Search 4 career colleges

Once you’ve done all your research, it’s time to embark upon your new career!  This might mean applying to a school for further education – or it could just be time to start hunting for a job in your chosen field!  Remember, once you’ve decided that you want a change, the sooner you get started on the transition, the sooner you can start doing something you really enjoy. 

While I’ll go into the job application process more deeply in future posts, I’d just like to say – the more, the merrier.  Apply for any position that sounds interesting and that you think could be a good match with your experience, skills and goals.  If you’re in need of education, make sure to check out a couple of schools and get information on their programs.  Because when it’s your future, there’s no such thing as too much!

Good luck starting your new career!

You think you’ve narrowed down your career search to just a few different options – and from the descriptions you’ve read, they fit your schedule, your abilities and your interests.  Once you’ve done that – it’s time for the real research!

First of all, learn as much as you can about the specific kinds of positions you’re interested in.  The best way to do this is simple – talk to people.  Find out from your friends and family if they know somebody who has experience doing the very kind of job you’re looking at!  Find out how they spend a typical day, their likes and dislikes about the position, and try to imagine yourself in their shoes.  As an added bonus, this can be a great way to do some additional networking!

If you aren’t able to locate someone through people you already know, try contacting professional organizations or local business communities.  Not everybody may have time to talk to you, but one thing is true:  most people love to talk about themselves and what they do for a living.  Remember – there’s nothing like going straight to the source!
 

Now that you’ve evaluated your strengths, determined your job priorities and decided on your timeline, it’s time to start examining your career options!

One good resource to check out is Career Explorer – a site that gives an overview of a number of different career fields and some of the jobs that are within them.  If you need to learn some basics about the fields, it’s a great resource.

For more detailed information, check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook – a resource of the federal government that gives detailed information on just about every career you can think of – from salary to working conditions to the education required.

The important thing to look for in all of these careers is the education required – if you need to go back to school, you’ll want to find that out and determine how long it will take and if it matches your personal timeline.

Do as much research as you possibly can!   Remember, the key to finding the right career for you begins by learning about what it entails and deciding if it’s something you’d be happy doing. 

So far, I’ve asked you to take a look at yourself, your strengths and what you enjoy.  For the third step, realistically consider your timeline.  If you’re not doing right now what you want to do for the rest of your life, it’s time to consider a career change.  But everybody has different time frames to make that happen.

If you’re feeling a lot of pressure to make a career change as soon as possible, you’re going to want to find something that plays to your existing strengths.  That means concentrating on your current skills and experience.  If there’s less pressure to make the change right away, you can concentrate more on deciding what you want in a career – and what it will take to get there!

Whether you have six days, six months or six years before you make a career change, it’s important to get the most out of your time, so you can really prepare yourself to get the job you want. 

I’ll pick up on my ‘Choosing a Career’ series ASAP, but I wanted to take a quick break, because CNN Money did a special report that I think all of you might want to take a look at!

Best Jobs in America

Money Magazine and Salary.com have compiled a report of top jobs.  They rate careers based on salary and job prospects, taking into account stress levels, flexibility and how easy it is to enter and advance.  Take a look – they have 166 different jobs listed, and you might see something that you’ve never even considered before! 

Last week, I mentioned that one of the most important parts of choosing a career is deciding what’s most important to you in a job.  Another important part of the self-evaluation process is determining what you’re good at!  Remember, this isn’t always about what you already know – you can always look into furthering your education – but about where your skills lie!

Make a list of 10 of your strongest assets.  Are you comfortable with numbers and spreadsheets?  Do you like public speaking?  Can you write clearly or draw or speak multiple languages?  Do you keep your checkbook balanced?  Are you good with tools?  If you’re currently in a career, focus on the parts you enjoy most and are successful at.  If you’re starting out, take a look at your strengths at home or in school.

Once you’ve made a list of some of your strengths, you can start to take a look and see if there’s a strong pattern.  You may have a lot of items that involve you working with your hands, with data or numbers, with other people, or with creativity!  Not only can this list help you determine your strengths and what kinds of careers to begin looking at, it can also be used as a great resume boosting exercise!

Two questions that come up time and time again:  How do I pick a career?  How do I know what’s right for me?

I wish there were one right answer, one way that worked for everybody and an easy way to determine exactly what would be the perfect fit, a test that would give you the exact outline for the path your career should take.   Unfortunately, it’s not that easy!

But there’s a really great reason why it’s not that easy: you probably would do great in a number of careers!  Remember, you’re not trapped into the first thing you try, and the ability to change and grow and take the knowledge you learned on one job and apply it to something completely different is always going to be there. 

Of course, it’s great if you can find a career you love right away, and the best way to do that is to really evaluate yourself.  Ask yourself what you’re looking for in a job and what it is that makes you happy.  Do you prefer teamwork or are you happier working on projects alone?  Do you prefer physical or mental work?  Creative or analytical work?  Money is always important – we all need to be able to pay our bills and eat – but is it the most important thing to you in a job, or do you have other needs – the need to be creative, the wish to help others, or a desire for a flexible schedule or lots of free time?  If you can figure out what is important to you, it’ll be easier to find a job and a career that will make you happy!

I get asked about the interview process a lot as a career counselor.  And one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people are worried about interviews – and worried that their very fear means they won’t appear at their best.

Yesterday, I posted about some of the basics: be prompt, be professional, and educate yourself about the company and position in advance.  The importance of these three things can never be expressed enough.  But if your interview fear is strong enough that you’re worried about the impression you might give, relax and take a deep breath.

First of all, remember that you’ve already done the hard part – getting your resumé picked out of the crowd.  Focus on your positives before the interview. Remind yourself of where your strengths lie, why you’d be good in the position and that you’d be an asset to the company.  When in the interview, take your time!  Speak slowly and clearly and take a second if you need to search for the best word or example. 

Secondly, practice – the more you interview, the more comfortable you’ll be!  Find out if there are places that offer practice interviews near you – check with your college career center or local unemployment agency, just to start.  Hit up friends and family to see if they’ll ask you a few questions. 

Another thing to try: visiting career fairs.  Less formal than an interview, they can give you a chance to make a first impression in more casual conversation.   Less pressure might be what you need to shine – and it’s another chance to distribute your resumé.  And if you get called in for an interview, you may find it easier to relax if you’ve already met some of the HR people!

Lastly, prepare a list of questions in advance!  Ask questions about the company and the position.  Not only is it usually less pressure to listen than talk, but it’ll also reinforce your enthusiasm and interest in the company.

Good luck, and remember – you can make a great impression!

Here are three things to keep in mind to make your job search more productive!

Have relevant experience

Even when looking for an entry-level position, relevant experience can make all the difference.  So take advantage of internships and externships while you’re in school and keep your eye out for volunteer opportunities.  Every little bit of experience you can bring to the job increases your worth!

Be professional

There’s an old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression – that’s even more true when it comes to interviews!  So make sure that you’re prompt and professional, dressed in appropriate business attire.  Do some research on the company and be ready to ask, as well as answer, questions.

Be enthusiastic

Employers appreciate employees that bring energy and enthusiasm to the job, that care about the work that they’ll be doing.  Ask questions that express your interest in the job and what you’ll be doing and emphasize why you think you’d do a great job.  Even once you’re hired, it’s important to stay positive and concentrate on learning the ins and outs of the position – particularly in the first, crucial 90 days.

If you follow these three tips, your job search should be more rewarding – and so will your job.