In a Rut? Ready for a Career Change?Written by Cecile Peterkin
Are you unhappy at work? Tired and lacking energy and drive? Don't worry, you are not alone! Studies in US show that up to 70 percent of workforce is unhappy with their job at any given time. We all feel dissatisfied and frustrated with our jobs at times. So, how do you know when feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration means it is time for a career change? There are a few key signs which point towards a need for change: * feeling overwhelmed by your workload * unable to balance your work and life responsibilities * confused about roles and duties in your job * easily irritated and ready to explode at slightest provocation We choose our career path for many different reasons: because of our parents' encouragement; because it is a successful occupation; or for financial reward (to name just a few). However, you may be in a career that doesn't support your core values. This could be root of your discomfort. Take a personal and professional inventory. Ask yourself some important questions. 1. Look at your current job. How did you get there? 2. What are your personal attributes (artistic, adaptable, creative, leader, etc.)? 3. What are your core values (autonomy, growth, helping others, financial security etc.)? 4. What are your greatest strengths? 5. Identify your accomplishments. 6. Identify your career satisfiers and dissatisfiers: For each position you have had throughout your career what activities or responsibilities did you enjoy (and not enjoy) doing? 7. What is important to you, personally and professionally? 8. What you would like to do or accomplish during your lifetime (personally or professionally) so that you will consider your life to have been well-lived? 9. What are you most excited about now?
| | FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER RESULTS WITH YOUR RESUMEWritten by Jeff Altman, CPC, MSW
FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER RESULTS WITH YOUR RESUMEIs every job description you read same? No. Is every job you submit your resume to same? Of course they aren’t. If all these job descriptions are different, why do you submit same resume? Every day, people send same generic resume out as though each position was identical and each employer was attempting to hire identical skills and attributes. Too often, results they receive are like broken watch that is right twice a day—hit or miss success. They list their name, address, phone numbers and email address, list an objective, education, and chronology of experience with dates of employment. The resume includes some successes or accomplishments. This is their resume. In days prior to computers when changing a resume required you to re-type different versions, this made sense. Today, when computers allow you to customize, spell and grammar check documents so easily, you are missing out on opportunities and costing yourself money by being lazy and not tailoring your resume for each opportunity you are interested in. Here are several steps that you can do to improve your resume and get better results. 1.Each employer will be interested in different attributes of your experience. They often indicate it by items they describe in their job ad. Emphasize experiences that you have that relate to skills being sought and functions you will perform in job they will ask you to perform. If you are applying for a staff position, emphasize your staff experience and minimize your management experience. If you are being hired to be a leader, write about your recent leadership. 2.Employers are more interested in recent work, rather than work you did many years ago. Use more space in your resume to highlight recent experience, rather than things you did before George W. Bush became President. 3.Like setting a goal where you make them specific, measurable, achievable within a specific period of time, describe your successes or achievements concretely. Reducing costs is a nice start but it is more powerful to describe something as reducing operational costs globally by 2%. Increased departmental sales by 27% resulting in . . . You get idea. Use action verbs wherever possible (For more on this, read my article, Preparing an Effective Resume” on www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com). 4.Ask someone you trust to critique what you’ve written. Too often, people believe that they can do everything by themselves without asking for help. Ask a friend in your industry to critique what you’ve written to insure you’re on target and aren’t missing mark.
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