Senin, 06 September 2010

Five Tips for Switching Career Paths

by Jennifer Merritt, Carolyn Bigda and Donna Rosato, MONEY Magazine


Switching fields may seem taboo, but it's quite doable, especially now when labor markets are tight. Almost half of the 164 employers who responded to our MONEY Magazine/Salary.com survey say they regularly target mid-career changers when recruiting. One reason: Switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 percent saying they'll spend "as long as it takes" to get the necessary certification and schooling.

What are they looking for? Pay and advancement, sure, but also fulfillment and a sense that they can control their career paths.

Steve Mullins, 44, already has a good job: He's a telecommunications engineer for a pharmaceutical company. But he's studying to become a nurse -- it's a top job for career changers because demand is so high. "They can offshore my job any day of the week," says Mullins of Noblesville, Indiana. "And of course, when you fix a router, it doesn't say thanks."

To make your case to a hiring manager, follow these tips.

1. Show your commitment.

"Employers are seeing high turnover," says Kimberly Bishop, a senior client partner at recruiter Korn/Ferry International. "They want to make sure you will be the right fit."

You'll be more convincing if you take classes, join industry organizations or moonlight (even on a volunteer basis) within the field you're exploring before you try to go full time -- and you'll also have a much better idea if this really is the right move for you.

2. Quantify your skills.

It may not be obvious how what you know translates into what they do. So focus on your transferable skills -- not your experience -- in interviews and on your resume.

Quantify your accomplishments: Show that you increased sales X percent or managed Y number of people. "It helps provide the scope and breadth of your accomplishments," says Bishop, "and it shows you very clearly understand what you've done."

Also highlight areas in your background that give you an advantage. When interviewing for an IT position, Randy Jensen, 36, of Riverton, Utah, pointed out that after 15 years in radio, he has good communication skills. "I can string two sentences together," he says. "I'm not going to be a hermit in a cubicle."

3. Talk the talk.

Learning industry lingo is critical. "If you want to be a brand manager, you need to talk like one," says Ricki Frankel, a career coach who specializes in transitions. Read trade publications and job postings. And start networking.

To make the switch from sales engineer to marketing, Todd Cox, 39, of Atlanta, has been reading books and seeking out mentors. "It may be someone I read about or hear speak," he says. "I tell them what I'm trying to do and ask if they'll coach me along. It doesn't always work, but everyone gives me little tidbits."

4. Take a two-step approach.

"Every career is composed of two main factors, a job title and a particular industry," says Dick Bolles, author of "What Color Is Your Parachute?" "An easier way to transition is to change just one of those factors at a time."

So if you're a lawyer itching to become a travel writer, work as a writer for a legal publication first (new title) and then eventually move into travel writing (new industry).

Or do legal work for a travel publication and contribute pieces until you're able to pick up a writing position.

5. Give yourself enough time.

Quitting on a whim often results in a frantic scramble for a paycheck. Plus, you need to think through logistics. If you have to take a salary cut, how will you cover it? Are you willing to relocate?

It took Susan Rubin, 48, of Armonk, New York, four years to give up her legal practice and become a yoga instructor.

"I was hesitant to make the jump," she says, "but in the meantime, I was training and saving money. It was very hard for me to close the doors of my practice. But once I did, I never looked back."

Salary.com is a leading provider of on-demand compensation management solutions helping businesses and individuals manage pay and performance. For more information, visit salary.com.
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The Five Things You Need to Succeed

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Whether starting a career or moving into senior management, everyone defines success differently. Whatever definition you use, there are five assets that can help you realize it on a professional level.

1. A Thick Skin

As you climb the corporate ladder or chase your dreams, you'll likely encounter criticism and rejection. Learn how to accept both graciously sooner rather than later. Constructive criticism can help you refine your plans. Rejection becomes less scary after you experience it a couple of times, which will help you become a more bold business person.

2. A Rainy Day Fund

Pursuing professional success often involves risk-taking -- leaving a longtime job for a new opportunity, moving to another state or country, or opening your own business. It's easier to take such risks if you have even a modest financial cushion. Work now to create a nest egg big enough to cover six months of living expenses. This will give you the freedom and flexibility to answer when new opportunity knocks.

3. Confidence

Pursuing your passion -- whatever it may be -- requires courage. You need to be able to ask for a promotion, ask for business, ask for financing. This can be intimidating, but, not unlike rejection, practice makes perfect. Start asking for what you want; you may not always get it, but you'll become more comfortable (and confident) doing so.

4. A Goal

If you want to move forward in your professional life, you need a goal to move toward. If you don't have a goal, get one -- or your career could stagnate.

Once you've identified your long-term goal, begin assembling a list of short-term objectives that will act as stepping stones to achieving your dream.

If you find that you don't know what you want to do with your life, try meeting with a career coach or counselor who can work with you to identify your passions and how you can pursue them professionally.

5. A Role Model

Chasing success is never easy, but it can be easier if you follow in someone else's footsteps. Focus on an individual whose rise to professional power has inspired you and model some of your actions after hers. Your role model doesn't have to work in the same field as you. What's important is to zero in on the habits and work ethic that may help you in your career. Look at how she handled adversity or how much determination it took to keep doggedly pursuing a goal and let that inspire and motivate you to follow suit.

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Perfecting the Passive Job Search

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Is your boss taking you for granted? Is business slowing around the office? You may not be ready to jump ship just yet, but you should start to explore other professional options. You need not engage in an all-out active job search. Rather, you can put out feelers in another way.

Follow these five steps to start your passive job search.

1. Post your resume online.

The easiest way to begin exploring your professional possibilities is to post your resume on Yahoo! HotJobs. By doing so, you're letting thousands of recruiters, human resources professionals, and employment experts know what your unique qualifications are and that you're interested in new opportunities.

Remember that your current employer might see your resume online, which may prompt your boss to give you a raise or a promotion if she's worried that you're going to jump ship. But you can also restrict searches of your resume, if you prefer.

2. Create an employer wish list.

Even if you're not yet ready to leave your current job, there are probably other employers in which you're interested. Create a comprehensive list of your dream employers. Research them on Yahoo! Finance. See if they show up on Fortune's popular "Best Companies to Work For" list. Then, find out if these companies employ people with your skill set.

3. Enlist your network.

Now that you have a list of dream employers, make inquiries to people in your network. Lauren Milligan, owner of Resumayday (www.resumayday.com), a career management services firm, warns against being too casual when reaching out for assistance. "If you're too casual, your network may not take your requests seriously," she counsels.

Ask if they've ever worked for any of the companies, or if they know of any who does. Request contacts (at any level) for each organization.

4. Harness the power of informational interviews.

Informational interviews are a powerful tool for the passive job seeker. Because you're not formally in the market for a new job, employers may welcome the opportunity to speak with you, as there is less pressure on both parties.

Career coach and resume expert Lauren Milligan believes informational interviews are a great way for any job seeker to gauge how attractive a candidate he is. Milligan says, "Near the end of the interview, ask, 'Do you mind looking at my resume?' Ask your interviewer to tell you what it's lacking so you can make yourself more marketable in your industry." Then, she says, "Find a way to acquire those skills or experiences while you still have your current job."

5. Follow up.

Whatever the immediate outcome of your search, continue to follow up with everyone in your network.

Career coach Milligan says, "Reach out and keep the people who've offered advice in the loop. If you've heeded it, drop them a note saying, 'I've taken your advice and I just want you to know you've been a big part of my success.' Or better yet, pick up the phone. Thanking someone ensures that they'll be there for you the next time you need help."

Conversely, if you know you want (and are now qualified for) a job at an informational interviewer's company, Milligan thinks you should ask for one. "Contact the person and say, 'I've done x, y, and z. I would like to pursue a position at your company. Can I send you a resume?'" Don't be afraid to be direct, she says. "You have to ask for the sale, so to speak. People rely on other folks to reach out, but the person on the other end has her own agenda. It can be a real time saver to just come out and ask for what you want."

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Five Simple Ways to Motivate Your Staff

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Even the greatest jobs can become monotonous from time to time, and even the greatest employees can become unmotivated. As a team leader, it can seem hard to help staffers maintain their momentum on the job, but it doesn't have to be. Small gestures go a long way in winning the favor of your team members.

Try one of these five fun and low-cost methods for getting your staff inspired once again.

1. Give a gift certificate.

Gift certificates are an affordable way to reward an employee for going the extra mile.

Popular choices that are pleasing to most employees include Starbucks gift cards and Yahoo! Music download subscriptions.

Because most gift certificates can be purchased in modest denominations, you can likely avoid going through lots of corporate red tape to receive company permission and/or petty cash.

2. Spread the joy with happy hour.

Plan a Friday night happy hour for your immediate staff where you can all bond over a cocktail or two away from work and the rest of the company.

An hour spent kicking back with colleagues at a local watering hole can create camaraderie and allow you and your team to get to know each other better. Just remember not to overindulge when you drink or share stories.

3. That's the ticket!

What's the next big summer blockbuster that's coming to a theater near you? Find out and buy tickets to it for you and your staff. Ask management if you and your team can leave work an hour or two early for extra excitement.

If your staffers are more interested in sports, get group tickets to a baseball or basketball game. Contact the group ticket sales department of your local arena or stadium to ensure that you all are able to sit together.

4. Subsidize their education.

Show your teammates that you want to help them grow by investing in their success. Get permission from management to fund career development classes for staffers.

Rather than recommending specific courses, encourage each individual to find a class that is interesting to them as well as being helpful to their growth on your team.

5. Compliment them with comp time.

When people put in extra hours for you, go the extra mile for them by arranging for comp time. Keep track of the overtime each staffer puts in and speak with your supervisor or human resources manager about rewarding each individual with a "free" day off.

This may be outside company policy, but if your team members are consistently burning the midnight oil, management may agree that rewarding them with comp time is better than having them burn out.


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How to Deal With an Office Jerk

by Robert M. Detman, for Yahoo! HotJobs


Office life can have its ups and downs, but having to endure a jerk can make it miserable. Office jerks take on many forms, and thus require creative strategies for dealing with them.

Handling Six Common Types

The Loud Phone-Talker. "Obviously the first step is to pull them aside quietly and ask them to lower their voice when using the phone," says Julie Jansen, a career coach, consultant, and trainer. "If this doesn't stop them, you could dish out the same treatment and stand near their cube on your cell phone and talk loudly. Or you can hold up a sign that says, 'Please turn volume down.'"

The Hang-Arounder. When confronting the co-worker who chronically lingers to chat when you are trying to make a deadline -- a subtle jerk, but a jerk nonetheless -- try standing up when they enter your office or cube. "The unspoken message of your body language will clearly tell him or her to keep it brief and head for the door," says Ken Lloyd, author of "Jerks at Work: How to Deal With People Problems and Problem People."

The Idea Stealer. There is a strong possibility that this jerk can't distinguish between a good idea and a bad one. "Somewhere along the way, slip in a really bad idea and let the jerk steal that," Lloyd says. However, beware that this might only encourage the jerk to become worse.

The Meeting Monopolizer. Get creative. "Try eliminating the chairs and making it a standup meeting," Lloyd suggests. The monopolizer will likely get thrown off and won't have time to settle into the usual routine of unproductive dominance.

The Bully. Remember, you're not in high school anymore. "Hold your ground and refuse to be bullied," says Steve Piazzale, a career and life coach who runs BayAreaCareerCoach.com. "They'll usually back off over time."

The Boss. Sometimes dealing with a jerk should not be your problem, particularly if you have a manager who is a jerk. In this case you might take a look around the company and notice several jerks. "This may be part of the company culture," Piazzale says. "In which case get out!"

More General Coping Strategies

Passive. Avoidance is the most obvious solution if you don't want a confrontation with any type of office jerk. "You can go to your boss and ask him to intervene," says Jansen. Or, if things are really unbearable, you could ask to be relocated to another part of the office.

Active. Avoidance can backfire if the jerk continues the annoying behavior. Try talking to the person. "Difficult people don't always know they're being difficult," Jansen says. "People generally don't have a very high level of self-awareness, so specific and constructive feedback is important."

If you must confront a jerk, it is wise to take the high road. Career coach Piazzale says, "Try to understand where the behavior is coming from, and tailor your response to that."

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Work Burnout Threatens Vacations

Employees Need More Breaks, Survey Suggests
by Tom Musbach, Yahoo! HotJobs



Despite summer's reputation for being a time of travel and leisure, many U.S. workers are not using all their vacation time and are too tired to plan a getaway, according to a new Yahoo! HotJobs survey.

Nearly half of the respondents (49%) said they feel "burned out" by their jobs, and many did not fully use vacation time as a remedy. Out of 1,800 professionals surveyed, 45% said they did not use all of their vacation days allotted in 2006, and 39% said they were too tired to take a "real" vacation during their days off.

"People don't always realize the true benefits of taking vacation time," says Susan Vobejda, vice president of marketing at Yahoo! HotJobs. "They focus more on the absence from work and related details, when in fact a vacation allows time to recharge batteries and come back to the office with new energy and increased productivity."

Why Create More Work?

There are several reasons why workers don't use all their vacation time: having too much work to do to take a vacation (36%), not being able to afford a getaway (34%), wanting to save vacation time for emergencies (32%), and worrying about coming back to an excessive workload after a vacation (15 percent).

"I think people have thrown in the vacation towel," says Debra Davenport, a professional mentor, licensed career counselor, and employment agent. "What's the point of taking a vacation when you're still strapped to your cell phone and laptop, and, worse, you return to the office from your break only to have 500 emails, 100 voicemails, and weeks of work to catch up on?"

Taking a 'Mental Health Day'

When people do take time off, it's often used in ways unrelated to vacations. In fact, nearly a third of respondents (31%) said they use the time to run errands, such as doctor visits, and 30% said they often use vacation time as "mental health days" to cope with stress.

"The issue," says Davenport, "is making self-care a priority. Vacations are an extension of that mindset."

The Problem of Presenteeism

Liz Bywater, president of Bywater Consulting Group, which specializes in organizational behavior change, suggests that elements of corporate culture may be responsible for the work-vacation imbalance.

"Part of the problem is that our culture supports an ethic of 'presenteeism,' whereby employees show up for work even when they are too ill or tired to be effective on their jobs," she says. "There is an expectation, sometimes unspoken, that people will come to work under all but the most extreme circumstances."

Making Vacation a Priority

Bywater offers the following tips for making the most of vacations:

Choose the vacation that best meets your needs. You may need a peaceful retreat from stress, or you may benefit from something more active and exciting. Avoid the kind of vacation that will leave you even more exhausted than before.

Plan ahead for your time off. Take practical steps to manage your workload with your upcoming vacation in mind. Try to wrap up important projects before you leave. Don't leave behind time-sensitive tasks that only you can handle.

Enlist help. Ask a trusted coworker to back you up while you're away and offer to return the favor. It's much easier to relax when you know someone's got you covered.

Have no regrets. You earned the vacation, so enjoy it!

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Get Serious About Your Career in Four Steps

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Summer and all its trappings -- reduced hours, vacations, lazy days -- are terrific. But did you know you can still get serious about your career while you're having fun in the sun?

Follow these four steps to be prepared to reach new heights this fall.

1. Draw the line online.

Social networking sites can be fun, but if you're serious about getting serious about your career, it's time to move your online networking to a more purposeful level. Delete any profiles that exist on sites catering primarily to adolescents, and migrate to a structured professional networking site. You may lose a thousand "friends" or so, but you'll likely gain much more viable business contacts.

2. Take a trip with purpose.

Unplugging from work can make you a more productive professional, but you may consider combining business and pleasure on your next getaway. Instead of just sitting on a beach for a week, why not visit a city or site that is critical to your vocation? You may even arrange a tour of an industry leader's facilities. Newspapers, television studios, and manufacturers are just a few of the types of businesses that offer an inside look at their workings.

Or use your vacation as an opportunity to fill out the "Volunteer Activities" portion of your resume by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity or another worthy cause.

3. Do a little academic planning.

You can take it easy this summer, but if you want to get ahead come September, get a catalog from your local university and enroll in a class for the fall. Choose a course that will help you do your current job better or one that helps you move into management. Involve your supervisor so that she knows you're serious about advancing your knowledge -- and so that she may help you get reimbursed for the course.

4. Put a little business in your beach reading.

Society has become more than a little obsessed with pop culture. While it's fun to be in the know about Paris Hilton's jail stint when you're standing around the water cooler, it's better to be in the know about the most recent business and management trends when you're trying to be taken seriously.

So instead of taking a celebrity tabloid to the beach, start tackling the latest and the greatest business books or magazines. If you're not sure where to start, ask your boss what his management must-reads are. Also, consult the New York Times Book Hardcover Nonfiction Best Seller list, which is updated every week. Or get in the habit of reading the business section of your local newspaper as a way to stay more informed.


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