Category Archives: Career Resources

Today’s Resume is Ideal for Mid-Career Reinvention

Because today’s resume is a forward-facing document that positions you for your next job, it has never been easier to reinvent yourself professionally.

I work with many mid-career professionals looking to reinvent themselves. Their industry may be contracting, job outsourced or they may simply want a change. Many want to pull back from the responsibilities and headaches that can accompany upper management roles and, once again, become individual contributors. The prospect of leaving your job behind at 5 pm and enjoying a personal life can be pretty attractive.

Until recently, I do not think many of us actively managed our careers. Sure, most of us were told by our parents that we could be anything we wanted to be, but how many of us followed our dreams? I doubt many people wanted to be stuck in an 8’ by 8’ beige cubicle, eating lunch at their desk under glaring fluorescent lights. Yet, that is where many of us Baby Boomers find ourselves. The time to restore your work/life balance and live a purpose-driven life is NOW!

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Boomers Find Real Satisfaction in Encore Careers

As a Career Coach, I work with many seasoned professionals who are looking to reinvent themselves with a new career. Some are looking for more job satisfaction, while others are changing careers out of necessity as opportunities in their current field are dwindling. One of the best things about today’s resume is that it is a forward-facing marketing document – not an autobiography. I can highlight my clients’ transferrable skills and show potential employers how their experience will enable the jobseeker to be successful in this new role.

One roadblock to career reinvention has been employers’ reluctance to take a chance on an employee who does not have proven success in the same field. Current training can help, but I have recently discovered a better way for mid-career professionals to migrate to a new field! Continue reading →

The College Grad’s Key to Career Success: Interning

Competition for jobs is at an all-time high, with nearly 54% of bachelor’s degree holders under the age of 25 jobless or underemployed in 2013. An internship gives a new college graduate an advantage over those who have not gained real world experience in their field.

College students should not wait until senior year of college to intern. Completing more than one internship and starting earlier in their college career, students can learn about the everyday duties of various jobs, which can help them determine which career they want to pursue. If they do not like their first internship position, they would have time to experiment with other internships.

Interning benefits the future employer as well. Many employers see a student who has completed an internship as a more serious job candidate. Companies are more confident hiring a recent grad who has experience in the field and has already assimilated into the corporate culture. Continue reading →

The Millennials Are Right!

Boomers can learn a lot from Millennials. As a generation, many of us Baby Boomers have never managed our careers with intention. Rather than identifying careers that aligned with our passions, many of us moved from job to job as the opportunities presented themselves. Now, in our 50’s and 60’s, we are looking for careers that provide us with the opportunity to do meaningful work. Whether precipitated by a layoff, stress-induced health issues or dwindling prospects in our field, many of us are considering job satisfaction for the first time. What do we really want to do next?

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Using the CT DOL Website’s Jobseeker Resources

Last week I attended a great presentation conducted by Karen Quesnel, a Business Services Professional with CTWorks. She showed members of the JETS Schmoozers Network for Job Seekers how to use the great job seeker tools on the CT DOL website. I was very impressed with the wealth of employment resources (in both English and Spanish) they have brought together in one portal. I strongly encourage you to check out the site and bookmark it for future use. Here are a few of my favorite features.

CT.jobs allows jobseekers to set up an account in which they can store a resume, save searches and set up personalized job search agents. I was very impressed to hear that they vet the employers who post jobs on their site, so there are no fictitious or scam postings like on some of the large paid-for-post job boards. Continue reading →

Jobseekers Should Take Advantage of Free Training Resources to Increase Their Marketability

Many hiring managers are concerned that people in transition are not “work ready”. Learn new skills, keep your existing skills sharp and keep up on technology to show them that you are ready to contribute to their team’s success.

Don’t let a lack of funds hinder your marketability. There is a wealth of free training out there today. Many local libraries and community centers offer free LinkedIn, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Office classes, as well as workshops on improving your resume and effective job search strategies.

In addition, many libraries provide access to free training via Universal Class. They subscribe to the service so that their members can access the training for free. Universal Class offers more than 500 online non-credit continuing education courses for all ages. All you need to set up your free account and register for classes is a valid library card and email address. You can access the courses from the comfort of your home via the library’s website. Topics range from Accounting to Medical Billing to Real Estate.

You are welcome to enroll in up to 5 courses through Universal Class, and have up to 6 months to finish each course. You have access to your course 24/7 via the Internet and complete assignments on your schedule. Each course has a real instructor with whom you may communicate via e-mail. Keep in mind, these are non-credit courses and are not a substitute for any licensing requirements.

The OpenCourseWare Consortium is another great resource for those in transition with limited funds. The OCWC is a collaboration of higher education institutions and associated organizations from around the world to provide access to open educational content. Sponsors include MIT, Tufts University and a variety of international institutions.

An OpenCourseWare (OCW) is a free digital publication of high quality college and universityâ€level educational materials. The material is organized into courses, and often includes course planning materials and evaluation tools. OpenCourseWare are free and openly licensed, accessible to anyone, anytime via the Internet. Courses include topics such as Algebra, Photography, and Web Design, in a variety of languages. I have not personally used OpenCourseWare and would love to hear some users’ thoughts.

Keep in mind, once you have enrolled in the training program(s), add this information to your cover letter and resume to show the hiring managers that you are making the best use of your time between jobs.

Thanks for stopping by. Best of luck in your job search.