Archive for Category: Career Change
Making the MBA Decision
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Graduate School on August 5, 2010 at 9:50 am
Dear Lindsey,
How important is getting your MBA from a top graduate school verses a middle of the road or maybe online school make? What difference does it make regarding future pay and opportunities?
Thanks,
Marie
Dear Marie,
Educational decisions are personal and the right answers are different for everyone. What I can do is provide you with the right questions to ask to make the right move for you.
Here are three questions to help you make the best decision for you:
1. Why are you getting an MBA?
Education is a wonderful, valuable endeavor and a worthy goal in itself, but in my opinion, you should always have an end goal in mind. That desired result can help you make the decision about the best school for you. For instance, if you are getting an MBA to help you make a career change, your top priority should be finding an institution that is known for guiding people into careers in the new field you want to join. If your goal is to increase your technical knowledge of accounting, financial management, etc. (for instance, to gain a higher position or salary bracket in your current organization), then the school name may not be as important as simply gaining the knowledge you need. If your number one goal is high-level networking, then a “brand name” school might be the choice for you. If post-grad school salary is the key factor for you, then ask schools for the average starting salaries of their graduates.
Read the rest of my response to Marie’s question on Excelle.com…
Podcast: Why Two Jobs May Be Better Than One
Posted in Career Advice Career Change Entrepreneurship Future of Careers Generation Y on April 8, 2010 at 3:16 pm
“Modern moonlighting” has become an increasingly popular phenomenon among young professionals. It involves working a full-time job and pursuing other projects on the side.
Why are people doing this and how do you make it work? Listen in on my conversation with Jenny Blake, who works full-time at Google and runs a coaching and blogging business, LifeAfterCollege.org, on the side.
Listen to the podcast on my MyPath.com “College to Career” show now!
Tags: Career Advice, future of work, Generation Y, Jenny Blake, MyPath
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
