How to Successfully Change Careers

People find themselves on that precipitous cliff looking back on their career just as the dirt begins to crumble beneath them.

Are you facing that career change plunge? Do you wish you were? Take it slowly and make sure what you really want to do is change careers. Then use this 10-step plan, and you will be on much more sure footing -- and on a path toward career change success. Finally, remember that career change is a natural life progression; most studies show that the average job-seeker will change careers (not just jobs) several times over the course of a career lifetime.

For the enlightening 10 step plan, see the full article here.

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When you're changing careers....!

When you're changing careers, getting your foot in the door can often be the most difficult part. Even though you may have tons of experience in your industry, which could carry over to the new career, odds are good that you don't meet every requirement on the employer's list.

So, how can you get a job when you're underqualified?  Click here for more info.

Reality of long-term unemployment

Picture the scariest thing you can think of. It’s guaranteed it's not nearly as scary as the real scariest thing in the world. That's long-term unemployment. So how long is  L O N G ?  Well …

There are two labor markets nowadays. There's the market for people who have been out of work for less than six months, and the market for people who have been out of work longer. The former is working pretty normally, and the latter is horribly dysfunctional.

To see a detailed discussion of the current labor market and its associated job filling characteristics see the complete article here.

The Interview Thank You

While unlikely to make an employer totally reverse an opinion about you, when done well, thank-you notes can help you stand out from a crowd of applicants. If you want hiring managers to remember you favorably, write a knockout thank-you note; it may make a difference. If you can't sound invested in the position and take the time necessary to write an interesting note, you may be wasting your time.

There's more to following up than getting the interviewer's name spelled correctly and shooting off a  ‘thanks for meeting me’  note. If your messages don't go beyond trite and inappropriate phrases and sentiments, you'll want to up your game to help your cause.

For points on what and what not to do, see the article here.

Networking: More than personal gain

These days, networking is recognized as a life-management skill, but only a small percentage of professionals and managers are at ease with it.  Many are awkward or obnoxious when attempting to make connections.

This discomfort and clumsiness comes partly from not understanding basic networking mechanics. Others are uncomfortable because they feel that networking means "using" people or being insincere. For a comprehensive view of Networking see the complete article here.

Employed? Manage your career

Best-selling author and motivational speaker Tom Peters strongly suggests that this economy has created a renewed need for individual responsibility. This is news to American workers who are overwhelmed daily by feelings of insecurity, fear and anger, and go to work every day without a sense of trust regarding the stability of their jobs.

While we wish for the best, the worst has been prevalent in the present job market. If you are now presently employed, what is the only alternative you hope doesn't happen?  To keep your job and prepare for the future managing your career is prudent. While this article is several years old, it still presents good points to consider in taking personal responsibility.

For ten tactics to consider in managing your career see the article here.