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#YourCareer : Career Change At 50: It’s Not Too Late. Question- How Did you Manage the Change? Welcome your Comments.

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Are you feeling stuck in your career as you enter your 50s? Do you dream of trying something new but worry it’s too late to make a major change? It’s not as crazy as it may seem. While some professionals are settled into their careers by 50, the possibility of a reset is now evolving in a very positive direction.

Many 50-somethings find themselves burned out or longing for more purpose and fulfillment at work.

“We 50-somethings are focused on refreshing our skills and working alongside (and for) younger people for what could be another few decades of meaningful work,” says Marci Alboher, VP at CoGenerate and author of the Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.

The days of working for one company for your entire career, getting your gold watch and retiring to Florida are long gone. People are living longer and stronger. And most professions have experienced unusual twists and turns in recent months. Working in the same industry or job function for your entire career is getting rarer.

 

“Why not explore doing something else?” says leadership speaker and bestselling author Fawn Germer. “You may be stuck in your comfort zone, but the land of comfort is no longer a safe place in a workforce that is so driven by change. You may surprise yourself when you discover that your greatest success hasn’t even happened yet.”

 

With careful planning, it’s feasible to successfully launch a new career later in life.The Benefits Of Changing Careers At 50

The Benefits Of Changing Careers At 50

Here’s a taste of the potential payoffs and pathways:

  • Pursuing meaningful work that’s aligned with your values and priorities
  • Launching a passion project or social cause that has been on the back burner forever
  • Leveraging your expertise, experiences and confidence that you built over decades
  • Taking advantage of financial security. You saved. You invested. Now it’s time to benefit.
  • Easing into retirement by shifting to work that provides more flexibility and less stress
  • Recharging after feeling that you have plateaued or you’re burned out
  • Being your own boss through entrepreneurship or solopreneurship
  • Finally pursuing that long-held dream—maybe the career you were dissuaded from when you were just starting out

The key is to be motivated to run toward an opportunity because it aligns with your purpose, not running from the parts of work that are frustrating. It’s essential that you know what your values are.

Of course, there are risks like ageism, establishing yourself with a new audience, and potential income drops. Weigh the pros and cons carefully, along with the risks and rewards. Seek input from trusted colleagues and from people who currently have the role(s) you are considering.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

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Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type (Jobsearch, Resume, Networking, etc) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You Have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

 

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

How To Make A Career Change At 50

Once you make the commitment to make the change, follow these steps:

  • Identify passions and transferable skills from your experience
  • Research growth fields that excite you
  • Invest in professional development to fill any skill gaps
  • Update your resume, LinkedIn profile and elevator pitch
  • Network extensively, sharing your career transformation goals
  • Try internships or volunteering to test out potential new roles before committing
  • Ensure your finances are in order—including your health insurance—so you don’t create fiscal stress as you pivot
  • Stay patient and persistent during the transition. Any major career transition takes time.

 

The Best Jobs And Industries To Break Into When You’re In Your 50s

For 50-somethings, the most promising encore careers for leveraging professional strengths include healthcare, education, consulting, hospitality, and technology roles focused on AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Consider those as you craft your career leap strategy. Alboher suggests that you “think about roles that benefit from the age-enhanced attributes—specifically your emotional intelligence and the ability to synthesize and see patterns.”

With courage, planning, and perseverance, you can find success in a Chapter 2 career that’s tailored to your strengths and passions. It’s not too late to live your purpose and do work that truly matters.

 

Forbes.com | November 14, 2023 | William Arruda

#YourCareer : Unlock Your Career Potential- A Roadmap to Professional Fulfillment. What’s your Career Plans? Steps to Move you Forward. Great Read!

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Staying competitive and relevant in today’s fast-paced career landscape requires a proactive approach. The following strategies, presented to you below by First Sun Consulting, LLC, are designed to inject new life into your career trajectory. Whether you’re considering a career pivot, seeking advancement, or simply looking to rekindle your enthusiasm for your current role, these guidelines are your blueprint for success.

Master Skills Through Workshops

Participating in educational events like workshops, seminars, or online courses serves as an avenue for skill enhancement. It’s essential for career development as it not only keeps you updated with the latest industry trends but also makes you a more valuable asset to your organization. For example, a graphic designer attending a workshop on the latest design software can produce more contemporary and efficient designs, increasing his or her value to the team.

Leverage Guidance of a Seasoned Advisor

Having a mentor or working with a consultation service like First Sun Consulting, LLC, can make a significant difference in your career trajectory. These individuals provide valuable insights based on their own experiences, helping you make informed decisions. They can also offer moral and emotional support, especially when you encounter challenges in your professional life. For instance, a young lawyer could benefit immensely from the guidance of a senior attorney when navigating the complexities of the legal world.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs  @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(Jobsearch, Resume, Networking, etc) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You Have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

 

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Explore Horizontal Career Paths

A smart lateral move within the same organization can be surprisingly beneficial. It allows you to acquire new skills and experiences without the learning curve that comes with entering a new company. This can also renew your passion for your work by giving you a fresh set of challenges and opportunities. For example, a customer service representative might find renewed enthusiasm after moving laterally into a role focused on client onboarding.

Create Outstanding Resume

A polished resume is often your first point of contact with potential employers. It is vital to invest time and effort into making it stand out. You can create a stellar and professional-looking resume by utilizing a free online resume template. If you simply click here, you can access a variety of options designed to highlight your skills and experiences effectively – all for free. What’s more, designing a resume is as easy as updating a predesigned template that fits your needs.

Tackle New Challenges at Work

Taking on new projects or responsibilities can do wonders for your professional growth. It not only demonstrates your versatility to your employers but also breaks the monotony of routine, offering you new challenges to conquer. An accountant, for example, volunteering to lead a new sustainability initiative at work, can demonstrate a commitment to growth and personal development.

Engage in Skills-Based Volunteering

Investing time in volunteer or pro bono work serves a dual purpose. It not only helps you make a positive impact on the community but also enables you to network with like-minded professionals. For example, a marketing professional volunteering at a non-profit can utilize his skills to help the organization while expanding his network in a meaningful way.

Consider Taking a Break

Sometimes, the best way to rejuvenate your career is by taking an extended break. Sabbaticals offer you time to reflect, reevaluate your goals, and come back with a fresh outlook. For example, a teacher taking a year off to travel can return with newfound perspectives and teaching techniques that enrich the educational experience for students, as well as herself.

Investing in your career’s vitality is non-negotiable for both personal and professional growth. Whether it’s by improving your skill set, seeking expert advice, exploring lateral moves, or even taking a step back to reassess your goals, these strategies ensure you remain not just relevant but also fulfilled in your professional journey. Committing to these actions will put you in a prime position for future success and long-term satisfaction.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Cherie McLaughlin – Cherie Mclaughlin has been creating and growing couch-based businesses since her couch was in a dorm room. Through both success and failure, she knows that all it takes to be successful is a willingness to go into it with the understanding that it’s a learn-as-you-go process, and the boldness to step out of your comfort zone and give it a shot. 

 

FSC Career Blog |  October 9, 2023 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 18K Reads. Must REad- Whether It’s The Notable Silicon Valley Bank, Meta Or Google, Your Job Isn’t Safe—It’s Time To Look After Yourself.

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The economy has become too volatile, and workers are no longer safe. The lurching back and forth from good to bad times has accelerated, causing workers to feel lost and confused. Only a year or so ago, everything seemed fine. Record inflation, high-interest rates and soaring costs are eating into everyone’s paychecks. Jobs for white-collar workers were seemingly ubiquitous, but now switching jobs is harder. The tech sector alone laid off nearly 130,00 workers in the first two and a half months of 2023.

Americans are contending with fear, uncertainty and doom. It looks like perpetual change will be the new norm for the near term. You’re not guaranteed job security even if you work at notable firms, like the once highly regarded Silicon Valley Bank, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon or Google. The reality is that this new economy is harsh, cold and unforgiving. You must take ownership of your career and create your destiny. You cannot solely rely upon the largesse of your company.

After many years of catering and pampering tech workers, tech firms are implementing cost-cutting initiatives. The change in tone is voiced by venture capitalist Keith Rabois, a general partner at Founders Fund, known for his big wins in investing in PayPal, LinkedIn and Square at early-stage investment rounds, said that the tech sector has too much “fake work” and too many people were hired as a “vanity metric” to help managers build their egos and fiefdoms.

Silicon Valley Bank Was Shut Down

On Thursday, SVB, the 16th largest bank in the United States, experienced a run on the bank, as depositors rushed to withdraw $42 billion from their accounts, leading to the largest U.S. banking failure since the financial crisis. The lender was best known for servicing the “innovative economy landscape.” According to its website, about 50% of all U.S. venture-backed technology and life-sciences companies banked with SVB.

The VC and tech depositors held accounts with millions of dollars. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the United States government entity responsible for insuring deposits, only covers up to $250,000. More than 90% of the money held at SVB was greater than the amount the FDIC would cover. Startup founders worried about how they would be able to meet payroll. If the funds were stuck in limbo, it would have likely caused large job losses, as companies wouldn’t have the assets to pay them.

Depositors who held money in SVB, Signature Bank, First Republic and other smaller or regional banks spent the weekend worried about losing their funds. It was a roller coaster ride, as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen initially said she wouldn’t bail out SVB and other similarly situated banks. Strong protests were made by venture David Sacks and others, asserting that it wasn’t fair for customers to be wiped out of millions of dollars, due to bad decisions made by the leadership at SVB. Ultimately, Yellen, the Federal Reserve Bank and others in the Biden administration ensured that depositors would be made whole again and would have access to their money on Monday.

 

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Lessons Learned From The Near Disaster

One of the lessons learned from the pendulum swinging to extremes is that you cannot be complacent and must always be vigilant about your job and career. The days of the Great Resignation, quiet quitting and acting your wage are behind us. There’s no room for Bare Minimum Monday and Try-Less Tuesday. The new normal is more akin to FUD—fear, uncertainty and doom.

It sounds dramatic, but it’s meant to be a new reality check. If you have a job, hold on tightly and make yourself irreplaceable. At the same time, you need to cushion your career by creating an action plan to prepare for if things take a terrible turn at your current company. The onslaught of layoffs, hiring freezes and job offers rescinded calls for action, instead of waiting for the ax to fall. Keep looking for new opportunities. Update your résumé. Stay in touch with recruiters. Seek help and advice from mentors, sponsors, career coaches and trusted friends and family. Continue learning new skills as the economy constantly changes and evolves, so you won’t get left behind. If you haven’t started, build a network of like-minded people. These will be the ones to turn to for job leads and introductions to new opportunities. If you have the time and inclination, find ways to have multiple income streams in addition to your job.

Think of what happened over the last three-plus years. We staggered from the depths of despair, slowly digging our way out of a global pandemic. For a time, the U.S. economy experienced a period of exuberance. After millions of layoffs during the early dark days of the pandemic, the U.S. economy experienced a job boom with record-low levels of unemployment. Now, Americans are facing tough times again

Layoffs And Stress

Finding a white-collar job will be more challenging now. Blue-collar and frontline jobs are seeing more growth. However, there is a white-collar recession happening, as thousands of tech, Wall Street, real estate, media and other interest-rate sensitive sectors collectively laid off hundreds of thousands of college-educated office workers.

According to data from LinkedIn’s State of the Labor Market, the market for these professionals is slowing down. The report conducted by the professional social network shows hiring on LinkedIn dropped by 23% year-over-year in the U.S. in January.

The data shows that the number of posts by members mentioning the words “layoff” or “retrenchment” on LinkedIn soared. Posts referencing “open to work” increased by almost 20%. These indicators reflect that the labor market is cooling, beyond the ongoing layoff announcements from industries that saw massive overhiring during the pandemic

Job seekers no longer have the luxury of picking and choosing from a large array of opportunities. If you switch roles, you may be the last person hired and first one fired when things take a turn for the worse. As a result, people are working harder and longer hours, especially since inflation and higher interest rates have increased the costs of everything. Losing a job can become a financial hardship.

Many Americans are financially squeezed, sandwiched between caring for their children and young adults, while also providing for their aging parents. As life expectancy continues to rise and many young adults grapple with financial autonomy, 23% of adults in the U.S. are now part of what is being called the “sandwich generation,” according to a Pew Research Center survey. The sandwich generation consists of adults with a parent 65 years or older, who are raising a minor or providing for an adult child.

Working Weekends

According to a report by ActivTrak, a workplace software company, people are working more hours over the weekend. In the beleaguered tech sector, reeling from an unrelenting stream of layoff announcements, the amount of time put in on Saturdays and Sundays soared by 31%. Job cuts have also impacted media company employees, and the study shows that they’ve put in 53% extra hours on average on weekends.

According to the study, the additional hours spent working are primarily due to the layoffs, which result in the remaining workers having to take on the workload of those who were let go.

The American Psychological Association says that a stressful workplace leads to a multitude of health problems, including headaches, stomachaches, trouble sleeping, losing your temper and lashing out and trouble concentrating. Unrelenting stress can also cause anxiety, insomnia and high blood pressure, weakening your immune system. When you’re burned out, there’s a risk of depression, obesity and heart disease. People in this situation sometimes turn to drugs and alcohol, which worsens the situation.

Here’s What You’re Dealing With

A new policy will make it harder for Googlers to advance within the organization. Google informed its employees that fewer people would be offered promotions to senior levels this year compared to the prior years “to ensure that the number of Googlers in more senior and leadership roles grows in proportion to the growth of the company.”

With fewer promotions available, the tech company is actually pitting people against each other. If they don’t aggressively exceed their manager’s expectations, there may not be a path forward within the company. The new program is another blow to workers shortly after the search giant coldly laid off 12,000 people via email.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pointed out the proliferation of managers within his company, claiming it creates unnecessary bloat and spiraling costs. According to reporting by the Verge, Meta is making 2023 the “year of efficiency.”

Zuckerberg called out the inefficiencies within the large social media platform, which is also happening at other large tech companies, stating, “I don’t think you want a management structure that’s just managers managing managers, managing managers, managing managers, managing the people who are doing the work.”

Under the cloak of the Silicon Valley implosion, Zuckerberg is reportedly conducting a second round of layoffs that could match the breadth of last year’s job cuts, according to the Wall Street Journal. Every time a company, including his own, announces large-scale layoffs, the company’s stock price jumps higher.

Forbes.com Author:  Jack Kelly       Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | March 15, 2023

 

#YourCareer : Facing A Tough Career Decision? Here’s How To Make The Right Choice. GReat REad for All!

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If you’re struggling with a big career decision, your underlying challenge likely involves either: a) properly evaluating the risk associated with a specific action, b) identifying and narrowing down a long list of options, or c) choosing between two or three good options.

While each of these challenges requires a different approach to get to the best decision, they all share the same first step: offloading the decision-making criteria in your brain onto a spreadsheet or sheet of paper, to ensure you’ve captured and accurately weighed them all.

The following techniques will help you to choose the best option when facing any of the scenarios described above.

How to properly evaluate risk

Perhaps you’re thinking of making a risky career move, such as quitting a job before finding another one, going for a new job or promotion that could lead to dissatisfaction, going back to school, retiring early or addressing a difficult situation with a colleague. To properly assess the risk, ask yourself these questions:

  • How likely is it that the thing I fear will happen?
  • If the fear materialized, how damaging would it be?
  • Can I do anything to mitigate the risk?
  • What’s the risk in NOT taking action and how likely is it to materialize?
  • If I do take action, how likely am I to receive the benefit?
  • If I do take action, how big will the benefit be?

In his Ted Talk, Tim Ferris describes an exercise he calls Fear Setting which enables you to score the answers to each of these questions. You can also download a template that facilitates this Fear Setting analysis.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

One client was contemplating leaving her job without having another one lined up. She was very unhappy in her current role, had no time to find something else, and severance wasn’t an option. Yet she was reluctant to leave because of concern about both income loss and finding another job quickly. Doing this exercise led to her decision to quit, and she’s happily employed now. She realized:

  • The negative impact that staying in this role would have on her family was too great.
  • She could mitigate the possibility of her not finding another job by growing and leveraging her network and joining a professional association.
  • Her worst-case loss-of-income scenario wasn’t that bad; she might have to postpone retirement for two years, which she could live with.
  • The likely benefit of landing the right role was huge and potentially life transforming.

How to narrow down a long list of career options

In this situation, you’re unclear about the solutions to your career dissatisfaction because you don’t know all the options or which ones to pursue. Here’s what to do:

  1. Develop your decision-making criteria. You can use this post as a guide. Include the things you enjoy doing that you do well, your work-related values on which you don’t want to compromise, and your vision for your life.
  2. Brainstorm many career options. Keep in mind that the key to effective brainstorming is being open – you can always cross out items later. List these options in rows on a spreadsheet, or down the margin of a sheet of paper. If you need help coming up with ideas, ask people in your network, scan job postings, and check out these online resources.
  3. Add some very simple weighting to each of the decision-making criteria. Don’t make this overly complicated as the point is to quickly narrow down options. For example, start off by giving all your criteria an equal weight, say “1.” If a criterion is truly a deal-breaker if not met, then give it a large weight, say 10. For example, if you can’t take a job you would love because it pays below a certain level, then earning at least this amount would get a 10.
  4. Narrow down the list of options by scoring each of the job targets in the rows against your decision-making criteria in the columns; add up all the 1’s and the 10’s in that row.
  5. Focus on the highest-scoring items. To confirm their priority, do additional research or apply additional weighting as described below.

How to decide between two or three good career options

Once you’ve narrowed down a list of many options to just two or three, you can now more precisely weight your decision-making criteria to make your final decision. Add two types of weights:

  • How important the criterion is to you (scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the most important)
  • How much of the criterion is present (scale of 0 to 3, where 0 is not present and 3 is fully present).

Score each option you’re evaluating by multiplying the importance of each criterion by the presence of that criterion. Then add up the scores across all the criteria to get a total. The table below shows how a client evaluated two job offers.decisionmaking table

Job Offer 2 got the higher score of 86, vs. 67 for Offer 1, because the opportunity to work virtually, higher salary, flexible schedule and opportunity to advance outweighed the drawbacks of a longer commute, less enjoyable colleagues, and less autonomy.

 

Forbes.com | November 16, 2022 | Robert Hellmann

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 6K Reads! The Real Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Ahead At Work—And What You Can Do About It. Bosses will Hold you Back for Their Own Selfish Reasons. A MUst REad!

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You’d like to believe that you’ll rise to the top if you’re talented and a hard worker. However, it’s a naive way to look at your career. For most people, no one is going to come to your rescue and sweep you off into the C-suite. Instead, bosses will hold you back for their own selfish reasons.

The Boss Holds You Back Because You Do All The Work

Your supervisor knows you are a rockstar, but keeps it a secret from others within the organization, especially the top executives. Your boss purposely wants to hold you back. Secretly, the supervisor feels threatened by you.

They know that you are amazing, but can’t afford to lose you if you get a promotion and advance within the ranks. Without you, they’d be lost. The supervisor desperately needs you to make them look good. Rather than extolling your virtues and telling everyone about your accomplishments, the boss hides it.

The reality is that you’re too good at your job. If you were promoted, no one could step into your shoes. This leaves you stuck in place. The boss won’t tell you the truth because it’s cruel and unethical to keep you trapped for their benefit and to your detriment.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

You Are Not Playing The Right Game

In school, you’re told that if you pay attention and work hard, you’ll get good grades. However, they don’t teach you about the real world. Working hard helps, but that’s only a tiny part of being successful. It’s not enough. You need to play the game. You need to shmooze the right people, get on the fast-track projects and make yourself known.

This means you have to get good at navigating and excelling at office politics. You need to work smart and let people know of the great work you’re doing.

It’s important to cultivate and build strategic relationships with people who can help grow your career. Seek out mentors who can show you the way, introduce you to key players within the firm and teach you how to avoid pitfalls.

Layoffs And Hiring Freezes

The current economy and job market for white-collar professionals aren’t great. On a nearly daily basis, there are announcements of layoffs, hiring freezes and job offers being rescinded. In this type of environment, you need to fend for yourself.

Everyone is trying to avoid being the person who will be let go. It’s a game of survival. Budgets are slashed. Cost cuts are commonplace. Management doesn’t have an appetite to promote and advance people. They are more focused on just keeping their heads above water. Your advancement or promotion is far down on the list of their concerns.

What You Need To Do To Turn Things Around

There are only four months left until the New Year. You have ample time to start laying the groundwork for a promotion and raise right now. Don’t wait until the last moment, as it will be too late.

You want to signal and have evidence that you are a much-needed employee. Keep meticulous track of all of your wins. Make sure that your boss is aware of what you are doing. Do this in person, as well as in writing. You want a paper trail of emails, memos, and texts citing all of the great work you’ve done. Point out the times when you exceeded expectations. Go above and beyond your responsibilities and keep your manager informed of the impact you’re making at the organization. In addition to the boss, subtly let others know of your accomplishments.

Play The Game

Go into the office regularly. With fewer workers around, you’ll stand out. Make sure that your presence is known. Chat with people in the hallways and cafeteria. Get in front of other managers, let them know what you’re up to and ask if they need any assistance.

Purposely send emails and texts and leave voicemails early in the morning, late at night and on the weekends. It may be rude, but these actions make the recipients notice that you’re working long hours and have a strong work ethic, unlike some of your co-workers who are quietly quitting.

Pop into the boss’ office to inquire what you can do to help them. Avoid fraternizing with people who tend to complain, gossip and are going nowhere fast. No matter how bad things get, always remain positive. While work-at-home attire has crossed over to the office, stand out by dressing as if you are a few levels above your station.

The Pitch For A Promotion

Before you know it, December will roll around. It’s time to capitalize on all the work you’ve done to break out and get to the next level. Put together an elevator pitch that concisely and succinctly sets forth all the great things you’ve done over the last year. Use this data to ask for a promotion, higher corporate title, a raise and larger bonus.

Be Prepared For Pushback And Go For The Jugular

Since your boss has been holding you back, there may be some resistance. If this happens, you need to be direct. Let them know that you know that they know you’re the one who’s been doing all the work. It may be uncomfortable, but call your supervisor’s bluff. Tell the boss, after all you’ve done, if a promotion, raise or bonus are not in the cards, you’ll let their manager know what’s been going on.

Say that you will start searching for a new job. Recognizing that the company is allowing attrition without replacement and hiring freezes are in effect, the manager will likely give in. They’ll realize that without you and no replacement on the horizon, management will discover that your supervisor is a fraud and has been riding your coattails for years. It’s a bold move, but sometimes you need to play hardball to get what you want to advance and succeed.

 

Forbes.com | September 1, 2022 | Jack Kelly

 

#BestofFSCBlog : 10 Steps To Change Your Career Path At Any Age. Wondering To Make a Job or Career Change? Take a Free 60-Second Career Quiz and Find Out!

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The pandemic has changed workers’ professional expectations for the foreseeable future. According to Randstad’s latest Workmonitor Survey, employees feel empowered in new ways as they reassess their careers and the role of work in their lives. A stunning 81% of those surveyed say they have gained more clarity around their personal and professional goals over the last 12 to 18 months. As a result, they desire more training, work-life balance and, in many cases, a different career.

The thought of changing your career path may seem scary, especially if you are over 40. But it is not uncommon or impossible. In fact, the average American worker has 12 jobs in their lifetime with an average tenure of around four years with a single employer. Given the current hectic environment, flexibility, fulfillment, and work-life balance are taking center stage. That means more people are thinking about pivoting professionally.

The good news—the majority of older career changers are successful, based on a study from the American Institute for Economic Research. Changing your career path doesn’t have to be as overwhelming or difficult as you might think. These ten steps will give you the framework you need to come out on top.

1.      Upgrade your mindset

Ultimately, what you think, you become. Altering your career path means being open to the possibilities. Change your self-talk so that you can move forward despite your fears. Even simple mantras like “I can do this” or “I am fearless” really work.

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Article continued …

2.      Take money off the table

One of the most common excuses for not changing career paths is money. Some common phrases are, “I can’t afford to change careers,” “I’m the main breadwinner, so I can’t take the risk,” or “What if I fail?” Of course, there are no guarantees in life. But who’s to say that you can’t earn a higher salary in your new career? It may not happen overnight, but it’s possible. Think of changing jobs as a calculated risk. If you plan for it, it will come.

3.      Focus on transferrable skills

Another common misconception is that changing career paths means starting from the bottom. Wrong! You already have an enormous number of transferrable skills. For example, if you are a lawyer, you have writing, speaking and research skills. As a marketer, you understand customer lifecycles and personas. Or maybe you are an accountant who is great with numbers and reporting. All of these are assets that can be valuable in almost any profession.

4.      Consider your why

Think about why you want to change your career path. Don’t change careers because you were passed over for a promotion or hate your boss. Make sure you are running towards something instead of running away from something. Let faith, not fear, drive your decision-making process.

5.      Identify the sweet spot

Find the intersection of the things that you enjoy and are good at. That’s the sweet spot. This exercise will help guide you towards career possibilities that align with your values and interests.

6.      Brainstorm new career paths

Make an exhaustive list of potential career paths. Keep an open mind! Defer judgment and try to have fun with this exercise. You can even throw an “idea party” where you invite friends to brainstorm different options.

7.      Research your new career path

Find people in the career you are interested in and ask them for their advice. That way, you can learn first-hand what it’s like to work in that field. You can also do research online and join professional organizations that will allow you to expand your network.

8.      Acquire new skills

Find out whether your new career path requires additional education or certifications. You could consider taking online courses or even find webinars, books and podcasts to hone your skillset. Think about how you learn best, and then set specific training and development goals.

9.      Test the waters

Try shadowing someone in your chosen profession. Create a side hustle that you can focus on in your spare time. You may even consider volunteering or working part-time to understand whether this new path may be the right fit.

10.  Develop an action plan

Once you’ve decided on a chosen career path, create an action plan. Your plan should include short and long-term goals along with specific milestones to hold you accountable. Think about how long it will take you to transition from where you are now to the new life you want to lead.

It’s never too late to change your career path. Whether you are in your 40’s or your 60’s, you can do it. The key is to have a plan and stick to it. Be fearless. Making a career change can be scary. But you know what’s even scarier? Regret.

Wondering if it’s finally time to make a job or career change? Take my free 60-second career quiz and find out!

 

Forbes.com | February 16, 2022 | Caroline Castrillon

#CareerAdvice : The 30 Fastest-Growing Jobs And Careers For The Next 10 Years. Great REad! Got Kids?

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If you are starting out your career or have been in the workforce for a while, it’s important to look into the future. Hockey star Wayne Gretzky famously said, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” It’s the same way with your career. You  need to look forward. Anticipate the emerging trends. Figure out how you can leverage your skills & degree to pivot toward a fast-growing career instead of being stuck with a job that’s going nowhere.

I write about the monthly jobs report compiled by the United States Department of Labor. Every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows how many new jobs were created or lost. The data captures a moment in time. This division, as you can imagine, has access to a wealth of information and statistics about jobs and careers.

While most economists, Wall Street professionals and nerdy guys like me pay attention to the monthly jobs reports, the BLS has some compelling reading for proactive people who strongly desire to advance their careers. It has put together lists of the fastest-growing jobs and careers. Additionally, the BLS shares how much these roles pay.

Before we go into the jobs, let’s look at the sectors that offer rapid growth. To start with, the BLS anticipates that overall employment in the U.S. will grow from “153.5 million to 165.4 million over the 2020–30 decade, an increase of 11.9 million jobs.”

Employment in the restaurant, bar, travel, hotel and what’s referred to as the “leisure and hospitality sector,” as a catch-all, is projected to increase at the fastest rate. This will occur in response to the the country’s reopening and recovery. During the pandemic, workers in the leisure and hospitality space were one of first to lose their jobs or get furloughed. Now, due to nearly insatiable demand, the jobs have come roaring back. The bounceback has been so enormous that restaurants and businesses complain they can’t find enough workers. Large corporations, such as Walmart, Amazon and Target, have had to respond by offering sign-on bonuses, increases in wages and free tuition to entice people to join their companies.

 

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Article continued …

As you can imagine, in the current and eventually post-pandemic environment, healthcare will take precedence. Understandably, concerns about our health and safety will propel the healthcare and social assistance sector’s continued growth. This space is “projected to add the most jobs of all industry sectors, about 3.3 million jobs over 2020–30.”

Within healthcare, employment in the individual and family services industry is projected to increase the fastest, with an annual growth rate of 3.3%. Some of the fast-growing healthcare occupations include nurse practitioners, physical therapist assistants and physician assistants.

A rising demand for the care of an aging Baby-Boomer population, longer life expectancies and continued growth in the number of patients with chronic conditions will call for a steady need for healthcare providers.

Technological advancements are expected to keep growing at a fast pace. We see an acceleration in artificial intelligence, robotics, self-driving vehicles, cryptocurrencies, gaming, virtual reality, online collaborative video platforms and the metaverse. There will be needs across the gamut, ranging from large tech giants to scrappy startups. As business continues moving online, demand will outstrip the supply of suitable job candidates.

According to the BLS, “Computer and mathematical occupations are expected to see fast employment growth as strong demand is expected for IT security and software development, in part due to increased prevalence of telework spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.” The downside is that technological changes facilitating increased automation are expected to result in declining employment for office and administrative support occupations.

Tangentially, there will be a large need for people to interpret the vast amount of data to help business leaders make smart, informed decisions. Demand for new products, such as the Internet of Things, and for analyzing and interpreting large datasets are also expected to contribute to fast employment growth for statisticians, information security analysts and data scientists.

We are likely to see a retirement boom. This will open up opportunities for younger workers. Demographics show that by 2030, Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years old. As they age, many will start retiring or leave the workforce. The BLS states, “The increasing share of people ages 65 and older contributes to a projected labor force growth rate that is slower than much of recent history, as well as a continued decline in the labor force participation rate, because older people have lower participation rates compared with younger age groups.”

Other trends, such as moving toward environmentally friendly initiatives, the massive adoption of pets during the pandemic, a mental health crisis, working from home and the desire to improve our health and lives, will create all sorts of new opportunities.

Here are the jobs that the U.S. Labor Department and BLS project will be the fastest growing jobs going into 2030, along with the median annual pay:

 

  • Wind turbine service technicians: $56,230
  • Nurse practitioners: $111,680
  • Solar photovoltaic installers: $46,470
  • Statisticians: $92,270
  • Physical therapist assistants: $59,770
  • Information security analysts: $103,590
  • Home health and personal care aides: $27,080
  • Medical and health services managers: $104,280
  • Data scientists and mathematical science occupations, all other: $98,230
  • Physician assistants: $115,390
  • Epidemiologists: $74,560
  • Logisticians: $76,270
  • Speech-language pathologists: $80,480
  • Animal trainers: $31,520
  • Computer numerically controlled tool programmers: $57,740
  • Genetic counselors: $85,700
  • Crematory operators and personal care and service workers, all other: $28,420
  • Operations research analysts: $86,200
  • Actuaries: $111,030
  • Health specialties teachers, postsecondary: $99,090
  • Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists: $42,150
  • Interpreters and translators: $52,330
  • Athletic trainers: $49,860
  • Respiratory therapists: $62,810
  • Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors: $47,660
  • Food preparation and serving related workers, all other: $27,080
  • Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary: $75,470
  • Woodworkers, all other: $33,630
  • Phlebotomists: $36,320
  • Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers: $110,140

 

Forbes.com – September 16, 2021 – Jack Kelly

#YourCareer : How To Create An Impressive LinkedIn Personal Brand. Your Career Identity is Your Professional Reputation. A MUst REad for All!

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Not everyone using LinkedIn is looking for a job. Today, John sought my help as he is the CEO and Founder of his own company. His goal was to take the skeleton profile he’d had up for years and make it a fantastic marketing tool for himself, mentioning his products and service. This is done by developing John’s personal brand, so his professional reputation online shines.

Poor first impressions are so challenging to overcome. Advertising your strengths, talents, accomplishments takes great finesse. However, presenting the best possible image of yourself can be a winning combination. By establishing a career identity that uses your natural and best talents, you can distinguish yourself from your peers, attract more business and impress job candidates who are considering coming to work for your organization. So, how exactly do you improve your current profile’s effectiveness? First, you create a career identity in a way that’s similar to how a company makes a brand vision for a product. The significant difference is that, in this case, the product is you.

Ask yourself this question: Do I know what my career identity is? Not your job title, but your career identity, that unique reputation you have and advertise to the world. If you don’t have an answer that automatically rolls off your tongue, you are not alone. Most people haven’t given much thought to how they are perceived. But everyone needs to think about that question if they wish to become the best they can be.

The most common mistake individuals make is simply ignoring their profile and not ensuring it’s updated and complete. If you haven’t touched it in years, then it needs a major overhaul. And it needs to stress your unique personal brand. Unfortunately, many people get confused about exactly how to do this.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Your career identity is your professional reputation, and it is also known as your “personal brand.” It reflects other people’s opinion of you as a worker, leader, the associations they make when they think about you, and what you do or don’t do well. Your personal brand, which I refer to as “Brand You,” communicates your career identity to the world. A job title is a title, but it is not who you are when we refer to your personal career identity.

Throughout your professional life, you must continually define and promote your personal brand to keep it vibrant and to distinguish yourself in the workplace. You need to set yourself apart by emphasizing your talents in a way that showcases what is distinctive about you. You can develop a mark of excellence that reflects your unique talents and abilities in the tasks or activities that you do best. People who display an excellent personal brand find it is the very reason for their success.

What is Brand You?

Your career identity is not some slick piece of advertising. Brand You is based on the authentic, talented, genuinely unique, and special person you are. It is not phony and conceited or an exaggeration, nor is it a trick or a fleeting fad. The components of Brand You are the essence of you as a person, which include: your work strengths, accomplishments, your image, passion, and personality traits, along with others’ perceptions of you, applied in a work environment.

There’s quite a crowd of human beings out there competing for recognition, new business, jobs you’d like to get. To stand out means utilizing Brand You, especially when most everyone else is largely undefined. Advancing your personal brand is the most effective career development strategy you can implement. Consider how you want to be thought of by others. Do you want them to see you as just plain, ordinary, average? The answer is an emphatic no.

Applying personal branding to distinguish yourself

Rick came to me with a challenge. He was a CEO of a company he had founded. He realized people were checking out his LinkedIn profile, and Rick needed to update and complete it so he would impress potential clients and prospective employees. He came to me with his challenge. He said: “Robin, I have hired two other companies in the past to develop my LinkedIn profile, with poor results. Can you help do this?”

I define a person’s career identity and translate it into their LinkedIn Profile. Approach your profile by answering these questions that I asked Rick.

What are your top strengths?

What are the talents and things you are best at performing?

What are the most important accomplishments you’ve made for each job title, mainly focusing only on the last ten years of work experience?

Once you have these answers, incorporate these facts into your Professional Experience section and the About section. Note this when writing:

Professional Experience section is written in the third person and states facts using the formula YOUR ACTIONS = RESULTS. For example:

 

  • Created and executed product roadmaps and strategy to develop new tools (scheduling, pricing, contract-building), adding essential automation to support 300+ internal customers. Results delivered a cost savings of $28M.

 

About section is written in first person. It is more personal and should offer a few nuggets about your personality and should cover what you are best at. For example, another CEO client’s section began:

 

  • As a result of becoming a father, I have dedicated myself to helping families effectively solve two critical problems and ease their parenting life.

 

He then explained the issues and how he founded and ran two companies that effectively solved both problems. You create a positive impact on readers when you make this section more personalized and genuine.

Your Recommendations Matter 

As the CEO of your own personal brand, your job is to actively build and shape your reputation into a very appealing one. LinkedIn is the most powerful tool in your career arsenal in today’s competitive workplace in your references or on LinkedIn, professional recommendations. It’s the comments in the recommendation from past bosses, colleagues, coworkers, business associates, or employees that define your career reputation. Asking a few select others to write you a professional recommendation is essential. The best way to ensure you get one is to ask a colleague to write one for you. In the request, make a note of what you’d like them to cover and write out a few lines that they can easily copy and post on your profile page. Only 1st connections can post, so be sure you only ask 1st connections. It’s wise to write and publish a recommendation on that person’s profile, mention you have done so, and then ask them to return the favor.

By differentiating yourself from the competition, you show your uniqueness and impress anyone that looks at you online via LinkedIn.

Your last step is to lay this all out in LinkedIn, converting your brand so it is apparent to anyone who reads it. This step-by-step guide, E-Guide for Creating a LinkedIn Profile, takes you through that process and will be most helpful in completing your profile.

Forbes.com – September 14, 2021 –  Robin Ryan

#YourCareer : Scientists Discover The Link Between Your Personality & Degree Of Career Success. Can Personality Change Boost Career Success? A MUst REad!

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You might have noticed that some people seem to scale the career ladder quicker, while others often get stuck at lower rungs along the way. The differences in career trajectories are often a function of personality type. A body of research has shown, for example, that optimists have lower stress levels than pessimists and scoot up the success ladder faster and farther than pessimists. New sales personnel with an optimistic outlook sell 37% more life insurance in their first two years than pessimists. In two new studies, scientists reveal the personality traits that predict career success.

Five Personality Types And Career Success

The first study examined the “Big Five” personality dimensions: neuroticism, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and openness to understand their relationship to career outcomes. The results will be published in the February 2021 issue of the Journal of Vocational Behavior.

Researchers at Cleveland State University surveyed 496 employees (318 men and 178 women) in a diverse set of occupations and organizations on the five personality dimensions. Results of a statistical analysis showed that extroverted employees had greater satisfaction with salaries, promotions and overall career satisfaction; whereas workers who scored high on neuroticism (for example, moodiness, anxiety, worry, fear or frustration) were less likely to be satisfied with their careers.

Those who were high in agreeableness had less career satisfaction, and high openness scores were negatively related to salary level. The research team detected a significant negative relationship between agreeableness and salary among those in people-oriented occupations but no relationship for those in occupations not involving a strong “people” component.

Can Personality Change Boost Career Success?

A second study published in the December 2020 issue of Psychological Science found that if you make a personality change, it can lead to higher levels of job success. Dr. Kevin Hoff at the University of Houston and his research team tracked two representative samples of youth for approximately 12 years from late adolescence (about 17 years old) to young adulthood (about 29 years old). Growth in emotional stability, conscientiousness and extroversion were the personality traits that most predicted career satisfaction and success. Specifically, conscientiousness changes were linked to career satisfaction; emotional stability changes were tied closely to income and career satisfaction; and extroversion changes were linked to career and job satisfaction.

Youth who developed higher levels of conscientiousness and emotional stability during the transition to employment were more successful in aspects of their early careers. This is the first study to assess the predictive power of personality changes for a broad range of career outcomes across more than a decade of young adulthood. Overall, the findings show that personality has important effects on early career outcomes—both through stable trait levels and how people change over time. According to Hoff, “The study showed you’re not just stuck with your personality traits, and if you change over time in positive ways, that can have a big impact on your career.”

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Optimism And Career Success

Extroversion has a leg up on the career ladder for success in both studies. Emotional stability and conscientiousness are not far behind. But neuroticism stands out as the biggest personality obstacle to career success which matches previous findings that pessimism holds workers at the lowest rungs. While extroversion is not necessarily a prerequisite to achieve career success, emotional stability, conscientiousness and a degree of optimism are. Your mental health and mindset towards your career carry more weight than how outgoing you are. If you’re an introvert, you might find it hard to change, but you can get mental health support if you need it, and you can learn to be more optimistic.

Optimists are not smiley-face romantics looking through rose-colored glasses, nor do they possess some magical joy juice. Their ability to look on the positive side of a negative situation enables them to overcome career obstacles. When you enlarge your perspective and see gains in your losses, the upside of a downside situation, how far you’ve come in addition to how far you have to go and beginnings in endings, your positive outlook arms you with the potential for career success at the highest rung.

A second study published in the December 2020 issue of Psychological Science found that if you make a personality change, it can lead to higher levels of job success. Dr. Kevin Hoff at the University of Houston and his research team tracked two representative samples of youth for approximately 12 years from late adolescence (about 17 years old) to young adulthood (about 29 years old). Growth in emotional stability, conscientiousness and extroversion were the personality traits that most predicted career satisfaction and success. Specifically, conscientiousness changes were linked to career satisfaction; emotional stability changes were tied closely to income and career satisfaction; and extroversion changes were linked to career and job satisfaction.

Youth who developed higher levels of conscientiousness and emotional stability during the transition to employment were more successful in aspects of their early careers. This is the first study to assess the predictive power of personality changes for a broad range of career outcomes across more than a decade of young adulthood. Overall, the findings show that personality has important effects on early career outcomes—both through stable trait levels and how people change over time. According to Hoff, “The study showed you’re not just stuck with your personality traits, and if you change over time in positive ways, that can have a big impact on your career.”

Optimism And Career Success

Extroversion has a leg up on the career ladder for success in both studies. Emotional stability and conscientiousness are not far behind. But neuroticism stands out as the biggest personality obstacle to career success which matches previous findings that pessimism holds workers at the lowest rungs. While extroversion is not necessarily a prerequisite to achieve career success, emotional stability, conscientiousness and a degree of optimism are. Your mental health and mindset towards your career carry more weight than how outgoing you are. If you’re an introvert, you might find it hard to change, but you can get mental health support if you need it, and you can learn to be more optimistic.

Optimists are not smiley-face romantics looking through rose-colored glasses, nor do they possess some magical joy juice. Their ability to look on the positive side of a negative situation enables them to overcome career obstacles. When you enlarge your perspective and see gains in your losses, the upside of a downside situation, how far you’ve come in addition to how far you have to go and beginnings in endings, your positive outlook arms you with the potential for career success at the highest rung.

 

Author: Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.

…

 

Forbes.com – December 5, 2020

#JobSearch : Where to Search for Today’s Jobs -Finding Your Next Opportunity. It Might Seem Counterintuitive, but the More Experienced you Are, the Longer it May Take You to Find a Job.

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Finding the perfect job takes time, patience and the right resources. It takes people around nine weeks, on average, to find a job once they start searching, according to Indeed.com. The time it takes for you may vary depending on your industry, location and level of experience. It might seem counterintuitive, but the more experienced you are, the longer it may take you to find a job, because employers may see you as overqualified.

But there are some ways you can make the search more constructive.

1. Network.
One of the most powerful things you can do when searching for jobs is actively network. It can be awkward and, for people who aren’t naturally outgoing, requires a bit of courage and initiative.
  • Start with friends and people you know. Get a feel for creating rapport with those you are already comfortable with in order to have some ice-breakers ready to go when you expand beyond your social circles.
  • Find people who have similar jobs to the one you are seeking. Let them know you would like to learn more about their jobs and see if they know of any openings in the industry. The more you make connections, the easier it will be to gather intel on what is available.
  • Force yourself out of your comfort zone. Start reaching out beyond your immediate circle once you feel like you have a good rhythm. You don’t need to contact 10 people right out of the gate. The first couple of cold calls are always the hardest.
  • Know that people genuinely enjoy your interest in them. Don’t feel like you are imposing on people by asking about their jobs. Steve Dalton, author of the “Two Hour Job Search” told us, “It’s an old maxim that ‘interested is interesting.’ They take a reciprocal interest in you because you have good taste in who you listen to speak, and that’s where jobs come from.”

 

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2. Start your search with online job boards.

Looking at online job boards is an efficient way to find opportunities. Most employers use one or more of them to find candidates.

Glassdoor: Glassdoor is known as a resource for researching a potential employer. You will find ratings and reviews of different employers on a range of topics, such as compensation, company culture, how generous benefits are, and what employees think about top executives.

Indeed: Indeed’s main function is as a search engine for jobs. It also happens to be one of the most popular sites for job candidates, which makes it attractive to employers trying to cast a wide net in search of potential candidates. It has other value-add offerings, such as a salary comparison tool, allowing you to look at compensation trends among different industries. It also allows other users to review companies, providing insights into what it might be like to work for or interview at certain companies.

Ladders: The selling point of TheLadders is that it only features vetted jobs with annual compensation of $100,000 or above. It offers a well-curated index of jobs by industry and skill specialism. It also allows you to filter by the highest-paying companies in each industry.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn markets itself as a “professional social network” where, aside from job listings, you can potentially reach decision makers at the companies you wish to apply to. Candidates can get an edge by looking at the profiles and posts of those who they might be interviewing with for insights into their career paths. Since users’ profiles are always available to view and the platform is used for networking, LinkedIn allows potential employers to find you whether or not you are actively seeking a new job. This sets it apart from other job sites.

SimplyHired: This site can flag job openings to you based on your location. It also offers a resume-building tool with a number of templates and formats specific to your career. Employers aren’t charged to post jobs on SimplyHired, so the quality of the jobs may not be quite as high as on other boards.

Upwork: If you are looking for freelance gigs, there are a wealth of job opportunities on Upwork, particularly if you have technical or design skills. The platform is well designed for bidding on jobs and communicating with those commissioning the work.

ZipRecruiter: ZipRecruiter’s key features include an option to message with employers through the site and a one-click application option. The platform will also let you know when employers are looking at your resume.

Key takeaways from job boards

  • Different boards have different features, so it makes sense to use more than one to take advantage of the resources they offer.
  • Researching a potential employer can help you decide where you want to work.
  • You can streamline your search using boards that cater to certain pay levels, or based on employee and interviewee feedback.
3. Get an inside track by joining a professional organization.

Professional organizations can be a useful way to network with people in your industry and give you access to jobs that might not be widely found on the job boards we mentioned above. JobStars has a list of professional organizations you can use as a starting point for finding one relevant for your search.

4. Get someone to be your job advocate. Work with placement agencies and job recruiters.

Agencies and recruiters can maximize your search potential by actively looking for work for you. Once they have familiarized themselves with your skills and experience, they can be an additional resource pounding the pavement to help you land your dream job.

Keep in mind agencies and recruiters will receive a fee from the employer for placing you, and companies only work with a preferred list of agencies and recruiters. This can work both for and against you, depending on whether the job you are hoping to get is one they have been approved to recruit for.

You can find lists of recruiters and agencies by industry on JobStars. Other websites where you can find recruiters include SearchFirm, Online Recruiters Directory and Recruiterly. For creative jobs, a great place to look is Aquent.

 

WSJ.com | November 11, 2020 | Anthony DeRosa