. Some circumstances like job satisfaction, additional benefits and prospects of career advancement may allow you to take a pay cut; but the onus of making the final decision rests with you.
Another such criterion in your quest for career development is the specific job requirements. You will want to examine some of the job openings in the light of required education, training, skills, aptitude, previous work experience, and the like. What is nice about this part of the research is that data in this regard is easy to come by.
You will find that most job listings, both in print and in online recruitment portals, usually outline all the requirements for the job. You will easily get a good idea as to whether or not you have got what it takes to qualify for your career dream find. If you find any divergence between your ambitions of career transition and the requirements of achieving them, you may want to invest in a few career training courses to help upgrade your expertise and experience.
Continuing with career training, you could access various kinds of courses, all designed to help you prepare for your career dream find. For example, if you want to become a successful accountant, you will have to learn how to keep books of accounts, prepare balance sheets and cash flow statements, maintain records of transactions; prepare tax returns, and so on. Needless to say, the period of training required will depend on the direction in which your career planning goals take you.
If you decide on attending career training courses to improve your chances of making a successful career transition, you will need to look for the career coaching option that will suit your requirements. Many career training courses are advertised in local newspapers. You could visit the local colleges and vocational centers to see what courses they offer.
You may also opt for online career training. These courses will cost you money, but it will invariably be worth it in the end. Hopefully the outcome of the whole exercise will be a foothold into a new career field and a stepping stone to career advancement and job satisfaction.

November 9, 2009

Considering A Career Change? The Vital Factors You Must Consider

Are you unhappy with the overall situation of your career? Has it got something to do with your job profile or your company? If that is the case, the thought of career change must have crossed your mind.
Now the flipside is you probably depend on your paycheck to discharge your financial obligations. A career transition has to be pondered over in the right perspective. You want to make sure that a job shift is in the best interest of you and your family. If you have asked yourself these questions before, please read on!
A number of important factors need to be taken into consideration when you start thinking of making a career change. No two individuals are in an identical situation when it comes to relying on your salary. So these factors should be carefully considered, and then you can use them in your own personal situation. This way you can properly weigh out the pros and cons of a career transition.
Your current job’s paycheck is an important factor to be taken into consideration, before deciding if you want a career change. For instance, try to judge for yourself whether the salary you are getting in your current job is a fair salary. To find out, you can start by comparing your current salary with the salary that is being offered in job openings in the local newspapers, recruitment agencies or online recruitment portals. If you do that, you can find out by yourself whether it is difficult for you to earn the same salary elsewhere. Unless you are lucky enough to land a job in the upper tier of an organization, you might find yourself having to work your way up the ladder all over again.
Apart from the crucial factor of your salary to pay your bills and support your family, there is the matter of other benefits too. Health insurance is one such important factor when you are toying with the idea of a career transition. If your current employers provide health insurance benefits for yourself or for your whole family, you should attach a lot of importance to that. You may of course buy health insurance for yourself or an extension of your coverage, but you should keep in mind that it can be quite an expensive proposition.
When comparing the pay packet of your current job with career job opportunities elsewhere that don’t offer health insurance benefits, you should take into consideration the imputed cost of having to buy one. If you still decide to make a career change, you may want to schedule your doctor’s appointments, including the dentist and the ophthalmologist if the coverage permits, before you actually quit.
Another factor that needs looking into when you are on a job search is the current job scenario in your area. Do you already have a firm job offer in your pocket? If that is the case then there is little to worry about. If you haven’t, you will at least want to ensure that there is a good prospect of seeking employment elsewhere.
You need to remember that you might not be eligible for unemployment benefits if you leave your job of your own volition. In such a situation, you may need a backup plan if you have financial obligations like a family to support or bills to pay like rent or mortgage.
When you decide on a career change, you need to have all the career information at your fingertips. Keeping the current job scenario in mind, you have to look at all career job opportunities in your area for any required training, work experience, or education. It is no use realizing too late that you are not qualified for that career dream find. Instead, you should scrutinize the average job requirements by examining all available job openings in the local newspapers or online recruitment portals. If you find yourself lacking the necessary skills, you may consider enrolling in a career training course to improve your chances of finding a new job.
It must be quite clear by now that you should proceed very carefully when you think about a career transition. There are just so many vital factors that need to be considered. Keeping all this in mind, whether you really want a change is ultimately your call.

November 5, 2009

Dealing With Career Change and Transition

Career change and career transition are real concerns nowadays. People lose or give up their jobs for various reasons. Today’s aggressive, performance-oriented business ethos mean that career change and career transition happen to a lot of people; this is quite unlike before when one could get into a job and stay in it for life.

Considering a Career Change

If the change is a voluntary one, then the person undergoing the career change should take as much care as possible. Not only is one’s income-less (or non-existent) during such a time, but change itself always puts stresses on a person as he or she strives to steer his life in a new direction.

Nevertheless, not all is doom and gloom: the time spent between careers offers a chance for value appraisal and career assessment. The shock of finding one’s self adrift may provide a good impetus to accomplish a useful task that has often been set aside because of lack of time or lack of motivation. Indeed, once in the middle of a career change and career transition, you may find yourself exploring new and better career paths that you thought were closed to you.

Marketing One’s Self to Potential Employers

In the midst of your career change and career transition, you must carefully assess what job you wish to take on next. You must list down your credentials and skills, your interests, and your goals (house, car, salary grade, position, prestige, etc). Your credentials and skills will be your basis for assessing your worth to potential employers. Your interests will dictate the direction that you can possibly take. Your goals will be your basis for choosing the specific direction that you will take.

The time spent reevaluating one’s career direction is followed by a time of writing cover letters, updating one’s resume, leveraging whatever influence one has on people in a network that might help one get into a new job or completely different line of work (which is one reason why it’s nice to cultivate friends). It’s not necessary to have experience when shifting into a whole new profession, as long as you stay educated, can play up your strengths to the recruiter, and transfer the necessary social skills to your new setting.

As you sit down to write your resume, it is helpful to remember something that salesmen and marketers know but others often overlook: you must be able to sell yourself in order to profit in the job market. To increase your value to potential employers, recruitment agencies or headhunters, you must do your best to highlight your value so you will always remain on top of the recruitment heap. Only then can you be sure of a successful career change and career transition.

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