Category Archives: Career & Jobs

Understanding the Changing Career Opportunity Trends

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It is becoming difficult to get jobs in the most popular sectors nowadays and the effect of recession has made the situation worst. These sectors have become completely saturated with lesser job and progressing opportunities for the average students. There are also a lot of changes in the work places; it has become more complex and competitive. Job seekers have to overcome a lot of challenges to get their desired job. They are also getting less paid than what they are worth getting

Everyone cannot be a topper for this purpose it is important to explore into new sectors to diversify the career options. Various educational institutions are coming up with offbeat career course to help students get jobs easily. For a successful career it has now become important to evaluate different aspects of a particular career. It is also important to find out individual interests to set the right career goal. Collecting information about three basic trends can be a great help to get suitable career guide.

Things to consider to set the right career goal

1. Market Trends
2. Recruiting Trends
3. Employment Trends

It is expected that the job market will take a positive turn in the coming years. Many new job categories will open up new opportunities for the job seekers. Few promising sectors have been pointed out by the experts which are as follows.

Best Career option for the coming years

Health care sectors . It has become a promising career option with the growing market demand. With the development of new medical technology it has become important to have more technicians for its application. The other job sectors under this are pathologist, nursing, audiologist, pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, medical representatives etc can be successful career option.

Mobile Media . Media has become more proactive over the couple of years along with the growing promotional activities. To reach out to the target audience effectively marketers are using different types of new media.The most popular amongst them is the mobile media. With proper knowledge in software applications and other related techniques it can be good field to venture.

Data mining or Data Base Administration . With the help of proper statistical methods this job involves finding out specific type of information from large databases. Teaching can also be a good option as well as a noble social work which helps to win lot of social respect.

Other promising career options can is social services, working as a interpreter or translator, freelancer writer, computer technician, hotel management, aviation sector etc.

So You Want A Career Change, But How Do You Decide Your Next Move?

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Competition for jobs has never been more fierce, so ensure you have decided on what you really want to do next in your ideal career before jumping from the frying pan to the fire (whether you’re currently working or not working). This requires taking a step back from browsing the vacancies, to ensure that you’re pursuing the best career path for you. Have you considered a fresh start? Lacking in new career ideas? So where do you begin?

Take a deep breath, and take the time to get a complete picture of yourself; likes, dislikes, strengths, values, goals… It can take time, because the natural urge is to just job hunt, but it’s vital to take a look at all of ‘you’ before careering (no pun intended!) into looking at specific jobs. How do you do this? I suggest you get started by writing a short biography, and to look at your highs and lows over the past, so that we can have as full a picture as possible of “you”. What have you achieved in your career that you’re proud of? What did you really enjoy? What problems or challenges have you encountered over the years, and how did you overcome these? Following these suggestions will give you as full a picture as possible of “you”. Some tips during this process would be:

• Be positive throughout – if it’s difficult, write down ten things that you like about yourself. This is often a challenge, but will help your mindset

• When writing your biography, look for clues to your values, and write them down.

• Think about whether you’re naturally a risk taker career-wise. If so what happened when you took risks? What happened when you didn’t?

• In tandem with the above, start to generate career traits/ideas/factors that appeal to you. Keep them as a list, collage, whatever works for you. Keep updating this list with new ideas as you go about your day. Be in a constant mode of enquiry.

The last point above is vital, and worthy of repeating. I understand the natural urge is to just job hunt, and focus on career ideas. I suggest that you generate factors about jobs you might like. Factors, not necessarily the job itself; so you could see a job advertised on a hoarding that you’d never consider, but an aspect of that role appeals – note it down. Don’t “edit” your ideas at this stage.

The exploration of oneself can also be a fun stage where I see “light bulbs” going on regularly, as realizations about past errors in career strategy are realised, and a plan to move forward is gradually laid down. This is a thorough process, and I urge you to take the time to explore all of your values, strengths, likes, and desires before rushing into job search per se.

After the exploration stage, I suggest that you enter what I call the “dream” phase. This is an exciting stage where you get to think outside of the box, be expansive, really go for it! What careers have you ever dreamt of doing? What jobs did you dream about when you were 5 years old? 10 years old? 15 years old? – No, don’t “edit” yourself”.

After this process you may have generated many many different job ideas (this process could happen over a few weeks, so you will hopefully have accumulated lots of ideas. By using the exercises you’ve done previously, and your own intuition, try to get to three possibilities. All three possibilities should meet your values, skills and abilities, and be something you feel truly passionate about. All three ideas should also stack up against all of the aspects of Life and Work, which you will have been recording throughout the process. After we have those three ideas, through the coaching process we then get to one idea! It’s this idea which you will take forward and formulate a plan of action to get you there! How do you get from three options to one? I suggest you ask yourself some searching questions:

• Referring back to the previous exercises, really drill deep down into each choice. Which makes you feel really enthusiastic?
• Ask yourself the potential pro’s and con’s for each choice
• Paint a “Word Picture” for each choice; see yourself doing the role in the future – write it down. How does it feel? What are you doing? Why do you love it so much? Could it be better?
• What results would you like to create for each possibility?
• Your final choice should be the one that’s most “alive” for you

Finally, I suggest that you create a practical, detailed, time bound action plan, which is a list of actions required to move you toward your career goal. Decide who you need to contact (or other action required), by when, and for what reason.

This detailed list of action points is vital to carry the whole process forward.

Whatever path or strategy you take with regard to career change planning, I hope that you will take that ‘step back’ to ensure that your needs and values are being fully served by your new career choice.

Careers After 50: The Value of a Temp Job!

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Careers after 50: developing appropriate experience to qualify for a planned career.

You’ve researched and studied a variety of proposed new careers. After speaking to others working in the field you’ve narrowed your list down to one or two possible new careers. However, you’ve found both require specific experience that you need to acquire.

Other qualifications for a new career after 50, for example, can be learned through self-study, distance learning, formal education and working with mentors. However, now you have the dilemma of getting the necessary experience to qualify for new career.

Let’s suggest a way to put you in a position to successfully compete for job in the new changed career. You might want to consider working for a temp agency, to get some desired experience or to discover if the suggested career is right for you.

Ask around for referrals to the right temp agency. Some temp agencies are specialists only working with specific careers and industries.

Re-draft your resume to put your best foot forward depending on the career and job. For each career you might want to restrict only signing up with two or three temp agencies. As you progress and learn more about specific temp agencies you can adjust your focus so you are only working with the best agency relative to the planned career.

Make it a point to see the temp agency recruiter, have a face-to-face interview and learn all you can about their services. Don’t forget this is a job interview and you want to show the recruiter how you would present yourself to a prospective employer.

Find out in advance if you are required to show specific technical skills at the temp interview and spend some time brushing up on the required skills prior to the interview.

Do some research regarding prospective wages you might expect. You’ll probably be asked what wage range you would accept. Also, you should learn what possible benefits might be available.

Many times temp assignments can last six months or longer. Be sure to tell the temp agency the length of assignment you would accept.

If the temp job is in a career you wish to qualify for, you may leverage yourself into being offered a full- time position. Or you gain enough relevant experience to qualify for a full-time career with another employer.

Don’t expect that you’ll be immediately moved into a desired temp position. Continue to contact the temp agency, at least once a week, to let them know you’re available for placement.

So the value to you using a temp agency in qualifying for a new career after 50 is: (1) Gaining required work experience, (2) Possibly being offered a job in the desired new career, (3) Bringing in some income while you prepare to change careers, or (4) Finding out the new career is not for you so you can research additional opportunities.