Archive for Category: Career Change
New Year, New Guest Post: New Job, New You
Posted in 30/20 Vision Career Change Recommended Resources on January 4, 2010 at 11:27 am
Happy New Year, everyone! I love the freshness of the new year and look forward to sharing lots of great dialogue with you in 2010.
To start the year, I’m excited to share a guest post from my friend and 30/20 Vision podcast co-host, Alexandra Levit. She has just released a fantastic new book called New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career.
In addition to the tips below, Alexandra is offering some really cool giveaways, including a free teleconference, free coaching and free product offers. Don’t miss out on these great resources.
And now, over to Alexandra…
6 Tips for Landing Your Dream Job
By Alexandra Levit
As unattainable as a dream job might sound, with the right amount of forethought and preparation, you can make the move as well. Here are six tips to get you started:
1) Learn about yourself. Take time to do a self-assessment of your values, how you like to work, and what you’d be compelled to do even if you never got paid. Research careers and industries that map to your skills and interests. Hit the Internet, set up informational interviews, take relevant coursework, and arrange to go onsite at a company in your chosen field.
2) Don’t be deterred by a lack of experience. In developing a resume and other promotional materials for the field you want to pursue, think about how your current skills and talents apply to the responsibilities you’ll hold in the new job. For example, knowledge of project management, client relations, information technology, and sales will take you far in most types of careers. (more…)
Career Q&A: Should you leave a good job to find a great one?
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Economic Crisis on April 19, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Q: Right after graduation in 2007 I got a job working full time in the office of a small local company that is well known and respected in my community. While the position itself had nothing to do with what I studied and I knew it would eventually bore me, I needed the immediate income and health benefits as my parents could no longer support me. I intended to stay for about a year and half and then move on.
Mentally and emotionally, it is now time for me to move on but I don’t know how wise it is to leave a secure job right now. I also don’t know how I could network, explore career and/or graduate school possibilities, and seek a new job without my current (well-connected) employer hearing about it until I am ready to talk with him. I’ve grown close to my co-workers and I truly respect the owners of the company and don’t want to damage those relationships. Any advice on how to find a new job while you have a full time job (and appropriate etiquette) would be much appreciated.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review this comment.
- Emily
Click here to read my response to Emily’s question on my blog at PwC.tv…
Tags: PwC.tv
A collection of the best career advice for Lehman and Merrill employees (and anyone else worried your job on Wall Street)
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Job Hunting Recommended Resources Social Media on September 16, 2008 at 10:56 am
How bad is the situation on Wall Street right now?
“It’s very, very, bad, and things may deteriorate further. This is as bad as anyone alive has ever seen it. Wall Street is broken.”
That’s the assessment from Dealbreaker’s John Carney in a recent interview with Fishbowl NY. This is a scary situation for everyone, most of all for people who were make their living at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.
While events haven’t totally shaken out yet and some jobs may be saved, it’s likely that thousands of Lehman and Merrill employees will be out of jobs. What can they do to move on and start new positions as quickly as possible?
Here are 5 suggestions, and this advice is only the tip of the iceberg. Readers: If you have additional advice (especially if you have Wall Street experience), please share in the Comments section. Thanks! (more…)
Why you should use LinkedIn (if you aren’t already)
Posted in Career Change Networking Recommended Resources Social Media on June 18, 2008 at 9:31 am
Today’s New York Times article about LinkedIn.com is yet another indication that membership in this professional networking site (note: basic membership is free) is now essential for any career-minded professional. The article announces that LinkedIn just raised $53 million in capital, ensuring that it will grow even larger and more robust.
Wanting to know more about LinkedIn’s features and benefits, I recently took a tour of the site with Krista Canfield, PR manager at LinkedIn. Here are the top activities she recommends for young professionals to get the maximum benefit from membership in the site: (more…)
Book Review: “How’d You Score That Gig?”
Posted in 30/20 Vision Career Advice Career Change on May 21, 2008 at 6:01 am
If you’re graduating this May and not yet sure where you’ll be working, or you’re just looking for a cooler job than the one you have now, check out How’d You Score That Gig? A Guide to the Coolest Jobs and How to Get Them by my 30/20 Vision podcast co-host Alexandra Levit.
The book begins with a helpful self-assessment that feels different from the usual tests that don’t tell you much (“Do you prefer chatting with 100 colleagues at the water cooler or working alone in a dungeon?”). This self-assessment will help you categorize yourself as an Adventurer, Creator, Data Head, Entrepreneur, Investigator, Networker, Nurturer or some combination of these. From there, you’ll read in-depth descriptions of some “cool gigs” in each category.
The range of “cool jobs” is wide, including some you’ve heard of (actor, financial adviser, event planner, physical therapist) and some that may be new to you (doula, computational linguist, forensic scientist). I found all of the jobs really interesting, and I enjoyed reading the stories of young people who’ve entered each field. Alexandra is a very good writer and fills the book with the real voices and stories of people who’ve scored great gigs. If you find some jobs you’d like to try, Alexandra shares her own expert job hunting tips as well as specific advice of gurus in each profession.
I recommend How’d You Score That Gig for recent college grads, young professionals and career changers looking for something new and different.
Have you read this book? Share your thoughts below!
It’s okay to “unachieve” for a while
Posted in Career Advice Career Change on March 6, 2008 at 1:12 pm
My friend and fellow writer Suzanne Grossman posted a great piece on The Huffington Post today, called “Just a Temp?” It’s a great reminder that it’s okay to stop achieving for a while and accept that our careers and lives go through natural ups, downs and transitions.
Here is the beginning of the article:
The word that sums up New York is “achieve,” says Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love. This is based on her Italian friend’s theory that every city has one word that describes the thoughts of most of its inhabitants. (Rome’s is sex, her friend says.) I think most busy, on-the-go New Yorkers would agree that achieve, a verb, describes us to a T. Is it possible to live in this city and step outside of achieve? These have been my thoughts ever since I left my job at the end of last summer and became a temp.
At 33, I have achieved quite a lot. I’ve had many successful jobs and worked my way up to increasingly fancier titles. I went from being an intern to having interns. I’m one of the founders of a nonprofit for girls and music, and I’ve achieved a healthy amount of satisfaction with my own music playing. When I became unemployed in August, I asked myself what I was doing back at a place I thought I had left behind in my early 20s — the great unknown. Instead of feeling bad about it, as I did back then, I decided to flirt with “unachieve” for awhile, standing still, being no one in particular, doing nothing in particular that would define me during this period of growth and transition. I started to tell people I was “in between” and that has suited me surprisingly well…
Read the full article here.
Tags: Career Advice
Lindsey on The Huffington Post: How working on a political campaign can help your career
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Generation Y on February 1, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Office politics exist in virtually every workplace, so what better training for a young professional’s career than to spend some time working on a political campaign? No matter what your political persuasion, the 2008 election is a perfect opportunity to jump into the fray. To find volunteer opportunities, check out the website of your favorite candidate or party, and remember to check out the local and state levels, too. You’re likely to get more responsibility if you work on a smaller campaign.
GOTV or “Get Out the Vote” is one of the jobs to which a new volunteer will likely be assigned. What does this entail? Calling registered voters and reminding them to go to the polls on Election Day and knocking door-to-door. GOTV requires little experience, but lots of enthusiasm. This is a particularly good option for Generation Y volunteers — candidates and their staff members will love your youthful energy and your connection to other young voters.
Read the rest of this article at The Huffington Post.
Recommended event: CareerPeeks
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Recommended Events Women on January 31, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Check out these upcoming events sponsored by CareerPeeks, a nonprofit organization that empowers women by providing practical wisdom and advice so they can build the skills they need to realize their full potential. Sessions take place in New York City and are free to attend.
Monday, Feb 11th@ 6PM
THE CAREERPEEKS FOUNDATION hosts:
Dana Roc Founder/President of DanaRoc.Com.
“LIVE LIFE OUT LOUD! Add richness and challenge to the way you live everyday.”
Sign up at www.careerpeeks.org/peek-sessions/sign-up
THE CAREERPEEKS FOUNDATION hosts:
Joyce Newman, Founder/President of The Newman Group
“Selling Yourself”
Sign up at www.careerpeeks.org/peek-sessions/sign-up
THE CAREERPEEKS FOUNDATION hosts:
Rita Henley Jensen, Founder and Editor of Womensenews.org
“Empower Yourself – Be Informed”
Sign up at www.careerpeeks.org/peek-sessions/sign-up
Best careers for 2008
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Generation Y on January 2, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I love lists. Check out U.S. News and World Report’s special feature on the Best Careers for 2008.
The list includes 33 careers–including editor, engineer, fundraiser, investment banker, librarian, pharmacist and urban planner. Click here for the full list.
Don’t miss the separate list of the 13 “Most Overrated Careers,” selected for the fact that the day-to-day experience of these jobs isn’t as exciting as it might seem or the jobs have downsides that many jobseekers don’t know about.
The “overrateds” include chef, physician (you mean all hospitals aren’t like Seattle Grace?), real estate agent and teacher. Personally, I think teachers should be one of the most respected careers in the world. Although my friend Natasha, a former teacher, told me it’s really hard to find time to go to the bathroom during the day. Major downside!
It’s also interesting to review the criteria U.S. News used for selection of the best careers. Note the mix of qualitative (does it make you happy?) and quantitative analysis (how’s the pay?) — not a bad way to analyze your own career choice:
Job satisfaction: defined as spending a high percentage of time on activities that many people would consider rewarding or pleasant.
Training difficulty: defined by the length of training typically required, adjusted by the amount of science and/or math involved.
Prestige: based on an informal survey of college-educated adults.
Job market outlook: based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor and professional organizations, with the career’s resistance to being offshored considered.
Pay: with data provided by payscale.com, which has an extensive database of individual employee compensation profiles.
What do you think of the U.S. News list? Are there careers that should or shouldn’t be on this list? Share your thoughts…
Career Q&A: Advice for career changers
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Finances Generation Y on December 3, 2007 at 11:00 am
Q: I graduated from college a year ago with a psychology degree. My original career path was nursing, but I had to change because of monetary reasons. I am now working as a receptionist for an IT company. I feel like I have no career path at all. I am now thinking about leaving this job and working in a hospital. But I am afraid to take a risk, again because of monetary reasons. Any advice on how I can make this transition?
I think there are two issues here. One is about money and one is about finding a career that will make you happy.
It’s common to have concerns about money, but it sounds like you are letting money totally drive your career choices. While money is a very important factor in determining your path, it is only one factor and should not become your only motivator. I recommend that you read some books on this topic, so you can feel more empowered. Check out The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke by Suze Orman and Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner
The other issue is about making a successful career change. Here is a collection of the best strategies I’ve observed in successful and happy career changers at all levels:
1. Become an expert on the industry you want to change into. Subscribe to industry magazines and e-newsletters, join trade associations and search the web for the names of the hospitals and executives at the top of the field. Learn the lingo of your new business—in your case, hospitals—so you sound like an insider even before you attempt to make the change.
2. Build a fresh network. Talk to anyone and everyone who works in the field you want to enter. Ask people out for coffee, attend networking events, beg everyone you know for referrals. Then, interview these people about how they got started, what experience is a “must” in their industry, how much you can expect to earn, what experience you should highlight on your resume, etc. Most people will be happy to share their wisdom as long as you’re polite and show your gratitude.
3. Learn how to talk confidently about your change. If you’re not projecting passion and belief in your career change, then no one else will perceive your change as realistic. Not Convincing: “Well, I’m thinking about switching from IT to health care, but I’m worried I’ll have to start in the mail room. Do you think I have a chance?” Convincing: “I’ve decided to pursue a health care career. I’m a great team player and very detail-oriented. How would you recommend I approach the transition?”
4. Be more than willing to learn. If people consistently tell you that you need a certain degree, a certain class credit or a certain skill set to enter the profession you want, then you must do this. With online learning, community colleges and adult education programs, you can find almost any course you need to fit your schedule and budget.
To make your transition as fast and painless as possible, combine all of the above tips simultaneously. And remember this: Career change is absolutely, positively, 100% possible. People do it every day. And the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be settled happily in your fabulous new career. Good luck!
