Steps to Choosing a Career

When the time comes for you to pick a career, you will discover that you have a multitude of options. It can be difficult to pick one, especially if you have no idea what you want to do ... or if many things appeal to you. 

This is not an insurmountable task. You will have to put some effort into making your decision, but your effort will be well worth it in the end. There is a method and by following these steps, you can successfully choose a suitable career. 

See eight steps here to structure your investigation.

Assess your Career � Take a Short Test

Using questions about your preferences and attitudes, you can be associated with one of the 16 principal personality types. 

Conducting a personal career profile will give you insight into your individuality, outlining your strengths along with areas of relative weakness. It maps your behavioral style and core motivations to areas of work and patterns of work which best accommodate your individual make-up, giving you the  opportunity to reflect and make decisive choices on your working life and career.

The initial free analysis will give you an interesting picture of you as a person. Purchasing the  followup report is optional. Find the test here.

Pivot Into a New Career

Are you stuck and asking yourself, �What�s next?� 

A career pivot is �doubling down on what is working, to make a purposeful shift in a new, related direction.� Pivoting, in this sense, is �an intentional, methodical process for nimbly navigating career changes.�

Everyone�regardless of age, career stage or bank account balance�can use the pivot method to get unstuck from a career plateau and get better at adapting to change. 

See questions and answers about Career Change here.

A Goal Without a Plan Is Just a Wish

We are the sum of our experiences and the habits we have developed. Some of these habits will dramatically influence your life. We have to be very careful in choosing our pursuits, because our habits make us. Cultivating specific habits will send you in the right direction. They�ll help you to lead a more meaningful and fulfilling life, whereby you cultivate the best within yourself. 

For 10 intentional habits that will dramatically influence your life see the complete article here.

Mistakes Older Job Seekers Make

If you are job hunting in your 50s your last resume probably won�t cut the current screening process. Your technical jargon, even your e-mail carrier can quickly date you. 

For 8 pointers ranging from your attitude through your resume content, see the material here.

Explore Careers for Women

Exploring careers for women provides a basis for making a selection among many popular options. Based on interests, summaries of a wide range of careers are available including the training and education necessary.

See the website here for an interactive exploration.

Careers: Graduation vs Job Availability

The odds are that you will change careers several times during your working years. It then makes sense in career planning to gain skills that are transferable and select education targets that meet future opportunities. Do the research necessary to keep you career flexible and responsive to the job market.

For a discussion of the current career � opportunity picture, see the article here.

Top Career Opportunities by Degrees

Whether in school or in any stage of employment, looking forward in time is a good idea. A time horizon of several years is useful for making mid course adjustments in your career, or course of study. Being aware of the likely-hood of a demand for your skills and talents is a realistic objective.

The article here presents projections of employment demand in various fields and for varying levels of  educational programs.

Careers: What is Your Plan B? Plan C?

Whether you are a youth preparing to attend college or a working adult, the odds are your career path will change a few times both during your education and working years. It is a good idea to plan to gain skills that are transferable and select education targets that match future opportunities. Be aware of the trends and keep you career flexible and responsive to the job market which will certainly change during your college / employment years.

Here's a look at the current changing career � opportunity picture in Colorado which is the first-part of a four-part career planning series.  See the article here.

Research with an Informational Interview

An informational interview is a meeting to learn about the real-life experience of someone working in a field or company that interests you.

It's not a job interview, so it's important to keep focused on getting information, not a job offer. It has future value in its planning and conversational interaction. Three steps will outline the process:

� Find contacts.
� Make connections
� Hold a meeting. 

For details on utilizing an informational interview, see the article here.

Change Your Career Successfully

If you�re considering a career pivot, follow these key steps:

1. Start With the Why
2. Get Clear on the What
3. Figure Out the What�s it Gonna Take
4. Make an Action Plan
5. Track the Effort
6. Shift Your Brand
7. Mobilize Your Network
8. Get in With the Right People

For details on these steps see the complete article here.

Have a Career Network

A career network should be in place when you need it, both for job searching and for moving along the career ladder. Since you never know when you might need it, it makes sense to have an active career network, even if you don't need it today.

Career networking, or "professional" networking, involves using personal, professional, academic or familial contacts to assist with a job search, achieve career goals, or learn more about your field, or another field you'd like to work in. 

Networking can be a good way to hear about job opportunities, or get an "in" at the company you'd like to work in.  For 7 tips see the article here.

Career Change in 10 Steps

Perhaps you just begin to lose interest. Perhaps you find something that interests you more. Perhaps your company is downsizing. These are some of the reasons people find themselves on the cliff looking back on their career just as the dirt begins to crumble beneath them.

Faced with a career change plunge? Do you wish you were? Take it slowly and make sure what you really want to do is change careers. Career change is a natural life progression; most studies show the average job-seeker changes careers (not jobs) several times over the course of a lifetime.

Get on a path toward career change success; find a 10-step plan here

Develop a Strategic Career Vision

If you�re like most people, you�ll change careers at least several times over the course of your life. Success in making transitions among careers can be partially attributed to career planning and preparation.

Job-seekers need to take the time to step way from the day-to-day work and spend quality time reflecting on career and developing plans for the future. Think of career planning as building bridges from your current job/career to your next job/career; without the bridge, you may easily stumble, but with the bridge there is safety and direction.

See basic guidelines for short and long-term career planning here.

Example Career Changes after 50

Reinventing your career; it�s not easy but it�s never too late. That�s the message from people who made life-altering career changes in their 40s, 50s, 60s or even older.

Some second acts aren�t by choice, some have described being forced into midlife career changes after losing their jobs and failing to find similar work because of the economy, their age, a disability or discrimination.  Some people start a second or third career because they can�t afford to stop working after retirement. Some discover they�re happier working, even if they can afford to retire.

See six examples of later-in-life changes here.

Returned Missionary Career Steps

Home from a mission begins a new and exciting chapter in life. The next steps might include finding employment or seeking further education and make this a dynamic time of career exploration. While there may be a feeling of uncertainty, know that your experiences and your missionary service have prepared you for the decisions ahead. 

As you start on your path to building a career, consider the following tips.

• Keep Your Momentum
• Develop a Career Plan
• Plan for Education and Finances
• Communicate the Skills Gained from Your Mission
• Use Additional Resources
• Move Forward with Trust in the Lord

If these topics sound interesting, see the full article here.

Job offer? Ask yourself 5 questions

If your carefully crafted Resume, job searching and a few interviews have finally landed you a job offer, what now?  No longer is it necessary for job seekers to jump at the first opportunity that comes along; if you�re talented, experienced and personable enough, there will be more where that came from.

But for candidates, simply realizing they have a certain amount of agency and leverage in the job hunt is only the first step. After all, having a measure of power is one thing, but making a power play is another. If in the course of your search you land on a job that, on the surface, appears to suit your interests, it�s important to ask some difficult questions of the position, the company, and yourself before saying yes.

See five key issues to consider here.

Turn around Workplace boredom

Time is a resource with high monetary value, and any boredom is a symptom of wasting time you should be putting to good use. Take advantage of the situation and do something you wouldn't ordinarily be able to do. 

Start a new initiative, develop your professional skillset, or reorganize your current strategies; you'll make yourself more valuable and ultimately, you'll position yourself for a respectable salary increase at your next formal review.

The next time you find yourself bored at work, try the ideas here.

Five Meaningful Soft Skills

While your experience and education may land you an interview, you need to be prepared for an additional assessment on how well you would fit into the company culture.

Many assume that a solid education is what employers deem most important when determining the right candidate, but this is not always the case. Soft skills, the traits that measure a person's emotional intelligence, are a good indicator of job performance. Soft skills, aren't necessarily learned at school. They include the following:

1. Communication 
2. Time Management 
3. Team Player 
4. Motivation 
5. Flexibility 

For more detail on these skills, see the complete article here.

Career Change Planning

There are many reasons that people face career change. Sometimes career change can comes as the result of a long anticipated layoff while other times it can occur suddenly without warning. But don�t think you�re alone. Know that career change (not job change) happens to everyone sooner or later. The average job-seeker will change careers several times over the course of a lifetime. Whatever the reason, the key to having a successful career change is having a good plan.

See several steps you should follow in order to have successful career change here.