Posted by ResumeHelp on February 13, 2010
What should you do if you need a career tune-up?
An awful lot of people will wait until their career crashes and burns before they seek the guidance of a career counselor or coach, and even then they want to make sure that they can’t fix it themselves first.
What would happen if you met with a career counselor before your career had a breakdown, before being laid off or before you became so discouraged that you are ready to throw in the towel? Let me suggest that you would be well on your way to a better, doing something that you love to do job instead of dreading to go to work every day.
Does this sound too good to be true? It can happen by developing a the right career plan.
Career counselors and coaches do not have all the answers for you. They aren’t magical. They can’t answer the question “what should I be when I grow up?”. However, they can guide you on a journey to help you discover the answer for yourself.
The most common issue that most job seekers have is resume development. Most people start with a resume, without having a clue what they want to do, what their skills and talents are and where they would like to apply those skills. They aren’t creative and only list their jobs without any explanation and thus their resumes are boring.
You must look at your resume as selling a product (you) then define what you have to offer and what problems you can solve. Only then can you develop and implement a plan. Until you understand your “product”, you cannot define who needs your product or who is willing to buy it. This will take some time and some work. You will be the one who decides where you want to be and what you want to do, instead of waiting for someone else to make those decisions
What if you have already been laid off or expect a downsizing? A career counselor or coach can help you here as well. If you need quick results, you will need to work smarter, not harder. Career counselors and coaches can put together a plan to help you to develop job search strategies. They will develop an effective resume first and then use all available resources to unearth job openings.
However, not all career counselors are equally effective. You need to find a career counselor or coach that you can work well with. One who will help you to identify any career gaps, and who is astute enough to generate solutions and suggestions that will help you move forward.
The difference between a career counselor and career coach is how they approach your needs. Both career counselors and career coaches will work with you to identify your strengths, goals and of course interests. Of course they expect you to take responsibility for your outcome. In other words if you think this is a magic pill, you are mistaken. Your coach will be direct, will push you, and will probably schedule check-in calls. A career counselor will let you set the pace, encourage you to call when you need help, and expect you to report in at agreed upon times. Which is better? Only you can tell. How motivated are you? Either approach will move you forward. You decide which approach will work best for you.
Exercise caution when selecting either one. In some states they are licensed, in others not. Therefore it is your responsibility as a consumer to do your research. If licensing is required in your state they should have a have a graduate degree in counseling or a related field, have a solid track record of helping individuals be successful in their career pursuits.
The career counselors we offer on our website are credentialed and are genuine.
Before making your first appointment, you should interview your potential career counselor or coach over the phone.
| 1 |
What are his/her credentials? |
| 2 |
What time-frame should you expect in order to resolve your issue? |
| 3 |
What is their level of experience and track record? |
| 4 |
How much do they charge? |
| 5 |
How accessible are they? Can you call anytime or do you need an appointment? |
| 6 |
How familiar are they with using the Internet? |
| 7 |
Are they able to help you create a resume that will be read and meets the demands of a rapidly changing marketplace?
SO WHAT’S STOPPING YOU? CONTACT ONE OF OUR CAREER COUNSELORS TODAY! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE! DON’T PUT IT OFF.
Ref: promisingfutures.com |
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Posted by ResumeHelp on August 20, 2009
Out of work for months? Don’t allow your professional skills to atrophy. Here are some things to do to keep that from happening.
In July, five million people in the U.S. were considered long-term unemployed—meaning they had been jobless for 27 weeks or more. Career counselors say that as weeks turn into months, job-hunters need to polish and update their skills to stay current. They should look for ways to network while they do so, and avoid spending lots of money. That’s not news to anyone in this position. “You want to get the biggest bang for your buck,” says J.T. O’Donnell, a career coach in North Hampton, N.H.
Here are some strategies:
- Stay connected to industry associations. Check out your membership rights with trade groups or unions. Many times, you can continue your membership for free or at a reduced rate if you’re out of work. “That means you get booklets, magazines, all the information that will help keep you up to date with what’s going on,” says Gerry Crispin, co-founder CareerXroads, a Kendall Park, N.J., consulting firm that helps companies recruit. There are excellent Executive Search companies on the Internet.
- Hit conferences. Attend industry or professional conferences by checking out association Web sites and groups on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
- Join local interest groups. Local organizations like the chamber of commerce provide good networking opportunities and sometimes offer skills classes. Offer to help run the program committee, which sets the agenda for speakers and events. You’ll get a say in who is invited and network with guests. This keeps your face in front of people.
- Take classes—in person. Taking an online class is easy, but it eliminates that face-to-face networking that often lands jobs and opens doors, says Ms. O’Donnell. “You need something where you physically show up,” she says.
- Consider entry-level coursework. One of Ms. O’Donnell’s clients was laid off from a project management job in banking. He wanted to become a project manager at a software company, but didn’t know the lingo. He took a basic Web design class; his younger classmates taught him industry terminology. “He came back so excited about learning a new industry and was much better prepared for interviews,” she says.
- Add advanced skills. Getting a certification can boost your resume. Auditing a high-level class at a local college can improve skills and help you keep up with new developments. Check colleges to see if they offer free or discounted rates for unemployed people.
- See what training programs your state offers to the unemployed. New Jersey offers grants for non-degree business classes at Rutgers University as well as free community college classes if there are open seats.
- In Michigan, the state’s “No Worker Left Behind” program offers up to two years’ worth of free tuition in the state university system for unemployed and underemployed workers.
- Write about your industry and connect more online. Start a blog about your industry. Or find five people you always wanted to interview and write an article for a local publication or industry blog. That way you keep your name out there, make new connections and continue to learn, Ms. O’Donnell says.
Don’t put it off one minute more! Check out what training is available (it’s almost unlimited) and start today!
Posted by ResumeHelp on April 2, 2009
With so many people out of work or in fear of losing their jobs we find everyone scrambling to look for new ways to network.
Enter Twitter. If you haven’t used Twitter before here’s a good reason to begin. Even as we speak there is a geek fest going on called “South by Southwest Interactive”, or as it is better known SXSWi. This is where the more technology advanced folks go to find the best ways to socialize using the latest media.
Yesterday at the conference, Workhound (the UK largest search engine) announced they were launching a Twitter Job Search board. This site will list all the jobs they have “posted” on their platform.
What can this mean to you? Time will tell. If you are not a member of Twitter you may want to consider joining or not depending on how technically savvy you are. There have been over 1.3 billion Tweets posted to Twitter but until now there has been no way to bring them together. Whether this will work or not remains to be seen.
Another prospect for you to consider is career counseling. Often I hear the comment that these people are too expensive. If your career is stalled or you have just been let go and if your plan to find another career is working then fine, I’m truly glad but if it isn’t then for your own sake, contact a career counselor today. You will never know if you just dismiss the idea without checking it for yourself to see how this can benefit you.
Let them look over your resume, do a one-on-one interview and see for yourself if this is right for you. By contacting one of these companies you are under no obligation and it’s not just a one-time session but ongoing help to be sure you find that perfect career. You may also want to give some serious to letting a professional write your resume. Most people find that having a professionally written resume makes a 100% difference. They even offer a guarantee. Check it out !!
A fresh look is all that is needed many times. Consider this, it could make the difference of finding another job in a related field you had not considered or wallowing in the quagmire you are already feeling. A good career counselor could be and probably is just what you need.
