Job Search Tip - Set Up a Professional Profile on LinkedIn

LinkedIn continues to grow like wildfire. If anything, the economic downturn caused folks to place even more emphasis on building their career networks. There is no better way than LinkedIn. And when you join LinkedIn, there is no more important activity than building a great profile!

What makes a great profile?

To a large extent, that depends on your personal career goals. Today, we are focusing on the profile as a way to build the excellent career you seek or to find a job. Focusing on this the right way is a synergistic process that will help you find and land the job you are after and to later make that job an important stepping stone on the way to a great career.

So let's get started? Have you signed up for LinkedIn. I hope so! If not, do so now and come right back. If you have, sign in now. You'll see "Profile" on the menu bar. Click on this and let's get going! Next choose "Edit Profile". Now we are on our way!

Carefully step through your profile. Provide detailed information just as you would include in your resume. Provide job titles, companies worked for, specific assignment responsibilities, measured achievements, and so forth. Tell it like it is and do not exagerate. Remember on LinkedIn folks can quickly identify past colleagues and associates to verify the facts.

Include education, training, interests, other background and so forth. Go all the way to the beginning of your career. Leave nothing out. The objective is to provide as complete as information as your resume. Next, reach out to past associates and ask them to give you a clear thorough recommendation. If they'd like you could even draft it for them.

Sit down and carefully and in detail reviewing your initial input. See if you can't identify other points to enhance in the experience section. The more measurable facts you can identify the better. Next, switch to view profile and see what others are going to see. Perhaps consider having someone else do a quick review of your profile. Take their insights and make another round of revisions. This is an effort worth 2 or 3 reviews and editing sessions.

Make sure the settings are as you'd like with your groups showing, websites, and so many other feature properly displayed. Once your profile is optimized, you are ready to begin your Internet Age job search. Good luck and good hunting.

Peggy McKee 

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Interview Tips - Interviews Are a Two-Way Street

I recently looked up the definition of "job interview" online and here's what I found:

Dictionary.com said "an interview to determine whether an applicant is suitable for a position of employment";

Wikipedia defined it as "a process in which a potential employee is evaluated by an employer for prospective employment in their company, organization, or firm. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job."

Various other sources reaffirmed the notion that interviews are to assess candidates, suggesting the control of the process lay solely with the hiring company. This isn't really the case though, as it's as much an opportunity for candidates to assess the suitability of the position on offer. When job-seekers enter each interview with the mentality that their only responsibility is to prove their worth to the employer, they set themselves up for failure.

If you're interviewing this summer for internships or graduate positions, ensure you are forthright in your questions so the interview flows more like a natural conversation rather than an examination. If you get to the end of an interview and you're asked "So do you have any questions for me?", then you've left your run too late to ascertain the intricacies of the position. Most people would use this as an opportunity to find out more about the qualities the successful candidate should possess, and other necessary details of the position. However if you were to discover the answers to such questions earlier in the interview, you can tailor your responses to suit the requirements. Why wait until the end?

An interview should be a two-way street and thrive on engagement. In fact any meeting of people in any context succeeds only when all parties are actively communicating. Have you ever been on a date where the other person is just nodding and listening to what you say with nothing interesting to contribute to the conversation? Perhaps you might have taught a creative writing course to primary school students that never contributed to the discussion. An interview is a similar situation and asking questions throughout not only shows a keen interest in the role but demonstrates your interpersonal skills.

Here are a list of some questions you might want to consider asking in your interview. Try and segue into them also; avoid randomly dropping them in when it's inappropriate:

* What are some of the challenges associated with this position?

* How would you describe the ideal candidate for this position? What qualities should they possess?

* How do you assess if I'm doing a good job? Are there any specific appraisal metrics?

* What is the likely career progression for this position within your company?

* How would you describe the organisational culture?

I think it's of benefit to ask suitable questions that arouse a personal response from the hiring manager also. It shows you're interested in not only the job on offer but the people behind the company and their bigger picture. Here's an example:

* What do you enjoy most about working for this company? (In my previous company everyone on the interview panel was taken aback when asked this by one of the candidates. I recall us going around the room and answering it one by one, and it seemed obvious that we were all in tune with each other. We later offered the said candidate a position and he was swayed not by the job itself, but rather the people he was going to work with.)

* If you could change anything about the company, what would it be? (Some might think this is controversial [perhaps more so in Asia], but I think it's relevant and shows you have the cojones to ask what most others are afraid to. After all there are aspects of any job you aren't going to like - The Pope would probably hate responding to criticism against the Catholic Church in the media, Michael Phelps probably wishes he was in bed sleeping rather than doing laps on many an occasion, and I as a start-up founder hate doing administrative duties. These things just have to be done though!

If the interview has progressed successfully based on a healthy dialogue, then it should culminate to the interviewer asking you "So do you have any OTHER questions for me?". This is a timely opportunity to pose some wrap-up questions if they haven't been answered previously:

* Based on the screening process so far, do I possess the competencies required to excel in this role?

* Are there any qualities you feel I need to improve on in order to be successful in this role?

* Is there anything further you would like to know about me to assess my suitability for this role?

* What is the process going forward? When will candidates be notified of the outcome?

There are so many other intelligent questions that candidates can pose in interviews, that creating a definitive list would be impossible. The crux of the questioning should be to respond in a manner that illustrates you're the best person for the job.

If you found these tips useful then feel free to share them with friends and others in your network that are seeking work.

Andrew is Founder

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Career Advancement Tips

Employers today are looking for people who can excel at their jobs and grow with the company as well. If a person wants to find a good job and do well for himself in that job there are a few things which we must pay attention to.

Do more than what your job asks for. When the employer sees that the employee is enthusiastic and willing to take on challenge he will be impressed. Being in the employers good books is a definite way to advance in your career.

Good communication skills. If you can let your voice be heard and let people know your ideas and beliefs in a clear concise manner, people will appreciate and respect you.

Be informative. People who are knowledgeable about areas outside their work profile are very well respected. You should gain more knowledge by reading so you can engage in intelligent conversation with people from various walks of life.

Be well like. It is imperative that a person in a corporate setting is liked by people around him. Learn when to be diplomatic and when to be stern. Maintaining good relations at the work place with everyone from the janitor to the boss is a definitely going to help in the long run.

After you land yourself a dream job, following these simple career advancement strategies will better your prospects many fold. Finding a dream jobs these days has become much simpler thanks to the numerous jobs portals that have sprung up online. They have large databases and even have resume services which candidates can make use of. These portals make resume available to some of the best companies worldwide.

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Resisting the Telecommuter's Temptations

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Most employees relish the opportunity to work remotely on occasion. The commute becomes a matter of steps, not miles. And you might get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep before starting the workday.

But telecommuting is not without troubles. Temptation and distraction lurk at every turn. Use the tips below to stay focused on your responsibilities while you're working from home.

1. Find a productive place.

Even if you live in a studio apartment, you can create a space in your home that will be dedicated to work for the day. If you don't have a proper desk, use your kitchen table. And, even though it worked for Winston Churchill, avoid working from your bed unless you're sick. It's tough to be professional when you're propped up by pillows.

2. No surfing, please.

If you're working from home, your boss isn't likely to be looking over your shoulder. You may, then, feel the urge to do more Web surfing than you normally might at the office. Don't! If it's too tough, grab an egg timer and allot a reasonable amount of time (10 to 15 minutes) to get your fill and move on. The same goes for surfing the shelves of your refrigerator. Decide what you'll have for breakfast, lunch, and snacks early in the day so you don't waste work time wondering what you'll eat.

3. Make a to-do list to get things done.

Create a work-related to-do list at the start of your day and keep it at your side. Having a list of tasks at the ready will help you remain focused and help ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.

4. Start the day like you would any other work day.

It's fine to catch a few extra winks if you don't have to make your regular commute. However, don't stray too far from your usual morning routine. If you go to the gym each morning, do so. Don't skip your morning shower or work in your bathrobe. Rather, dress in business casual attire. It's okay to be comfortable, but if you're dressed in your PJs, you may find yourself feeling more inclined to take a nap than make a deal.

5. Do not disturb.

If you live with friends or family members, let them know that you need a reasonable amount of peace and quiet when telecommuting. Ask not to be disturbed during certain hours or only for very important matters -- and define what those matters are. If you have particularly disruptive pets, consider taking them to doggie daycare. If all else fails, set up shop in your local Starbucks, where you can enjoy great coffee and food and wireless access while you work remotely.

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Finding Job Security in Insecure Times - Career Tips and Advice

No one really has job security anymore. It's sad, but true. The economy has come to such a place that even big-name companies are downsizing, closing their doors, or having to lay off employees just to make ends meet. People who once had stability and security in their dedicated service to their company no longer enjoy that privilege. Employees work with that shadow of fear hanging over them, wondering what they're going to do if their job fails them, too. However, the best way to avoid this fear and unnecessary stress is to do something proactive. Make sure that you give your best, and provide innovative and forward thinking insight anytime that you can.

Make your company realize that you are an asset. If they value you, they will keep you for as long as they can. Put in 110% at all times, and you will have better luck avoiding that next round of layoffs. However, when a company closes completely, no one is safe. Therefore, you do need to be prepared for the worst. Here are some tips to help along the way.

-Have resumes ready. Be fully prepared to send them out as soon as you lose your job so that you don't have to go without work for long.

-Make yourself as useful as possible. The more you are able to demonstrate your worth, the more likely your job will be saved in the event that it is able to be saved.

-Don't fear job loss. Be proactive and accept that it is a real issue that could happen. Then, you will be better prepared to handle it when it comes your way.

-If all else fails, go into business for yourself. Plenty of people have started successful home businesses with nothing or next to nothing and done well for themselves. Then, the only person that you have to rely upon or trust is yourself.

-Learn about the resources for job seeking in your area and utilize them to the best of your abilities. Nothing is more important than taking advantage of the things that you are offered.

There is nothing that you can ultimately do to protect the job that you have. You can try your best to give your all and make sure that you're an important member of the team, but the economic turmoil puts everyone at risk. Give yourself options so that you can feel like you have that security whether you actually do or not. With these things in mind, you might not find job security, but you will find a little peace of mind in everything that you do. Good luck, and happy job hunting, if that's where you are headed!

Tony Jacowski 

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Nobody's Perfect: Rebounding From Mistakes

by Doug White, Robert Half International


Even the most talented and polished professionals make mistakes. From minor mishaps to colossal blunders, to err is human. Consider these examples from a Robert Half International survey that asked executives to recount their biggest workplace blunders:

* "I pretended to throw water on a colleague only to discover my cup wasn't empty."
* "I left the boss behind and went to a meeting without him."
* "While speaking at a business event, I fell off the stage."
* "While interviewing a job candidate, I fell asleep."
* "A personal voice mail from my spouse went to someone else instead."

No matter your mishap, the important thing is how you recover. The following tips can help:

* Take corrective action quickly. After making a cringe-inducing error, your first reaction might be to dart for the door. But avoiding the situation or hoping it resolves itself will only compound the problem. For instance, let's say you inadvertently delete a key document your boss needs for a client presentation the next morning. Instead of thinking up an excuse, swiftly go into damage-control mode and contact your information technology department to see if there's any way to retrieve the file. If it's gone for good, inform your manager immediately and offer to stay late to reconstruct the document or help retool the speech. While your boss will be upset with the news, his or her reaction will be even worse if you wait until the last minute to drop the bombshell.

* Accept responsibility and apologize. A sincere "I'm sorry" can go a long way. If you stick your foot in your mouth with an insensitive or ill-timed comment, for instance, your best bet is to show remorse and express genuine concern for any colleague you offended. A heartfelt mea culpa will soothe, while attempts to rationalize or justify your behavior will only further damage your reputation. For example, saying, "I was only kidding" or accusing the insulted parties of "not having a sense or humor" invalidates their hurt feelings and adds insult to injury. You're much better off acknowledging the seriousness of the slip-up and making amends.

* Let it go. If poor planning causes you to miss a deadline, it's not uncommon to dwell on the error for a day or two. But move on once you've identified where things went awry and modify your work habits to avoid similar issues in the future. There's no benefit to obsessively analyzing the mistake. Remember that one error does not trump all of your successes, so don't let the slip-up define you.

While on-the-job blunders can be unpleasant, they don't have to be career-killing. In fact, demonstrating that you can own up to a mistake and bounce back with professionalism and integrity may even help you over the long term.

Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit rhi.com.

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3 Tips to Handle Resume Career Gaps

First things first: anyone who's spent a considerable amount of time working professionally will have gaps in their resume. It's a natural by-product of tackling new career opportunities, continuing education, and/or personal growth. The mistake made by most candidates is ignoring these gaps and hoping a recruiter/hiring manager won't notice. THEY WILL, and with no details addressing it on your resume, will assume it to be a dormant period. Here's how to effectively manage work gaps, and keep it from being a negative:

1) BE UPFRONT ABOUT CAREER GAPS.

Ignoring a period in your work history over 2-3 months will instantly be noted by recruiters/hiring managers. Create a "Career Note", integrated directly between positions, that addresses it. Be ACTIVE when describing what you did, and stress RESULTS. For example, if you took Continuing Education classes, include mention of it along the lines of, "Increased professional capabilities through proactively taking classes in..." Keep it short and to the point.

2) DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET PERSONAL.

If you took a break for personal reasons, title the period a Personal Sabbatical and briefly describe it. The key here is BREVITY: you want to acknowledge the time period without drawing attention away from your work history. Avoid negative details such as a death in the family, illness, etc.

3) BE PREPARED TO GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL DURING THE INTERVIEW.

In essence, a career gap functions as a mini-position in the eyes of most recruiters/hiring managers. As such, you should prepare to answer specific questions regarding that period. Accumulate as much positive data as you can, and practice beforehand. A career gap can be an opportunity to demonstrate versatility and strength in the face of changing circumstances.

Anish Majumdar 

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Career Tips to Professionals to Improve Their Position

Are you worried about next Monday morning? Do you just work for money? And feel like going home as early as possible from office? Do you feel your friends are happier in their position than you? This shows you are not happy with your current position and you must look for a career change.

If you are unsatisfied with your current job and just working for the compensation, that would adversely affect your health mentally as well as physically. Your colleagues taking more responsibilities and advancing their career then you start feeling down. This results in no promotions or terminations due to low performance.

The final call before facing either no promotion and termination is to take a chance and do what you like, rather what you are doing from the past few years.

Think carefully on what is your dream job. We always find comfortable choosing a job which is more secure and has good compensation.

What is a Career change? Is it changing the company and getting a new compensation? Not Really. A career change could be within the organization or could be outside the organization.

First thing you need to improve your position in your current organization is to "Speak Up". Communicate with your manager if you feel your efforts are not been recognized. If you do not speak up and convey your concerns, everyone thinks you are happy with what you have, let it be money, work or whatever!

You and your manager will work together to solve your concerns. If you are good at management skills then enhance your skills by taking some management trainings and try for management jobs. Cautious! Now your each and every task would be monitored to confirm that, your concerns are valid and you need more recognition and reward for your work.

You need to work hard. Try to volunteer for challenging projects. Select a very new but most important topic, give presentations on the topic.

Always share your experience when working with new and different project with your team members. Try to help them in case your team member faces any problem in a certain difficult situations. This gives you more visibility in the team.

Hope you came across "Initiatives and process Improvements" a lot these days in most of the organizations. Try to take some initiatives, could be non-technical as well but an initiative to save some king of resource. Say for example "Go Green" as a very good initiative to reduce the consumption of "use and through glasses" in your organization. It gives you more visibility.

If you are unsatisfied with the kind of work you have, you can try working on product of your interest within the same organization. As you are interested in this work, you will definitely show your performance.

If either of above methods did not work fine, then your option should be change of organization for better position. But you always need to study the market before you take any decision. A market in boom can get you more employment opportunities, as employers would be having more projects and would be looking for more resources.

Go to any job portal for career jobs. Browse for the job openings and contact the organizations directly.

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Avoid the Wrong Career With These 10 Tips

Before discussing how to avoid the wrong career objective, lets mention the #1 mistake we make when choosing a career. We don't do our homework! Americans take less then 3 hours when choosing a career objective, less time than most of us take when choosing a new car! A career will affect your entire life, and everybody in it, so take adequate time to research your new career. You should also research all the amazing opportunities available to you and across different industries. And what about creating your own position, one that you would love and know it could help employers? Employers are so stretched, they often do not have the time to develop new job descriptions and career objectives for their own staff, even if it would pay to do so.

If you are not happy with your current career objective or job, I will be the first person to encourage you to change. Many of us are taught by parents and others that it's not wise to change careers just because we're unhappy. Many of us are taught that if we bring in a paycheck, that is enough. NOT SO. Unhappiness in your career can lead to relationship problems, increased stress and health problems, increased conflict with coworkers (due to unhappiness), financial stress from overspending, searching for that quick fix.....etc. But the real key is, when you are not being authentic and doing work you dislike, you are blocking your energy, your creativity. The 'Law of Attraction' has been around for centuries and when it comes to energetics you can't defy physics. Thoughts and feelings have energy, just read Dr. Matura Emoto's book - The Hidden Messages in Water. A physicist that has documented the power behind our thoughts and words. So if you want to prosper in your career, you'd better find something that resonates with your body, mind, spirit and emotions.

Changing career objectives, or choosing your first one, is a decision you should take your time with. If family and friends pressure you to hurry your decision, run.

Here are a few considerations before you jump ahead.

1. Even if you know what your next profession will be, have you reviewed your 'likes' and favorite hobbies to see how they could be transformed into a new career objective?

2. Have you spent 20-30 hours investigating your new career objective, including interviewing employees and employers within your next position or profession?

3. Have you researched demand projections for that position/profession for the next 5-10 years?

4. Is it possible to volunteer or shadow someone for a short time before changing to your new career? Write up a paper on the experience and send it to the person with favorable highlights about your mentor and experience. People love this.

5. Have you thought about creating podcasts of prospective employer interviews in your new career that you can use along with your resume? This not only helps you discover more about the position but demonstrates your creativity.

6. Have you reviewed what the new career objective will do for your mind, body, spirit, emotion connection?

7. Enroll in membership to an association or club within your new profession. See what it will take to get a position of responsibility. This will help your job search and put you in front of key people.

8. Identify your ideal lifestyle, personality, your skills, and likes/dislikes thoroughly before selecting a career. I often have to remind clients that if they are night owls waking up at 5:00 am to get to work by 7:30 am goes against their ideal and they might become resentful toward the job.

9. If you've noticed, I haven't mentioned anything about the $ behind the position/profession. This should NOT be a reason to choose a career. The reason to choose the career should be your passion and interest for that type of work. If you love what you do, the money will come. You might need to go beyond employment to start a little business but if you love your field, you will think of a bunch of ideas how to make money with it.

10. Have fun with this process of looking for your next career. It should not be stressful but fun. Take lots of notes on your experience and who knows maybe it'll bring you some humor someday or you might publish a book on your life and will need them.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope it has helped clarify how to begin looking for a new (or your first) career. On a personal note, I am on my fifth career after choosing the first 3 for their financial rewards......MISTAKE. The last 2 have come from my heart and have changed my life. I became a Horticulturist at 48 yr. old and love it so its never too late. I am now teaching, coaching and counseling people (my fifth career) and loving it, so don't stop. There are no limits to how many careers you can have, except you.

Jeanne M. Prichard

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Planning Career Change - 3 Tips to Set Your Career Change in Motion Fast and Furiously!

If you're planning career change is in your scope for the future, then you should be patting yourself on the back.

The fact is that most people will whine and cry about being in a career that they hate, but you have decided to do something about it. It's not easy, and it's actually a bit scary...especially if you're leaving a career that's a sure thing. But, the reward of a wise career change can be immensely gratifying.

I know exactly what you're going through because I successfully changed careers myself. It wasn't an easy decision, since I had a very successful career prior to the one I chose, but changing career has been the best decision of my life.

But, if you want it to go smoothly, yet quickly, you have to do it right so that you don't end up stuck in a worse position than you're in.

So if you're planning a career change...

Here are 3 Tips to Set Your Career Change into Overdrive and Make it A Smooth Transition...

Tip #1 Figure Out What the Change Will Be... Duh right. Well you'd be surprised how many people get the idea for a career change on a whim, and all of a sudden they change right to something that they'd still rather not be doing.

Some careers look better from the outside in. It usually goes awry when someone goes after the big checks, rather than going after a lifestyle and joy of doing something that they enjoy doing.

Take some time to assess what it is that you like to do and see if it will apply to your decision for changing careers. Just as well, try to figure out what it is that you DO like about your current career, and how you can apply that else where into a new career.

It's wise as well to try doing the new career on a part-time basis before you decide to go fulltime.

Tip #2 Get Your Ducks in a Row... It's not very smart to jump into anything in life without doing some planning. For career change planning it's the same thing.

It's best to make sure that you've got some cash saved up on the side just in case things don't work out. You may want to put a little extra aside as well in case you do something where you'll have to be doing marketing of any sort, such as real estate for instance, or starting a home based business.

Don't forget about health insurance. You may want to find out how much you can get a carry over insurance for until the new kicks in. Again, if you're starting a home business, or any sort of entrepreneurial venture, then you'll need to provide your own anyways.

Tip #3 Go for Lifestyle not Money... A career change isn't about the money. It's about going to something fresh and exciting. It's about being able to change your lifestyle.

To know this then you have to figure out what type of lifestyle that you want in your change of career.

This means that when planning a career change you need to think about which career will lend itself best to your vision, because if it doesn't fit, you're going to be disappointed and end up hating this too.

I went from a career that may have seemed glamorous to many, but it was one that kept me away from my family for nearly all of my time. I had no time to myself, but if I wasn't away from home with clients...well...I wasn't going to get paid.

I changed careers to one where I now get to be home with my family and still get to make my income while I'm at home. But even if the money were less, I'd still be happier because that was the change I was after. My changing careers paid off because I knew what I was after.

If you're in the midst of thinking about or planning career change then you need to make sure that you've got all of your ducks in a row, and that you're going after this change of careers for the right reason.

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How to Identify the Career You Want in 5 Easy Steps

Some people may identify their careers when they are very young. At eight years of age, they may decide that they want to have occupations just like their parents or they may decide to enter different professions. Others may discover their career ambitions while they are attending high school or at some point later in their lives. Even though people may select careers to work in, it is important to realize that they can change to other professions at any time. Although many individuals may feel as though they are locked into their careers for financial or other reasons, they should take a moment to assess their situations and determine if other career opportunities are more ideal for them. When they look through their lenses, they may discover the freedom to select new, more appealing careers - careers that may even be dramatically different from their initial choices.

My own career changed in a remarkable fashion. Even though I knew that I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was thirteen years old, I decided to transition to a career that assists people instead of animals. After sixteen years of practicing veterinary medicine, I made the radical decision to lay my stethoscope down and accept a unique opportunity working for the Chairman and CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I became a senior executive for that organization and had many job responsibilities. Despite the numerous day-to-day job duties that I had, I found time to coach many of the company's employees and other people employed at various institutions. During this period I discovered that I loved supporting people during their pursuit of career success. My passion to help others led me to establish my own business and motivate others to experience the bliss of pursuing their own career dreams.

You can also determine the career that is ideal for you. Take some time to consider your responses to these questions.

o What would you enjoy doing even if you did not get paid to do it?

o What occupation could you do every single day and not grow tired of doing it?

o When you picture yourself in that profession, does a huge grin suddenly appear on your face?

After you spend sufficient time reflecting on the questions above, proceed to the five steps below. These steps will help you identify your ideal career.

1. List the careers that appeal to you. If you can not think of any, write down what you really enjoy doing and list the careers that are associated with these activities.

2. Obtain substantial information about each of the careers on your list so that you have a reasonable understanding of what the career entails. You can obtain data on the careers by searching on line or reading books that describe the careers you selected.

3. After conducting your research, return to your list and eliminate the careers that you are no longer interested in based on the information you gathered. Now you can focus on the careers that you are still interested in.

4. Take your abbreviated list and speak to people employed in those professions. During your conversations with them you can ask additional questions that were not answered when you conducted your research. These discussions will provide great opportunities to get their personal perspectives on the careers. You can speak to these individuals on the telephone, however meeting with them face-to-face allows for a more personal exchange (having coffee or tea together is a great way to have a nice discussion). When you schedule your meetings, be careful not to develop intimidating thoughts about speaking with them. Just remember, they began their careers using the same process and will be extremely flattered that you want to discuss what they know best - their very own professions!

5. Continue to re-evaluate and refine your list until you gather sufficient data to determine which career is right for you.

The more you learn about your career of interest, the more you increase the probability of knowing whether you truly want to pursue it. As a result, you will significantly decrease the time or money that may be wasted training in a discipline that you do not want to have as your career.

Dr. Daphne 

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Career Planning Tips - Free Tips For Effective Career Development

Career planning involves planning your career path ahead and determining in advance the career development things you need to do to get to your desired career destination.

The first step to effective career planning is to ask yourself what you want to be in life. What career do you want to pursue?

Want to be a medical doctor, pharmacist, engineer, or lawyer?

Career development along these professional disciplines is often straightforward. For example if your intended career path is to become a lawyer, you know you have to have a bachelors degree in law and therafter attend law school.

However, career planning and career development go way beyond what you studied in school or the discipline where you majored during your university years. Career planning is way bigger than that.

Career development when properly planned involves taking your destiny in your own hands, deciding what makes you happy, and then structuring all your training and career efforts in the direction of your chosen career path.

For example, suppose you have a bachelors degree in economics and now have a job. Ask yourself, "Why did I study economics?"

Generally, there are one of three reasons why people study a particular discipline in college or university.

1. They may be very passionate about the course or

2. They may have studied the course because that is what mom and dad wanted or

3. They may have studied the course because they could not get admission to study their preferred course

The good news is... you can shape or re-shape your career path irrespective of the reasons that led you to your current profession.

For example, some category 1 people... people who were passionate about their profession as teenagers... may lose their passion for the profession as they grow older and face the reality of day-to-day life. This loss of passion may also result from the pressures from family demands and the peculiar

challenges associated with the profession in practice.

Category 2 professionals, mentioned above, are likely to go after their heart's first love when they are no longer under the control of mom and dad.

Category 3 professionals are also likely to go after their first love after their first degree.

For example, I know people who are passionate about accountng. However, they could not make the score for the accounting department during their pre-university days. Some of them eventually went for courses like economics, sociology, statistics, and similar social science courses.

What happened after leaving school?

A good number of them went back to register with the professinal accounting body and now have professional certificate in accounting. In simple words... they are now chartered accountants.

Bottom line.

The course you studied in the teenage years in school need not hold you captive for the rest of your life if you have lost passion for it.

I recommend you get involved with a profession you love. If you missed your way when you were young, you can always retrace your professional steps no matter where you are currently or how old you are.

Now with that background, let's get back to the real question.

What career planning strategy can you use to plan your career path? What practical career development strategy can you put to use right now?

Do the following to move your career in the direction you want.

1. Determine where you are right now in your career

2. Determine and document where you want to be

3. Draw an outline of the skills you need to get there

4. Kick-start the process of acquiring skills you need that you don't already have

5. Discuss your career plan with your wife and then your boss

6. Ask to be given assignments that move you more and more in the direction of your career

7. Get involved in community work (where possible) that offers you an opportunity to function in the position you expect to be

8. Let nothing stop you from making that noble career a reality

Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years?

That question should help you appreciate what career development plans you need to put in place to achieve your dream.

If you have not taken career planning seriously before now, now is the time to start.

Planning ahead for a blissful and eventful career is the key to a happy life. It gives you a future to dream about and pursue... a purpose to work and live for.

Here's a toast to your career success.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

14 Teen Career (And Adult) Discovery Tips

Taking a Teen Career Quiz can help give you suggestions for career choices. Although, taking any career test is not a crystal ball, it can give you ideas about career possibilities you never even thought about.

I believe the 14 Career Tips are common sense guidelines you can follow in finding a career that will fit your style, almost perfectly. It stands to reason, that if one knows himself well enough, he will also be acutely aware about his learned skills and natural abilities. Armed with this knowledge, through the aid of a teen career quiz, one can begin his search for that job which blends in with who he is as a unique individual. The list below is not all inclusive, as there are always variables and exceptions to any rule.

1). Know that, more often than not, people do not change. The basic you is a constant, and will probably never change that much as a whole. The sooner you accept this, the quicker you can be at peace with yourself, and know how important it is to match the real YOU to the right job, and not try to force yourself to fit into an area that does not blend well with who you are. We all wish to be ourselves in everything we do, and want to be accepted by others just the way we are. So, why not express the total you, through the right job where you have commonality with others, and also get paid for doing it?

2). We were born with certain unique talents that make it more enjoyable, and easier to do certain tasks over others. Acquiring the knowledge about your natural talents, can help you in discovering your dream career.

3). You are bound by natural laws and must obey them. This means you are who you are, because of nature and nurture. You either have to work with what you have, or receive additional training and education to get inside the career you want. If you break nature's laws by trying to be someone you are not, (Through being in the wrong job) by using abilities you are weaker in, you will be penalized by the forces within yourself, and become unhappy and stressed out. This is one reason why over half the workforce is unhappy with their jobs. They are in effect, trying to be someone they are not, because they are unsuccessfully using their weaker, least favorite skills. This can never lead to career fulfillment, or job success. Using your weaker job aptitudes will lead to an unsatisfying career, and create an unhappy personal life.

4). Everyone has inherent weaknesses, and identifying them is the only work around you can do. They will not go away, as they exist as part of our nature. The best we can do is become aware of our weaknesses and faults, and focus instead, upon our preferred strengths. We are not perfect, yet we can excel in areas in which we have the best aptitude, ability, and passion for.

5). Everyone has strengths; And to find inner peace and happiness, one must utilize his preferred strengths in some constructive outlet. Expression of your preferred aptitudes does not necessarily have to be exercised through a career. The aptitudes can be acted out and engaged through a special interest, or hobby. Nevertheless, it is recommended to use your strongest abilities in your life's work or true calling first, because it will bring much more personal and professional success and fulfillment than any hobby or special interest ever could.

6). One must learn about himself and know what his weaknesses and strengths are. Acceptance of you, the way you are, is a prerequisite to locating your ideal career. In this life, we are imperfect and striving to better ourselves. If we are never happy with who we are, the way we are, right now; Then, when will we be? We were born into a society where we are not satisfied with anything we get for long, there is never enough of it, and we do not get it quick enough. Be assured that self nonacceptance, blocks us from further inner and outer growth. When will we ever be satisfied with what we have in each moment of time? Begin, by accepting yourself with all your faults, right now. Then, you can begin on your life path free of some of the self restricting chains that used to hold you back.

7). Once one inventories his strengths and weaknesses, he must figure out which jobs require his strengths, and avoid picking those careers that require the use of his weaker abilities. A teen career quiz, or a battery of teen quizzes or career tests, can help you know yourself better through through taking an inventory of your personality, skills, interests, aptitudes, attitudes, values, natural talents, and working abilities.

8). If you match your aptitudes (skills and abilities) that you love to use, plus add your interests, values, and passions (working preferences) to the job these qualities blend well with, you will have found an occupation in which, you can call a dream job.

9). Never work in a profession for the money or the prestige. Work in it because you like doing it.

10). Never gain employment within an occupation where you are required to use your weak abilities and aptitudes.

11). If you use your weak abilities, you will become bored, stressed, negative, disinterested, and unhappy in your personal and professional life.

12). In life, our core self does not change, although our values and interests may change or become altered or modified through time, due to our own personal growth, development, preferences, and unpredictable life changing circumstances.

13). Be forewarned that when you do find what you believe is your ideal career, you may grow out of it or change your mind at some point in the future. People do change careers a few times in life. This is as common as changing majors in college.

14). To further assist you in finding your ideal career, learn to quiet your body and mind daily through sitting still. If you learn how to Meditate, ( I teach this in my Stress Management Pages on my Website) you will increase your chances of receiving insights into yourself, and as a byproduct, will eventually learn which careers you fit better in, and those that you do not. Eventually when you are ready to receive it, you will be enlightened and receive a flash of inspiration and insight about the nature of which careers are truest for your personal style and working aptitudes.

Steve Humphreys

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Ten Steps to Getting a Cool Career

If you are looking for an unconventional career, you need some unconventional strategies to help you find it.

Here's 10:

1. Network, Network, Network.

Networking is the best way to gather information about unusual and unconventional careers. Most of the conventional job market is hidden. The unconventional job market is even more hidden. Search out success stories. Find out who are the top people in your chosen field, or role models who can teach you new things. Find ways to meet them. Don't expect to find them in your existing social network. Break out of your existing social habits and meet new people. Remember the Six Degrees of Separation theory - we are each of us only six people away from anyone in the world. If you contact a friend they can put you in touch with another friend who can give you another contact and so on down the line until you meet the person you really want to get in touch with. Do your research and ask questions all along the way about what interesting careers are out there and how you could get started in your career of choice.

2. Think Creatively

Take the path less travelled. There may be one career that suits you but several that will suit you at different times. If you have the chance, volunteer or do short contracts, trying out different jobs as much as possible. Each of them will teach you more about what you like and dislike. Remember, in this country we can invent our own careers by taking bits of different careers and giving them a new title.

3. Live with Contradictions

If you can't find the perfect career straight away, that's OK. Just keep taking step after step and make sure each step is consistent with your values, personality and interests. As you build self-knowledge by taking action, inspiration about different career paths you could follow will come along.

4. Keep Flexible

Remember, we are each of us more than one person. What interests you at one time in your life many not be right for you at another. Be prepared to be flexible and respond to your intuition as to when to change paths.

5. Failure is OK

It is perfectly OK to have a career on your CV that wasn't right for you. Trial and error teaches us more than introspection. As you learn more about yourself, you can get more precise and accurate in matching your career choices to who you are.

6. Take Small Steps to Get You to the big Goal

Even if you know what your ideal career is, it may take a while - even years - to get there. Although it would be wonderful to wave a magic wand, small wins are the best ways to work the path towards a bigger goal. Use each small change you make, and everything you learn, as feedback about what you want and how to get your big goal. Accept that the path often weaves in and out of rocks and disappears for a while underground before coming back again. It is not a straight line. A series of small wins will add up to a big change over time.

7. Keep Learning

If you don't have the opportunity to learn through your current job and you can't afford to take an immediate leap to another career, identify voluntary or parallel projects that you could take on that will give you new skills or insights. Turning points in careers don't usually come because of one huge leap, but because of a build-up of preferences and commitment from the different assignments over time. It is better to spend more time trying out different ways or styles of working in extracurricular projects, where you can afford to change direction, rather than taking a huge career leap that might prove hard to reverse and cost you money or security.

8. Be Patient

Career growth and transition take time. If you want to take the unfamiliar path, it may take two, three, or even more, years for you to grow the career you really want.

9. Recognise Opportunities When They Appear

We all have periods when we make progress and periods when we seem to get stuck. Always keep your eyes peeled for opportunities. Career changes don't always come conveniently labelled as such. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to make your career cooler than it is at present. Think about becoming an expert in a particular niche area. Or how about changing geographical location? What are you prepared to do that other people might not consider? Make a story out of your career so far. Take advantage of whatever life throws at you. Only you can make your career a positive experience for you. Tell the story of your life in a positive way to bring meaning to your career and it will make you get clear on the next steps you can take.

10. Take a Risk and Become Self-Employed

You can aim for an employed career or you can just get your name out there and invent your own. Be prepared to take a risk and go self-employed once you really know your own working preferences. It takes some courage but it could be your best investment in yourself ever.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

5 More Job Tips - How to Find a Great New Job Part 2 of 2

In Part 1 "5 Job Tips - How to Find a GREAT New Job" You did some soul searching created some lists - ending up with a list of marketable skills. Got that in front of you now? Good. Here are 5 more job tips to turn that list of skills into a great new job.

1. Narrow your Search

Now you need to match those skills with the kinds of jobs that will pay for them. Keep in mind there are lots of skills that transfer well to other jobs. For example:

I once ran across someone who helped her husband build a Real Estate brokerage. After 5 years, he left her and filed for divorce. She was devastated and jobless. Her instinct was to limit herself to real estate work but her skills took her far beyond that....

* She was great at marketing and could use those skills for any small business.

* She could manage any office - especially personal service types like insurance and investment fields.

* She could set appointments. Do phone work, web design, handle advertising, bookkeeping and a host of other tasks.

The question she should have been asking is... which of those valuable skills does she want to offer and to whom?

Do a bit of brainstorming to come up with some kinds of jobs that may need the skills you have to offer.

2. Set Your Sights

By now, you should have a list of the kinds of jobs available. Next, make a list of potential employers. Again you want your list to be as broad as possible and include as many potential employers as you can.

After you've drawn up a list as extensive as possible - you should arrange them from most desirable to least. Don't worry - you need not write the list in stone so you can always change the order... or even cross some employers off entirely if you like.

3. Interview Prospective Employers

From the list of potential employers, you want to narrow down your search again to a short list of potential employers. Forget about job postings. You are going after the job you want - "job openings".

Decide what companies you want to work for and why. Make sure you know what you like about these companies. Keep your eyes wide open here. Not even the "Best Place to Work in America" is perfect.

Now order your list from the most desirable to the least. Start at the top and begin your research. You want to know as much about the position as you can.

Talk to people working in the department. What's it like working in this position. What do you like about this company? How does it compare to other companies?

Talk to the department head. Ask him/her about job duties, work environment, expectations. Your purpose is not to ask about a job but to research the kind of position you want to pursue.

If they are "not hiring" then find out if they anticipate an opening and if so when? Ask about the industry in general - is there a demand for skilled people? Is the demand expected to increase to decrease? Why?

Remain undaunted if they claim to have no openings right now. Most any decent company wants to grow. Growth means expansion and expansion means jobs.

If there is any interest in your skills at all, ask the department head they would like to see your resume and offer to submit it to their human resources department. (Or if they are small - right to the person you are talking too!) If they say "yes", submit the resume with a sticky note saying "Ms. X said she wanted to see this when you got it" or something so they are sure to forward it.

4. Tailor Your Cover Letter and Resume

When submitting your cover letter and resume - be sure to focus on the skills they are looking for. If they want someone to answer the phones - emphasize your phone skills! If they don't mention typing skills, it may not matter how great yours are.

For each job you decide to go after - you should have a resume and cover letter targeted for the requirements of that position. Make sure the employer sees up front that you have exactly what they are looking for!

At this point if you find yourself explaining why they should consider you in spite of your shortcomings - it may be time to reconsider your qualifications. Remember - the point here is to target jobs you are highly qualified for. If you find yourself lacking skills then you should either adjust your focus or improve your skill set.

5. Make the Wheel Squeak

Be sure to follow up with a thank you card and a phone call. While you don't want to become a pest, make it clear you want to work for this company and why.

If you know anyone who works for the company then they may be able to give the inside scoop on news. The more information you can get the better. Stay patient. The more desirable the company and the job, the willing you should be to bide your time.

Landing the exact job you want may not be easy but the payoff is worth some extra effort. As a bonus, this extra work may pay off with some surprising rewards you never thought possible.

You may find the company you were originally high on isn't all that. BUT there' a position open now at an even better firm. Plus once you can present a knowledgeable and enthusiastic prospect to a potential employer - you can suddenly find yourself as a "hot property".

The employer may be willing to go all out to bag a trophy employee - you!

Remember this ball started rolling because you decided to pursue something you would enjoy doing instead of settling for "whatever". In the end you will be happier and your new employer will be overjoyed to have an enthusiastic employee who really wants to be there.

Now take this 5 job tips along with the first set of tips and land that awesome job!

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy