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What To Do When Your Career Isn’t Panning Out

 

career-options[1]Create a plan of action for when your current career just isn’t cutting it.

You’ve chosen your career path.  You’ve been networking, attending interviews, and may have even landed a position.  You can have a career in your industry and still believe that it isn’t working for you.  There are a variety of reasons to decide that your career path isn’t working out.  The very first thing you need to decide is why it isn’t working.  From there you can decide on the best course of action, whether that be to stick to the path you are currently on or to try to switch to another career.

There’s no growth opportunities at your current position.

You may feel like your career isn’t working out because there is no opportunity for advancement.  You may have been working at this job for several years and have not been promoted, received a raise, etc.  You need to find out if this is a common trend for the entire industry or just your current positon.  If it’s the latter, then it’s time to find a new job.  Start putting out applications for new positions, continue networking, and prepare for interviews.  If you know now that your current employer is a dead-end, then get out.

You can’t find a job.

You’ve finished school, gotten a degree, and have continued getting as much training as possible.  But when it comes to finding a job, you are out of luck.  This is the time to look at the statistics for the industry you’re trying to break into.  Are there many job openings at the moment? What qualifications do you need to land a job?  It could be that you don’t have what employers are looking for.  A good way to continue to gain experience is by volunteering at relevant positions.  If you’re trying to break into a dying industry and simply can’t find open positions, then it may be time to switch career paths.

You feel unfulfilled.

Many people simply fall into a career path.  Maybe you were offered a job and just never left.  You followed a family member in their footsteps.  Whatever the reason, you never got the chance to explore different careers to figure out what you want out of a job.  Because of this, your current career path may not feel fulfilling or enjoyable.  You can look at your current career and see if there are projects or assignments you can take on that would make the job worthwhile.  However, if you are set on wanting a different career, then look at the steps necessary to make a career change.

Your degree isn’t good enough.

Sometimes, just having a degree isn’t good enough.  Certain employers look at the type of degree you have, where you got your degree from, what your educational accomplishments were, etc.  If your degree is what is blocking you from getting into your chosen career path, then you have a few options.  Try to get some experience—the more experience you have related to the industry, the less your degree matters.  You can get more experience through volunteer work or getting an internship.  You can try to pad your degree with added qualifications.  Take certification programs, attend workshops, and go to seminars.  If you really think your outlook is bleak, you can consider returning to school to get a more appropriate degree.

Your current field is drying up.

In today’s economy, a lot of industries are shrinking.  Business are closing, employment is being outsourced, and current employees are being laid off.  If you are one of those current employees, you may be seeing your working days at your current company coming to an end.  In this case, you have to work quickly.  You can try to move to a company that is steadier and likely to survive the shrinkage without letting go of employees.  To do this you want to start networking and attempt to make connections within that company.  If you think it would be best to remove yourself from the industry, you can try to find a career that closely relates to your current skills—one where your skills can transfer over.  This will be easier than switching to a career path that is vastly different.

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5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Resume Writer

careers-advice-puzzle-shows-employment-guidance-advising-ass-showing-assistance-[1]By Sara Sutton Fell

If Your Resume Isn’t Opening Doors, Get Some Professional Help

Is It Worth the Money?

Job searching sure is expensive. After all, it costs money to dry clean your interview suit, fill up your tank and drive to each and every job interview. And at a time when you’re counting every nickel and dime, you don’t want to spend any more cash than necessary.

But if you’ve been job searching for some time without success, it may not be what you’re saying, but how you’re coming across on paper. That’s where a resume writer comes in. Resume writers are not just professional writers, but they’re experts in making your resume stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. Here’s why you might need a resume writer, and why it’s such a good investment.

  1. You Have Issues

Maybe you left the workplace so you could raise your family, and now there’s a huge gap in your employment history. Or perhaps you’re changing career fields and don’t quite know how to revamp your resume to show off the skills you have for this new industry. While you can’t rewrite history, a professional writer will know just how to accentuate the positives on your resume, and write away any negative aspects.

Hiring a resume writer may not be an option for everyone and some people can do the job on their own. But for those who have the necessary skills but are struggling to get interviews, a professionally polished resume can be one of the best investments you make as you continue on your job search.

  1. You’re Shy

To you, a resume is a necessary evil. It’s basically a one-page depiction of all your previous accomplishments and accolades, and frankly, you’re not the bragging type.

You might need an expert to help you through the writing process if you have a hard time talking about yourself, much less writing it all down on paper. There’s no shame in getting help with this because writing about yourself is one of the toughest assignments, and you’re often your own worst critic.

A professional resume writer will know how to spotlight your most worthy accomplishments because he’s looking at them with fresh, unbiased eyes. Let him turn your resume into something that’s personable and professional.

  1. You’re Not Getting Interviews on Your Own

You know your work experience is impressive and your workplace skills are stellar. So why aren’t you getting any interviews?

The main reason could be your subpar resume. A professionally written resume can open doors for you that might lead to a great job. It’s also good to keep in mind you might even need several versions of your resume, depending on the type of job interview you have. These advanced nuances are things with which a professional resume writer can assist.

  1. You’re Stuck in the Past

When you look at your resume, you think it looks totally awesome. But when a hiring manager sees it, all he’s seeing is the year 1986.

Like music and fashion, even resumes have to be stylish so they can get more than a passing glance from a potential boss. If you’re not sure of what the current trends are, a professional resume writing service can give your resume the extra savoir-faire it deserves. From the quality of the paper it’s printed on to the template used, the writer will make sure that your resume reads—and looks—its best.

  1. U Can’t Right Good

Let’s say you’re an accountant.

Dollars and cents are your game, not words. So if you’re struggling to express your previous work experience well—and your writing confuses HR professionals like advanced math perplexes most of society—a resume writer can help. He/she can discern what needs to be on your resume (and perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t), and express it all professionally.

Getting your resume polished will get you the interview.

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10 Reasons Why You Benefit from Using a Professional Resume Writer

career-coaching-providing-direction-career-coach-certification3[1]By Peter Newfield

Although the economy is showing signs of recovering, many people are still out of work or are about to be. And as the labor market improves, large numbers of workers are again considering making a job change. So, in this highly competitive market with lots of people vying for the same opportunities, how do you get that edge over the other job seekers? How can you make sure your candidacy stands out?

Having a great presentation of your credentials is still one of the best and most effective methods, whether that presentation is a profile on a networking site, a resume, a CV, or an executive bio. Recruiters and company executives continue to look at written sources for candidate information even though the methods may have changed from just mail to mail, fax, email, and online application.

Here, then, are the top 10 reasons (and there are many more) why using a professional resume writer will be well worth the investment and will give you that competitive advantage:

  1. Looks matter: The very first impression you give may be your only one if you do not appear to meet the employer’s needs and expectations. Executive-level resumes should have a polished, professional appearance that is free of errors and clearly displays your most important and compelling information.
  2. An Objective View: Most people find it difficult, if not impossible, to take an objective look at their education and career. What to include, what to leave out, what to emphasize – all good questions. Having an experienced career professional look at your work history will enable you to trim the excess while adding in what matters most to prospective employers.
  3. Identifying Your Value: Quite often we undervalue what we have done in our jobs. We think that everyone does that – no big deal. Resume writerswill solicit the necessary details of your career in order to craft an accomplishment/outcome-based document that demonstrates your past and future value to a company.
  4. Don’t Be a Do-It-Yourselfer: Just as most of us shouldn’t be our own doctor, lawyer, plumber, or mechanic, we shouldn’t write our own job search documents. No one expects you to be an expert at something you do once every two to five years or more. There is no way for you to have the skill and knowledge to create the best job search materials. Some things are best left to professionals who do this every day.
  5. Save Yourself Time: We frequently hear from job seekers who spent weeks and even months fine tuning their resume. Instead of delaying the start of your job search AND the start of a new job, hire a pro to help you in preparing the best product in a reasonable timeframe.
  6. Have the Inside Track: Career professionals and resume writers are in the know about what recruiters and hiring authorities want in a resume. We’ve surveyed them on their preferences and pet peeves. We write resumes that are appropriate for various industries, as well as career levels.
  7. Times Change: Just because you’ve always done it that way doesn’t mean your old resume style will still work. Resume writers keep current on the state of their art through certifications, professional affiliations, and ongoing training. You’ve kept up-to-date on your industry and so have we.
  8. Save Money: Let’s face it, the job search process costs money to conduct in addition to the lost income while you are out of work or underemployed Paying a resume service may seem like more money going out the door; however, this is definitely a worthwhile investment. We hear almost daily from clients who have found jobs that were professionally and financially rewarding. If you compare the salary lost from a prolonged job search with the cost of job search documents that will expedite the process, you will find yourself financially far ahead.
  9. Partner with a Professional: All too often we are uncomfortable discussing our career concerns and uncertainties with family and friends. How fortunate to have someone who not only understands what you are going through, doesn’t judge you, and actually has very helpful advice to guide you to the next step in your professional life. That’s what you get with a resume writer.
  10. A Great Product: Let’s face it. We are very good at what we do. We know how to write, we are excellent wordsmiths, we are whizzes at word processing, and our resumes get results. This is our business, we do it extremely well, and we all have hundreds of satisfied customers to support that claim.

In summary, this is one of those times where it pays to go to an expert. As I always say: If your resume isn’t a Winner, it’s a Killer. Do it right.

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5 Excuses You are Using To Put Off Your Job Search

27-11-2013-00-Jim-Valvano-Inspiring-Quotes[1]Stop making excuses, and start being proactive with your job search.

Your job search is starting to lag.  Why?  You could have a million excuses, each as good as the last, but the truth is, you have to overcome challenges to find the job that is right for you.  If you’ve been using one of the excuses below, you may want to cross it off your list.

  1. No one is hiring.

This is simply not true.  There is never a time when no one is hiring.  There will be times of the year when the process slows down, the industry is in a funk, or not many companies are looking to take in new people.  While this makes the process harder overall, saying that no one is hiring is just an excuse.  If it seems like no one is hiring at the moment, there are still things you can do to enhance your job search besides applying for jobs.  You can use that newfound free time, that you would have spent going to interviews, to make sure your online profiles are in tip top shape.  Contribute more to online groups and attend networking events.  Get your name out there.

  1. Now isn’t the right time.

You may feel like you just don’t have time to search for a job at the moment.  You may be trying to get through your days at a current job that is unfulfilling and stressful, leaving you drained when you return home at the end of the day.  Maybe your child is sick, and you are going to doctor’s appointments.  Your parents are visiting from out of town, and you have to clean the house and entertain them.  These are all excuses.  Budgeting your time is one of the best things you can do in the job process.  If you are currently working, force yourself to use one hour after work towards looking for a new job.  If you aren’t currently working, then searching for another position should be your full-time job. Put in a good six to eight hours a day on this new job.

  1. I don’t know where to start.

Looking for a job can be overwhelming, it’s true.  You may feel like there is simply too much to do, and you don’t know how to tackle it all.  But the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of resources available that break down the job search process step by step, showing you what needs to be done and how you can do it.  This can help you to also gain knowledge about the different ways to go about finding a job—there’s more than just one method.  You can learn about networking and try to find a job through a personal connection.  You can scope out local ads and show up to businesses in person to express interest.  You can submit your application directly to a company.  You will get farther with any method you choose than with doing nothing at all.

  1. Things will get better.

When you are stuck in a plateau during the job search, there are two lines of thinking that you could subscribe to.  The first is a “why bother” type of thinking, where you believe a good job will never come around, so you make excuses to give up.  The second is a willful ignorance that even though you aren’t doing anything, something will come around eventually.  If you’re just waiting around, hoping a recruiter will stumble upon your LinkedIn profile, you are probably in for a long wait.  The best approach to the job search is not apathy, it’s persistence.  You are much more likely to receive a job offer if you are constantly updating your online profiles, going to industry events and networking, and sending in resumes to relevant positions.

  1. I never hear back.

It can be tough when you are sending out resumes or going to interviews, and never hearing back.  This could mean that you aren’t qualified for the positions you are applying for, they found someone with more experience or better qualifications, or you are going wrong somewhere in the job process.  Take this opportunity to switch things up.  Maybe change your resume.  Create a different cover letter.  Update your online profiles.  See if these changes reflect in feedback when applying to jobs.  It could be as simple a solution as writing a more compelling cover letter.

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