January 2008
Jumping into a Successful Career in 2008
By
President of Workforce Associates
January 2008
Jumping into a Successful Career in 2008
By
President of Workforce Associates
Here are ten resolutions to help make 2008 a successful one during your job search and in your new career:
I. Be patient while you are searching for a new job. It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to find a job in your field at the pay scale you want. Job hunting techniques and electronic resume writing are skills that must be continually honed like your game of golf. You’ll be changing jobs every 3-5 years so keep a journal of the job hunting process — from lists of telephone calls to drafts of resumes to how you keep your references updated. This journal will be valuable to you when you go through the process again.
Make sure that you have classy business cards made up with your educational degrees, descriptive keywords, cell phone number, and email addresses to liberally hand out.
II. Make sure that your job search is a targeted one. It’s a well known fact that hiring managers prefer to find candidates through referrals or chance meetings so they don't need to advertise or employ recruiters to fill openings. Your goal as a job hunter should be to personally meet as many potential employers as possible informally. By meeting and talking with your current contacts, you may receive important referrals or an inside track on potential opportunities.
Another approach in conducting a targeted job search is to research companies where you'd like to work and learning the name of the hiring manager in your area. Google their names on the Internet and try to learn something about them professionally that you can use as an ice-breaker. Call the persons directly, mention what you learned and say you would appreciate a few moments to ask questions about their companies and upcoming needs. If the conversation goes well, the manager may want to know more about you.
III. Consider developing your hobbies into possible new careers. If you like motor sports, for example, what new careers might there be in this field? If you are involved in your church, check on possibilities for careers in the ever-expanding world of non-profits. Don’t feel that you have to stay in the same field for the next ten years. Plenty of folks have groomed themselves to make major career changes. You can, too.
IV. Keep your network current. For example, make arrangements to have lunch every week with a friend, neighbor, and/or former colleague. That means 52 active contacts as you need to pursue a new career or job this year. Resolve to help them in their job search, too. Contact the local job-searching networking group in your area.
You may be surprised to learn that almost every metro area has at least one group of professionals who are over forty who are helping one another find jobs. Learn where and when this group meets and become a member well before you need to. This will give you another opportunity to meet new friends and contacts that may be helpful in your job search. Check with local churches who often host these groups. Examples of groups include www.bpeindy.com and www.fiveoclock.com and Operation Able centers in Boston, Detroit, etc.
V. Find a mentor during your job search and in your new job. Ask someone whom you admire if they will mentor you. If there’s no one in your office who looks promising, look at your professional association or find someone in your field online. SCORE members may be a possibility as well for mentoring opportunities. Check www.score.org for the chapter nearest you.
Your alumni association at your university and high school may also provide leads regarding potential mentors and jobs. January is a great time for “old timers” to reconnect and share their personal and professional experiences. Make sure that you bring your business card and circulate widely.
VI. Join your local and national professional association or become more active in it this year. You’ve been procrastinating too long, telling yourself that you’re too busy. No more excuses! Become active. You’ll find that your enthusiasm for your profession will be rekindled and you’ll have many more kindred spirits than you currently found around your cubicle. Attend their regular monthly events so you can find out what’s happening in the job market in your field plus plans for hiring during 2008. If you’re wondering about associations in your state or profession, check out http://www.asaecenter.org/ and click under the “Gateway to Associations” link.
VII. Spend 3 - 5% of your income and time on your professional development plus membership in a health club. Subscribe to print and online publications in your field. Attend national meetings. Resolve to lose weight and stick with an exercise program.
Check out your local library, reading business journals and books and newspapers. You will find motivated, well-educated library professionals who can offer the benefit of their expertise and experience to help you explore new opportunities and research companies in ways that you may not have thought of before. Many business services departments offer free seminars in job searching to take advantage of.
Invest in books on tape for motivational help. You can also check out periodicals like the Harvard Business Review, your local business publications, and The Economist at your library to find out the latest developments. Your future employer will appreciate that you are keeping up with your field and the global workplace. Take certificate programs and short courses at your local community college or university. Most of these start up in January. It’s a terrific holiday present to yourself. Plus it will give you ample opportunity to connect with folks who also are upgrading their skills. Your next employer will appreciate your gumption and motivation to learn new techniques, trends, and information.
VIII. Plan your new lifestyle that combines part time work with more leisure. You probably won’t or can’t retire cold turkey at age 65 but it’s never too soon to do financial planning to see if you can. Put 10% of your salary into savings so you can look forward to a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. Remind your kids that saving now means that you won’t be entirely dependent on them in the future.
IX. Lower your lifestyle expectations so you can handle 3 to 6 months of unemployment. Forgo buying a new car or redecorating the laundry room. Rethink how many cell phones and credit cards you must have. Tell your kids that you need to save for your own tuition, memberships in professional associations, career books, etc. You’ll find that when you’re looking for a new job this year that your sense of equanimity will be greater if you have at least 6 months of salary saved as a cushion to lean on. Panic sets in for those who don’t plan ahead. You’ll take a job too soon at a lower salary which will make it difficult for you when the right job does arrive..
X. Help other job searchers who are in a similar career transition. Be supportive, return calls, and help them build their own networks. Remember from your own experience that unemployment can create a full-blown identity crisis. These ten commandments of staying on top of your career have helped me personally. They have also helped thousands of my readers. Take advantage of them NOW and you’ll be glad that you did.
Keep your emails and electronic resumes coming to me. I love to help those who want an impartial set of eyes to strengthen your skills, keywords, and experience.All the best! I can always be reached at jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
Copyright © 1995-2008 Gary Johnson Communications. All rights reserved. BraveNewWorkWorld, NewWork, NewWork News, Careers in the NewWork World, WITNE, and WITNE: Women in the New Economy are trademarks of Gary Johnson Communications.