How to Decide If You Need a Career Change

by Debra Davenport, for Yahoo! HotJobs


If you're not thrilled with your career, if you don't wake up excited about the day's prospects, or if you feel that your work has no intrinsic value, then it's time to get serious about making a change.

Knowing a Good Fit

The right career is a positive, productive and natural extension of you, your value system and your natural talents. The right career "fits"; it may not come effortlessly, but it does come naturally. It provides you with purpose, a positive self image and a sense of pride.

Just like finding your ideal mate, finding your ideal career has a lot to do with compatibility on many different levels. Your career must be a comfortable match with your personality, lifestyle, interests, skills, spiritual inclinations and values.

Signs of a Bad Fit

You know you're in the wrong career if:

• It is strictly a means to put food on the table
• It's just some job you took 10 years ago because, at the time, it was the only one you could find.
• Your parents are proud, but you're bored to tears.
• Your job makes you unhappy, damages your self-esteem, compromises your values, or undermines your integrity.
• You live for the weekend.

Assess Yourself

Here's another checklist to help you assess your current employment situation. Check the statements that apply to you (and ignore for now the letter after each statement):

1. I look forward to going to work most every day. (S)
2. My employer treats me fairly and with respect. (S)
3. I live for the weekend, or any days away from work. (G)
4. I feel valued and appreciated for my professional contributions. (S)
5. My workplace feels "toxic." (G)

6. I can be myself at work and not have to worry about being judged. (S)
7. I am included in my company's "information loop." (S)
8. My employer discusses with me and provides opportunities for advancement and professional development. (S)
9. I am commended for the extra effort I perform. (S)
10. I am stimulated intellectually and creatively by my work. (S)

11. I feel that I am making a positive contribution to society. (S)
12. I am compensated well for my work. (S)
13. I find myself daydreaming frequently about a new career. (G)
14. I feel that my work is a natural extension of who I am as a human being. (S)
15. I see myself as successful. (S)

16. I feel trapped and stuck in my current position. (G)
17. I feel in control of my career destiny. (S)
18. I am working at the level of my full potential. (S)
19. My current career negatively impacts those close to me. (G)
20. I have a desire to try something new and different. (G)

Now, count the number of "S" and "G" responses you have. "S" means "Stay" and "G" means "Go." This checklist is a reliable indicator of whether or not your present job is a good fit for you. Clearly, the more "G" ("Go") responses you checked, the more critical it is for you to start thinking about new opportunities.

Debra Davenport, PhD, is a Master Professional Mentor career counselor, and the president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm that mentors entrepreneurs and professionals. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor designation and certification program. Reach her at debra@davenportfolio.com or (480) 348-7875.

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Finding and Creating the Work You Love

Eight Steps to Your Dream Job

by Brian Kurth, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Identifying your dream job and the path that will take you there is both a challenge and an opportunity. But by following a realistic step-by-step "vocationing" process (outlined below), you can pursue your interests and passions to the job of your dreams.

1. Define Your Dream Job(s)

What are your passions and your interests? What activities give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction? Can you envision yourself in a job that fully engages your heart and your mind? You may still be trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. That's OK. This eight-step process gives you the opportunity to explore, experiment, and discover what your dream job is and how to pursue it.

2. Address Your Fears

Financial instability, family disruption, giving up an identity, failing at something new. These are all fears that may stand in the way of pursuing your dream job. The biggest thing you can do to get past these fears is to meet them head-on. Bring these deepest fears to light and examine them with reason; talk about them; play each one out to its most irrational end. What is the worst thing that could happen?

3. Do Your Research

Internal and external research helps you discover who you are and what kind of work meshes with your deepest self. Do your homework and access resources ranging from the Internet to one-on-one contact with people on-the-job to determine if what you think is your dream job truly is your dream job.

4. Find a Mentor

Inspirational, experienced, realistic, forthcoming, and optimistic. A good mentor is all of these things and eager to help someone else get started. Recruiting a mentor who is a good match for you requires following a plan of action, asking the right questions, and building a relationship that is mutually satisfying. Having a mentor is the crux to the vocationing process. Whether you're 20-something, 30-something, or even 60-something, you need a mentor!

5. Test-Drive Your Dream Job

There's no better way to learn than by doing. Test-driving your dream job with a mentor provides a hands-on experience that has the potential to change your life. This is the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the job, how you feel about the day-to-day activities, and what it takes to succeed. Whether your mentorship proves your perceived dream job is indeed your dream job, or if it is a reality check illuminating that the job is not the one of your dreams, the mentorship experience gives you the required personal and professional due diligence you need prior to making a career decision.

6. Create an Action Plan

Pursuing a dream job is less a leap than a series of incremental steps that move you closer to your goal. What is critical to reaching that goal is making sure the steps you follow are the right ones. An action plan is needed. If you make a list of all the things you need to learn and do in order to realize your dream job, you will have mapped out a plan for moving ahead. A knowledgeable action plan provides you with the power to forge ahead.

7. Establish Thresholds

The biggest reason we pursue our dream job is to increase our life satisfaction. It is important to understand how much risk, challenge, and uncertainty you can tolerate before the life-satisfaction goal becomes blurred by the process. The vocationing process is as much about what you learn on the journey as the rewards when you reach your destination.

8. Think Big, Start Small

You don't have to quit your 9-to-5 job to pursue your dream job. Obligations and concerns may take you down a less-than-direct path. It may take months, not weeks; years, not months. If you are patient and creative, you can keep your career transition moving forward.

Brian Kurth is the founder of VocationVacations and the author of "Test-Drive Your Dream Job." 

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Five Steps for Spring Career Fair Success

by Caroline Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs


Spring career fair season is almost here. But merely showing up to a fair isn't going to help you net the job of your dreams. You've got to know how to work a career fair for all its worth to get legitimate leads that yield results. Use these tips from Shawn Graham, associate director of the MBA Career Management Center at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School, to see a return whenever you invest time at a career fair.

Know Before You Go

Don't go to a career fair with the intention of hitting every exhibitor. Some career fairs have hundreds of booths, which is too much ground for one person to cover. Instead, says Graham, "Job seekers should identify and research [who you'll] want to speak with at the fair." Having what Graham refers to as "target organizations" will help attendees know how many resumes to bring as well as come up with questions to ask each company's representatives, he believes.

Keep It Short and Sweet

The best time to perfect your elevator pitch is prior to attending a job fair. Why? According to careers expert Graham, "Typically, job seekers will have about two to three minutes to spend talking to recruiters." Develop your brief pitch, which should, says Graham, summarize your interest in the organization along with your skills and relevant experience.

Just Say No to Swag

It's OK to accept a piece or two of swag, as promotional items are often called, particularly if a recruiter or company representative gives them to you. "Grabbing a handful of freebies teeters on appearing unprofessional and greedy." You want to look as though you are a potential employee rather than a "trick-or-treater, carting a bag of goodies from table to table," advises Graham, also the author of "Courting Your Career."

Pick a Card, Every Card

Every conversation you have should end with a request for each recruiter's business card. Business cards are vital tools as they give you each individual's contact information, including the proper spelling of everyone's name and title. This will prevent you from making careless errors in future communications. Graham states, "If a recruiter doesn't give you his or her business card, check with the career center to see whether the recruiter's contact information is already on file."

Contact Your New Contacts

Now that you've connected with recruiters, make sure you put their contact information to good use. Reach out to each within a few days of the career fair. Whatever method you use to reach out, says Graham, "It's important to reference the meeting at the fair." If you have notes that you took during the fair, use them to "remind [you] of key points to address in [your] follow up as well."

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Will an Advanced Degree Help Your Career?

by Doug White, Robert Half International


Do you miss the days of academic classroom discussions and all-night cram sessions? If so, you're not the only one who's thought about returning to school, either for personal enjoyment or to improve their career prospects.

But there are many factors to consider before re-enrolling. Ask yourself the questions below to help you decide.

Do I need another degree to advance in my field?

In certain lines of work -- social work, college teaching, and psychology, to name a few -- a master's degree or Ph.D. is essential. Finance and accounting professionals also typically need a master's in business administration (MBA) to be considered for senior roles.

But in other areas, the advantages of elevated academic credentials are less clear-cut. In these cases, an advanced degree makes for an attractive bullet point on a resume but is not required to move up to the highest echelons of the industry. As a guidepost, look at the educational backgrounds of leaders in your field and company.


If I don't need an advanced degree now, will it help me down the road?

An advanced degree may be unnecessary for the position you hold but could be extremely helpful when the time comes to target higher-level jobs or change careers.

Martin Hardrick, a designer at a Cincinnati-based landscape architecture firm and MBA candidate, says he's looking ahead. "My job function is very specialized, and I thought an advanced degree would help diversify my knowledge base," says Hardrick, who attends Northern Kentucky University. "I specifically chose to study business over a program related to my undergraduate studies in architecture and city planning because it would allow me to be more flexible in future career choices."

How will my education affect my finances?

An advanced degree can pay big dividends. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults with a master's, professional, or doctoral degree earned an average of $79,946 in 2005 (the most recent year for which data is available), while those with a bachelor's degree alone earned $54,689.

But don't assume an advanced degree is an automatic ticket to a larger paycheck or corner office. Corporate cultures vary. While some firms or managers highly value advanced degrees, others favor school-of-hard-knocks grads with more robust real-world experience.

Will my employer help foot the bill?

Pursuing an advanced degree isn't a small commitment, especially when it comes to finances. Depending on the institution, costs can rise above $100,000 when you factor in everything from tuition to textbooks. The good news is that some companies offer tuition reimbursement to retain top performers and groom future leaders. Other firms have affiliations with universities where employees can take courses at steep discounts.

Before approaching your employer about financing your education, do your homework and make a list of ways your academic endeavors will benefit your organization. For example, will you develop valuable skills that do not currently exist in your workplace?

If your employer doesn't offer financial assistance, consider asking for flexible scheduling options or requesting to attend industry conferences where you can expand your skill set.

Finally, if you return to school, remember these words of wisdom: "Having an advanced degree definitely garners you a certain degree of respect," says Jason Wilke, a marketing communications specialist, who received his master's from the University of South Florida in 2003. "But, ultimately, it boils down to how good you are at what you do."

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, South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com. For additional workplace articles and podcasts, visit www.workvine.com.

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Work, Interrupted: 6 Ways to Avoid Distractions

by Caroline Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs


Do you feel like you're always under the gun at work? Not getting enough done? It might not be your fault. Even if you're working 40-plus hours a week, you -- and most of your colleagues -- aren't spending all that time working.

What's behind this lack of productivity? Some of it may be blamed on inefficient management and poor communication as well as too many meetings. You may not have any control over these factors, but there are steps you can take to limit distractions, so that no one and nothing can interrupt you when you are trying to work.

Follow these suggestions from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), which surveyed senior executives to discover how they stay focused.

1. If you have a door, shut it.

Not everyone has an office with a door. In fact, now, many folks don't have offices, as open floor plans have gained favor in corporate America. But if you're lucky enough to have one, close it when you're trying to put your nose to the grindstone. If you don't want to be rude, post a small sign informing folks that you're on a deadline or an important call.

2. Budget your time (even your free time).

Have you ever wondered where the day went when you're leaving the office? If you make a careful schedule that accounts for all of your time and tasks -- free time, meetings, calls, and quiet work time -- you'll be more likely to accomplish what you need to each day. Also, you'll always know exactly where the day went and what went into it.

3. Put down your mobile device.

Constant but unscheduled phone calls and text messages are a common culprit when it comes to efficiency busters. Shut down your device or check it every hour or so, rather than keeping it at the ready when you're attempting to focus on a particular task.

4. Consider a change of scenery.

When you're under pressure to complete a project, you may want to take your show on the road if you can. Work from home or off-site -- anywhere you can truly devote yourself without the possibility of interruption. If working remotely isn't possible, find a conference room or vacant office to squat in so you can get things done.

5. Stop incessantly checking your email.

Remember the days before email? No one does. Today's professionals have become slaves to constantly checking their email. Take control of your inbox and limit how often you check on and address email to stay sane and focused on the job.

6. Off-hours are in.

If you're cursed with coworkers whose conversation you cannot resist, a phone that won't stop buzzing, or an email account that sees more incoming mail than the IRS on April 16, you may have to put in some time during off-hours. Try coming in earlier, staying later, or dropping by the offices on the weekend to get at work that's getting pushed aside. This may not be ideal, but it may be what you need to stay on top of your responsibilities and get to the top of the corporate ladder.

Corey Criswell, a research associate with CCL, also suggests wearing headphones, if you're permitted, as a fun way to tune out distractions, such as idle conversations. And, if you're truly engaged in something, avoid eye contact every time a colleague walks by your desk. "People will think that you are too busy to be interrupted," adds Criswell.

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Want Your Boss to See Your MySpace Page?

by Melanie London, Vault.com


The era of the social networking website is clearly upon us. An entire generation of people doesn't seem to think twice about sharing personal information and photos with the plugged-in planet. When it comes to employment, though, your willingness to share may cost you.

According to Vault.com's Social Networking Websites Survey, 44% of employers use sites like MySpace and Facebook to check out job candidates, and 39% have looked up the profile of a current employee. Profiles that reveal questionable behavior or attitudes can be harmful to job seekers, as 82% of employers say that something they perceive as negative on a profile would affect their hiring decisions. Despite these revealing statistics, only 57% of people with profiles take security measures, such as using the website's privacy controls or editing their profiles while in the midst of a job search.

As long as it's more important to you to land that dream job than to provide the world with photographic evidence of your win in last year's beer pong championship, remember these words: "This profile is set to private." If you're actively searching for a job, or if your resume is posted on an employment web site, be sure to utilize the privacy controls of any social networking sites you use.

The First Impression

Do you really want your online profile to make an impression before you can? It's becoming more and more common for hiring managers to use social networking web sites as a tool to whittle down the resume pile. If an HR exec logs on only to find coarse language and salacious shots, well, there's a good bet your resume will end up in the reject pile. Yes, it's fun to share borderline-scandalous profile content with friends, but why a potential employer? If it's NSFW ("not safe for work"), then it's NSF your non-private profile.

Personal Preferences

Revealing your affiliations and likes/dislikes can leave you open to someone else's biases. From your political party to even seemingly harmless information like your favorite movies or the last book you've read, these stated preferences could mean the difference between you and someone else getting the job. Isn't it safer to just keep this information private? You may feel that you wouldn't want to work for a company where someone would judge you based on such things, but in a close race, it may be easier for a hiring manager to align with a fellow oboe enthusiast than a candidate with whom he or she has no common interests. Get the job first; then reveal your love of Celine Dion.

Postings from Friends

Social networking site profiles are all about "friends." How many do you have? Who knows who? And what is everyone doing at every possible moment? Ask yourself, "Is it safe to let potential employers see what my friends are posting to my profile?" In high school, people judged you by who you hung out with; sad as it is, the same goes for social networking web sites.

Picture and Screen Name

So you've taken this all to heart, and you're about to set your profile to private -- great job! But don't neglect your photo and screen name. Resist the urge to choose a too-cutesy name and/or an excessively silly or revealing picture to represent yourself to the world at large. No matter how tempting it may be to call yourself Divalicious08, it doesn't exactly give off an aura of professionalism.

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4 Career Risks Worth Trying

by Denene Brox, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Taking calculated risks in your career can help you reach your goals. Below are some of the common career risks that you may grapple with, and how to weigh your options.

RISK: Going Back to School

Making the financial and time commitment to go back to school for an advanced degree or certification can feel overwhelming. Factoring into the equation family responsibilities or not being able to quit your job to focus on school can make furthering your education feel like a heavier burden.

Weighing your options: "First you need to know your end goal and what you are trying to achieve by going back to school, such as a raise or changing career paths," advises career coach Hallie Crawford. "Next, determine if going back to school helps you achieve this goal by talking to your boss and mentors. In some fields an advanced degree matters, in others it really doesn't."

RISK: Changing Careers

So many people hate their jobs yet toil away daily because sticking with the familiar feels safe. There are a number of reasons why people are unhappy on the job, including being in a profession that does not utilize their passions and interests.

Weighing your options: With increased company layoffs, no one is immune to losing a job. Finding work that you love should be a priority in your career. Mitigate the risk of career change by doing research before you make the leap so that you'll know what to expect from your new career in terms of salary ranges, and what the work is really like.

"There's always some amount of risk, but if you are truly unhappy the risk is worth it," says Crawford.

RISK: Saying 'No' to Added Responsibility

If your boss is saddling you with more responsibility with a project or promotion, be sure you understand exactly what that will mean for your success. Not all promotions are created equal, and you can quickly become the office doormat if you constantly take on projects that may not have high enough visibility to move your career forward.

Weighing your options: Saying no to more money or recognition is often hard to justify. Your friends, family, and colleagues may think you're crazy for passing up a promotion. But you have to follow your gut instincts. In weighing your options, ask yourself if this project or promotion will really move your forward.

RISK: Starting a Business

More people are going into business for themselves than ever before. Many dream of being their own boss but find the risk of giving up a regular paycheck, health insurance, and retirement accounts too high.

Weighing your options: Do your research (including health care options), save money, and build contacts in your industry while you're still working in your current job.

"Business ownership is a risk and it's not for the faint of heart," says business coach Dresdene Flynn-White. "However, the risks can be mitigated by financial and mental preparation. If someone wants to learn about business ownership, they should work part time in a small business to get that reality check."

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