Why Unemployment is at its Highest Level

Great article from The Onion on why unemployment is so high

Unemployment High Because People Keep Blowing Their Job Interviews

Questions to Ask on an Informational Interview

You can easily do a google search for questions to ask during an information interview, but here are some of my favorite ones:

• How is the changing economy affecting this industry?
• What do you like the most about your job?
• If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
• What is the most important thing that someone entering this career should know?
• Can you describe a typical day for you?
• What type of experience and education would best prepare me for working in this industry?
• How do you like working in this industry?
• What decisions do you make each day?
• Can you suggest anyone else in your field that I can talk to?

Networking

My newest YouTube post on Networking from my UMass Amherst Alumni Association event last week... check it out here

Great Job Listing Site

Check out Mary Wasmuth's blog with links to many Massachusetts Niche Job Listings. It is a wonderful resource for anyone looking for a job in Massachusetts!

What NOT to do on your resume

My latest and greatest YouTube video!

What NOT to do on Your Resume

Changing Careers Challenge - Week of 7/7/10

Changing Careers Challenge - Week of 7/7/10



Last week your challenge was to research the job titles that you were interested in.

This week your challenge is to find one person in the job or industry that you are interested in to do an informational interview with.

An informational interview is a meeting where you will be asking a professional in the field or industry that you are interested in about their career. You are looking for advice, not employment, at this meeting. The biggest difference between a job interview and an informational interview is that you are the one asking the questions. For most job seekers, this makes the process a bit less stressful.

Where can you find someone to do an informational interview with?

1. ask people you know if they know anyone who does what you are interested in learning about
2. use LinkedIn to find a connection through someone you know
3. ask current or former professors who they know working in that field
4. contact the local chapter of the professional organization for that industry
5. attend job fairs in your area
6. check out your local one-stop career center
7. contact someone who has written an article about the industry

How should you ask for the informational interview?

You can ask for the interview either via email or phone. Some ideas for what to write or say during your request:

• ___________ gave me your name as someone who knows the ins and outs of working in the _________ filed.
• I'm doing some research on working in the ____________ field and I am looking for some candid advice on the pros and cons of working in this field.
• I have been doing research on the _________ field, but there is only so much one can learn from the Internet and books. I'd love to talk with someone who is actually doing _________ to get a real feel for what it is like day to day.
• I am considering going back to school to become a ___________. I was hoping to speak with someone who could give me a realistic view of what a career in _________ is like.
• _________ said that you are the best in the _________ business. I am hoping to break into the field and was wondering if you had 10 minutes to speak to me about it.
• ___________ is a real interest of mine. Your company has an outstanding reputation and I would love to hear your opinion on where you think the field is going.
• I am really intrigued by the _______ field. Before I make the leap to change careers, I would appreciate speaking with someone like yourself, who is considered an expert in the field.

A few things to keep in mind:

• most people like to talk about themselves and will be more than willing to do this!
• if you were referred by someone, be sure to mention their name in the ask
• ask for a set amount of time to talk; 15 minutes is a good starting point
• be polite and professional

Top 5 Recruiter Pet Peeves REVEALED!

Lindsay Pollak write a great blog for job seekers! I have been following her for some time now and think her advice is great. This blog post today really hit home for me, so I thought I would share it:

Welcome to MyPath: College to Career: Your Guide to Starting Out: Top 5 Recruiter Pet Peeves REVEALED!

Changing Careers Challenge: Week of 6/28/10

Changing Careers Challenge:

Last week your task was to make a list of 5 job titles you think are interesting. This week we will look at researching these jobs to see what each entails.

For each job title that you think is interesting, do the following:

• Go to a job search website (such as http://www.monster.com/ or http://www.indeed.com/ ) and do a search for that job title nationwide (or even internationally). Read through 5 of the job descriptions that you find.
• Search LinkedIn for 10 people that have that job title as their current position. Look at the jobs that they did prior to that position to see where they got their experience.
• Look at Google Blog Search to find any blogs written by people who have that job title
• Search Vault for information on 2 of the professions your interested in

Changing Careers Challenge

This week I talked to six different people who are looking to change careers and have found that their biggest problem is keeping on track with a career search. So once a week I will post a "Changing Careers Challenge" for all of you looking to change careers, but have a hard time staying focused. The 'challenge' will be a task of some sort that can be accomplished during that week to keep you moving forward with your goal of changing careers.

This week we will start with an easy one since the week is almost over

Changing Careers Challenge:

• Make a list of 5 job titles you think are interesting
• If you are having a hard time coming up with 5 job titles, check out: the online job postings of companies in an industry you are interested in, look at online job search engines using general keywords for your search (such as business, health, education) or look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook online at www.bls.gov/oco/

Next week we will look at researching these jobs to see what each entails!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

If you ask my 6 year old daughter this question, she will tell you either an animal rescuer who owns an island to keep the animals on or someone who designs clothes for sea lions (and yes, you read that correctly because no one is designing clothes for sea lions and they really need some). In the past 4-5 years she has wanted to be everything from the real to the imaginary to the outright funny. Possible careers have included princess cowgirl, fairy house builder, doctor for cowgirls and horses, fashion designer, teacher, snow globe collector or mom.

We seem to ask this question of children all of the time, but as adults we assume that everyone is employed doing exactly what they want to be doing. Everyone but us. Or at least that is what it seems like sometimes.

As you start to think about what you want to do for your next career, make a list of every possible career that you have ever contemplated being. Be sure to include every career, starting back to when you were a child to present day.

Now, wait a day or two in case you forgot any.

Then look closely at the list. Do any of these jobs have things in common? Are they all jobs where you would be helping people? Or include some sort of mechanical or technical skills? Or are all very creative? Think about what they have in common, what skills you would use in the position, and what really interests you about it.

Are any of these careers that you want to pursue now? Maybe your idea from when you were 6 is exactly what you should be doing now.

How to Survive in an Unhappy Workplace

If you are in the process of deciding whether or not to change jobs because you are not happy at your current position, here is a great post from the Harvard Business Review by Pat Olsen that I found today on LinkedIn. I think it is worth the time to read!

How to Survive in an Unhappy Workplace

Interview Skills: Career Connections tips

I recorded a video this week for the UMass Amherst Alumni Association on tips for succeeding on an interview. Check it out!

What do you value?

“We work not only to produce but also to give value to our time.”
- Eugene Delacroix

When many people start out looking for a career, they begin by doing an inventory of what they are good at doing; mainly looking to their obvious skills. They might do a skill assessment that they find online or in a career book and use that as their road map for starting out on their career path.

What most people neglect to think about when deciding on a career are their values. Our values are the things that are most important to us in life and our career. They are formed throughout our life by our experiences, family, friends and our feelings. Over time, what we value changes simply due to life changes. They are our personal preferences, priorities and motivators for most things that we do. So when you are deciding upon a new career path, it is of utmost importance to take into account your values.

So, what do you value in life? in a career?

In general, society tells us that we should value money, power and respect, especially when it comes to choosing a career. I challenge you to begin thinking about what you value in a career from a broader perspective. Start to think about what you value in the work itself, the contribution to society you make, how your career effects your family and what satisfaction you get from your career.

Personally I believe that your values are the most important thing for you to consider when choosing your next career path. If your career does not align with your values, you will not be happy in your job, you will experience burnout and will most likely not be satisfied with your career. When I meet with someone for the time to help them figure out their career path, I always start by asking what are the three to five most important things for them to find in their next job. Some people can answer this question immediately and others are not really sure.

A good way to figure out what you valued in your past jobs is to start by making a list of EVERY job you have ever had. And I mean EVERY job. From the first $2 that you made to present day. Also, if you have done any extensive volunteer or committee work, include that as well. Next to each job, write down the three things that you liked the most at that job. This could be anything from the people you worked with, to the salary you made, to the mission of the company, to the autonomy you had. Think back to the happiest times you had at each job and why you were happy there.

Once your list is completed, look at what patterns you see. What were the things that repeatedly came up? This is a good start for determining your values.

Stay tuned for more information and ideas on figuring out your values!

Is this the right time to change careers?

You may be wondering "is now is a good time to make a career change?". Many people will tell you that you are ready for a career change include your lifestyle has changed, the job outlook in your field is dim, you are experiencing job burnout, your job is too stressful, you find your job boring, you want to use a particular skill / talent that you have, or you need to make more money. Some people expereince multiple signs that they need a new career, and others might just have one thing that drives them to a new career.


I will tell you that ANY time can be a good time for a career change, as long as you go about the process in a systematic way. Before jumping into a new career take a moment to step back and reflect on why you want to change careers. Write down all the reasons you come up so you can reflect back on them throughout the process. This can be done by hand in a notebook or journal, or you can do it on a computer. Questions to ponder include:

• was there one moment when you decided that you needed a new career?


• how will your new career fit into your lifestyle?


• will changing careers have an impact on your personal and/or family time?


• what is it about a new career that intrigues you?


• what are you looking forward to most in a new career?


• what are you happiest about leaving behind in your old career?


• are you ready for a BIG change right now (entirely new career)? or a small change (a new place of employment within the same career)?


• or are you ready to begin a process that leads you down the path of a long-term career change?

For now, start by getting organized and set aside time each day or week (depending on how quickly you want to change careers) to work on your career change. Put that time in your datebook and make sure that you keep it as time for you.

Starting on the path to a new career....

Are you the person who wakes up every morning and dreads going to work? Do you day dream about a new career? Have no idea where to start?

The first step to finding a new career is simply deciding that you want to change careers or jobs! Maybe you are in the career that you want to stay in, but the company you are working for is not a good fit for you. Maybe you love the company you work for, but not the day to day tasks that you do. Maybe you love your job and company, but you know that your job will be eliminated in the next few years. Maybe your life circumstances have changed or you need to make more money. Maybe you have been laid off. No matter the reason, changing careers can be a stressful process if you do not have any support. Join us here for support throughout your career changing process now!

Making the decision that you want to change careers is a big step, and once you have made the decision I can help you to start to put your plan in place. Where is your career path going to take you this year?