Online Career Tests – A First Step to Your Ultimate Career

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It stands to reason that often times the people who have a
natural liking or interest towards a certain career path may perform
much better when they are working in this area. It also stands to reason
that if it is this natural interest in the role that lead them to the
career in the first place will also mean that they will be much happier
in their work and probably achieve much greater career satisfaction over
their lifetime.

Once a person’s career interests are identified
the task of locating their ideal profession or career often becomes
easy. The difficulty however often presents in trying to locate or
identify a persons interests that could translate into a realistic
career path. There are many ways to do this and often the best approach
is to use not just one, but a combination of methods, in conjunction
with each other to arrive at the best options or solutions for you.

One
of these methods that can be extremely useful in the career counseling
process is the use of career counselling or career interest test. Using a
career counselling test should not be seen as the be all and end all,
but rather as a starting point for ideas and exploration of your career
interests. There are many online career counselling tests that can be
used, however it is important to stick to or use only tests that are
valid and reliable and not simply fun “quizzes” which are found on the
internet. One example of a good online career test or questionnaire is
the Strong Interest Inventory. The benefit of taking such a test online
is that it is used widely all around the world by career counsellors and
for this reason, once you have your results you should not have too
much trouble in obtaining follow up career advice from a professional
career counsellor if you feel like you need more support and career
advice.

Another useful tool used commonly by career counsellors
around the world is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test or
MBTI for short. This can also be taken online and as with the Strong
Interest Inventory, the fact it is used so widely around the globe in
career counselling means you can easily obtain follow up career advice
based on your results at any point in the future if you wish.

Both the Strong Interest Inventory career test and
MBTI personality test should taken by people looking for a simple
answer. Career tests are an integral part of the career counselling
process and are an excellent starting point for people looking to find
their ideal career. Such career and personality test should give the
person many different career ideas and open their minds to many
possibilities which will need to be explored after the career test has
been taken. A person may feel comfortable and confident in exploring
these many possibilities on their own, or it is at this point that
people often feel they would like some additional support from a career
professional so they can be guided through this process.

There are
many online career counselling tests, including those above, which are
easily located through a search engine such as Google. A good career
personality test such as those above will provide the test taker with
many career options to explore, and it’s at that point that a career
counsellor can often provide valuable assistance to assist in maximising
the benefit of the career test. This also can be done easily on the
internet by using a search engine with a search term such as “registered
professional career counsellors list” or something similar. In
Australia there is the The Career Development Association of Australia
(CDAA) which can be used to locate an appropriate career counseling
services close to you.

So in summary, if there is one piece of
advice I can give to those looking to find the right career path for
them, it would be to take a quality career counselling test and use this
to get ideas to work from. From their the many options raised can be
explored and examined, either by yourself alone, or with the assistance
of a career counsellor or professional.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged: , , ,

So You’re Thinking of Changing Careers

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“You don’t have to take life the way it comes to you. By
converting your dreams into goals, and your goals into plans, you can
design your life to come to you the way you want it. You can live your
life on purpose, instead of by chance. ~ Whatever it takes” – The Goal

How
many careers would you say you have had to date? One, two, more? Our
parent’s generation seldom considered changing careers. The career model
for their time was to join a company, work your way up with the help of
promotions and retire with a great pension. At the retirement party
they would hopefully give you a gold watch and a party and you would be
on your way. Changing careers was not even on the radar screen for most
professionals. Today it’s seen as a potential issue if a professional
has not changed careers at least once. By changed careers I mean moving
from one field to another or moving to different positions within a
field.

For instance, programmers may transition to technical leads
and technical leads to project managers or system architects. This is a
fairly standard practice in the developer track of Information
Technology but should be a planned transition if it is to be a
successful one.

Quite often however, when considering a career
change the responsibilities of the new position are an unknown quantity.
There are several methods currently used by corporations that enable
employees to “try on” a position before making the career change. For
example, you can “shadow” someone who works in the field you wish to
move to thus enabling you to see what a typical day or week is like in
that job. Sometimes you find on closer inspection that the job is
nothing like you thought or the requirements are such that further
education or longer work hours are required. Job shadowing allows you to
experience advance what the job is really like without having to give
up your current position. Indeed, this style of “checking out” a career
first is a good idea if you are not quite sure which position is right
for you.

Sometimes additional training is required for the career
move and it behooves the person making the change to do a thorough
investigation prior to executing the investment of time and money. Your
company may be prepared to pay for your training since your improved
skills will benefit you both. In order for the company to remain
competitive in the marketplace they also need staff with up to date
skills. Similarly, benefits like additional training cuts down on
attrition, which can be very costly.

Another alternative is to
seek out a mentor who already works in the field of interest, and spark a
conversation to determine the personality characteristics required for
the position. For example, a developer who is considering moving to call
center work may find that interaction with the public in a customer
service role is not compatible with their personality. Whereas a
continued role in the development area, moving to architect of a
software module for instance more naturally suits their personality and
style of working.

Each individual must find their own motivation
and determine whether the desire to change careers is based on sound
reasoning. Among other things, you need to verify whether you are in the
wrong career or if the motivation to change careers is based solely on
monetary compensation or because something is amiss in your personal
life.

Prior to executing a career change I suggest that you put
together a list of your career expectations. For instance, if you could
have any job you want, what would it be?

Ask yourself these questions:

- What would it provide you with?

- What kind of tasks would you perform?

- What size organization do you want to work in?

- Do you want to be a big fish in a little pond? Or a little fish in a big pond?

- What type of people do you enjoy working with?

- How dynamic of an environment do you like?

- Do you prefer to work on the bleeding edge or the leading edge of the field?

-
Would you prefer business analysis where you interact with the
functional users, or systems analysis where you remain more technical?

- Would you prefer working with Global systems or local systems?

Create
a list of things you really enjoy about your current career. If you
have difficulty filling the list, it may indeed be time for a career
change.

Put together a list of things you would like to do where
your needs are currently unmet in your current position. Look around
your present company to see what position could provide you with more
job satisfaction. Then go through the process again to see if the job is
what you think it is. I am reminded of the attorney who worked hard to
pass the bar exam, worked his butt off to make partner, then one day
found himself asking “is that all there is?” And, “why am I so unhappy
with this work?” Thousands of dollars later, he and his counselor
realized that he was an attorney because all the men in his family had
been attorneys. What he really wanted to do, was work with children. He
made a drastic career change, began working with children, and found
that he was much happier. While his income was not at the same level as
previously, he experienced a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.

Career
change can be a daunting and yet very rewarding process. Rewarding
because you are challenged and excited about learning and using new
skills and abilities. Daunting because you may have to begin at an
entry-level position and have to work your way back to your present
level of expertise. I remember once when a new hardware platform entered
the marketplace and I wanted to get my hands on that system more that
anything. I took a 25% pay cut to get on the new system and learn it,
but a year later, I had almost doubled my salary. I took the 25% cut in
pay because the skills required for the new system were scarce and the
market was paying premium wages for the new skills.

One thing’s
for sure, if you want to change careers, you must make a plan and work
it. Like anything else, you will need to set goals, do your research and
follow the steps to achievement of your goals. You must:

- Plan your mission. What career do you wish to enter or move to?

- Visualize and articulate your career goal.

- Plan the steps necessary to reach the certifications and skills required.

- Set personal deadlines for achievement of your new career goal.

- Benchmark progress along the way.

Remember
that preparation always precedes success. Failure to plan is planning
to fail. According to Tom Peters, today’s employee will go through at
least 3 career changes in their lifetime. Perhaps now is the time for
one of your career changes. One avenue might be, when a new project is
being launched, make sure you get on the team. In today’s world changes
occur rapidly and in order for those you to remain successful you must
constantly upgrade your skills and bring them in line with the new
technology and this new economy.

In summary, to benefit from a
successful career change, your have to set goals, measure your progress
towards those goals, make adjustments as necessary, and work your plan,
to achieve a smooth transition to your new career.

To schedule a complementary 30 minute career change consultation, call 312-953-2126 or use the contact form at this link.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged:

Advantages Of Choosing A Sonography Career

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The benefits of choosing a sonography career are numerous. There are career options all over the country; the job outlook is excellent, and it is personally rewarding to work in a field that helps people. You may choose diagnostic medical sonography and ultrasound, or general radiology or nuclear radiology careers, which have varying duties, job options and salaries. All of these career paths involve helping people live in better health, and they are all vital components of the modern medical community.

One of the most obvious benefits of choosing a sonography career is the salary. The median salary for sonographers is approximately $62,000 a year, and there are also opportunities for additional advancement with experience and training. On an hourly level, the average pay for sonographers, lead sonographers, ultrasound technicians and managers in sonography offices is about $30.

Another one of the important benefits of choosing a sonography career is the incredible amount of job options you will have in various settings all over the country. As a general sonographer you can use computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging devices, mammography technologies and x-ray machines. Your work may be involved with treating medical conditions, diagnosing medical conditions or viewing unborn babies in pregnant women”s bodies. You may choose to go into diagnostic medical sonography or nuclear sonography later on.

If you to go into diagnostic medical sonography, you will need at least an associate”s degree from an accredited college or vocational school to ensure that you have the proper training to operate machines that rely on high frequency sound waves. If you go into nuclear sonography, you will need to get a license from the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board in addition to your education. Your job will require skills and knowledge related to the functions of human cells and how those cells react to drugs or why those cells have developed diseases and medical conditions.

From career choices to salary to the personal rewards of helping people, there are many benefits of choosing a sonography career. As long as you go into this career for the right reasons, you should have a bright future.

Posted in: Career

7 Criteria for Deciding Which Career Test Is Right for You

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“I used to feel depressed at work, hate my boss, and was
sometimes so bored that I actually fell asleep at my desk!” — career
test taker

If this sounds like you, then it’s probably time to
consider changing jobs or careers. But before you can make your career
change, you need to figure out what you want to do.

One of the
best ways to get clear is to complete a career assessment. Yet there are
literally hundreds of career tests out there. Is a career test the same
as an aptitude test? What about a career personality test? This article
clarifies the differences and presents 7 criteria for deciding which
career test is best for you.

#1 Career test vs. personality test

Is the assessment specifically designed to provide career guidance?

Personality
tests only tell you about your character traits whereas a career
assessment gives specific career advice. Of course, it helps to know
whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert and perceive by sensing or
intuition. Personality tests such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) and the Enneagram are quite useful as background information.
Making the leap from simple awareness of your personality type to
specific career strategies is very difficult, however. If you want a new
job or career, it’s better to take an assessment that is specifically
geared to providing career guidance.

#2 Specific vs. general

Does
the career assessment give concrete recommendations that you can use
immediately rather than vague observations that are open to
interpretation and not actionable? Aside from the change itself, the
hardest part of changing careers is narrowing down your choices. But if
you don’t get specific, you won’t be able to take action. A good
assessment should not be general like the astrological horoscopes in the
newspaper.

#3 Motivation rules: why motivation is a better indicator than aptitude or personality

Does the career assessment measure motivation?

Motivation
is a far better career indicator than skill or personality because what
you like to do is what you WILL do and what you will get very good at
(if you aren’t already). Why force a square peg into a round hole?

When you base your decisions on what motivates you, you’ll probably feel much more fulfilled, and be much more successful, too.

#4 Where’s the beef?

Even if you’re a
vegetarian, you’ll want “meaty” results! A good career assessment should
include hard data, as well as sufficient detail and explanation to help
you interpret the results.

#5 Do you believe it?

Is the
career assessment scientifically valid? An effective career assessment
should have a high predictive reliability. Such things can be measured
statistically. Anything over 95% is quite good.

Statistical
validity is important for a number of reasons. Obviously, you want to
feel that the assessment provides an accurate picture of what motivates
you and you don’t want to be misled by grossly inaccurate results. But
another point is that when the results are believable this provides a
boost to your self-confidence. In my case, I was relieved and encouraged
to see from my results that I had chosen the correct career path. It
was a kind of confirmation or validation: “Whew! What a relief!”

Remember
that ultimately it’s up to you to decide whether a set of results makes
sense or not. However, it helps to use a highly reliable assessment.

#6 Can you get from A to Z?

Are additional tools available to help you take your results and develop a clear career roadmap for yourself?

Honestly,
a lot of people take career tests and get brilliant insights.
Unfortunately, many of these same people are never able to turn their
insights into results. What’s needed is a support infrastructure of
materials and people to help you apply your results over time.

#7 Is it fast?

Even
in the internet age, there still are a lot of tests that you can only
take on paper. It takes 30 minutes or even over an hour to take the
test. Then you have to wait while the test is scored and processed. You
may only get your results after several days or weeks.

Personally I prefer career tests that I can take online and that give me my results immediately.

Conclusion

A
career test is just a tool and just one step on your career change
journey. Nonetheless, it’s worth spending some time to understand what
types of tests are available and which is best for you. Just remember
that even the best career test is only a tool. It’s up to you to take
charge of your own career.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged:

Your Career Objectives Who’s in Charge

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Your career objectives: Who’s in charge of your career?

If
you’ve worked for several employers and possibly in more that one
career you know how important it is to keep up with technical changes in
your career, new advancements in your industry and your continuing
career growth and development.

Although many companies realize how
important it is to stay competitive through added training of their
employees many do not have the resources to cover all the needs of their
staffs.

So the proper obligation to advance and grow your career
and keep up with the related knowledge rests with you. Here are some
ideas to advance your professional and career growth:

Life-time learning: The key to reaching your career objectives and building your skills is a robust plan of life-time learning and self-study.

With the internet the source of information is almost limitless. Briefly, here are some starting points to consider:

1.
Keep up with your career and industry by reading at least one
all-purpose business magazine and one industry publication. Use your
down time, like waiting or your lunch hour, to keep current with your
reading. Whenever you come across something of interest, summarize it
and send it other members of your department and your boss.

2. Plan to read at least one career or business related book each month. Whenever possible add another book of topical interest.

3.
Discover on-line learning. There are literally dozens of distance
learning courses. Many are free, on video and podcasts. Make it a point
to keep abreast of what is available and build this important learning
resource into your plan. The positive impact on your career will be
swift and immediate as you learn new skills, improve your strengths and
eliminate areas of weakness.

4. Your learning should never stop.
Your local junior college and university has a roomful of continuing
education courses. Many can be completed with only one classroom session
a month with the balance online. Moreover, some can lead to career
related certifications. Others include learning a new language,
expanding on computer systems and software skills or just exploring
information for a possible career change.

Learning from others:
As you get more involved in your professional association look for
someone who can advise you about your career and your overall career
objectives. Be considerate of their time and plan on meeting
periodically to review your progress and to work through issues that may
have cropped up.

Within your company, your career association or in
your volunteer work you will be working with and observing others who
are very successful in one or more phases of their careers. Whenever
possible ask them for some time to explain and show you how they reached
the top of a particular skill.

If it’s some study or practice they suggest add the items to your study plan. Keep them involved in your progress.

In addition, if you see someone who is routinely unsuccessful at some activity that of course is something to stay away from.

If
you get stuck in some aspect of your career, you can always find
someone who can give you advice and counsel on that particular issue.
Career coaches are everywhere, talk to others and get their
recommendations.

Get your boss involved: When you have an
outline of your career development plan drafted; plan a meeting with
your boss. Discuss your overall goals and how and when you expect to
achieve them. Get feedback on your priorities and carefully consider any
suggestions your boss may have.

Going forward keep your boss
informed as each planned milestone is reached and any other achievements
related to your career plan.

Learning from outside activities:
If your career has a local career based organization, you can profit in
a variety of ways. It’s a great opportunity to network. Local meetings
have speakers where you can learn more about your career and industry
related trends.

You should be able to participate on committees
and assist in membership drives and conferences. Many professional
groups have training courses and possible certifications.

Newsletters,
emails and websites will keep you current on news important to your
career. Also, there will be opportunities to write articles for the
newsletter and website.

Another valuable outside activity is
volunteering and working with others. You expand your network of
contacts and build important skills such as; leadership, teamwork,
marketing and communications.

Summary: Your career plan is a
long-term commitment. Stay flexible and adjust your goals as your
interests and skills change. Your career success goes beyond a
particular job as you are constructing both a career and a life.

Posted in: Career

Young Professionals – Can You Handle the Truth 10 Tips About Careers (That Nobody Ever Tells You)

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Yikes! Hey college students and young professionals, the job outlook this year for entry-level positions isn’t looking so good.

So,
the following tips are for students and recent grads (all 2.5+M of you)
who aren’t afraid to hear the hard truth about the American workplace.
You may not like what you read, but if you really want to get ahead and
find work that makes you happy, then you must face reality head on.
Think of it as a paper cut – you can either apply the right care to it
now, or you can ignore it, only to wake up and find it infected. Which
will you do? I work with hundreds of professionals who always tell me
the same thing, “I wish I had known these tips when I was starting out.”
So please, don’t ignore the facts. A jump start to a better future is
available to those who heed these tips – guaranteed.

TIP #1:
You are the most educated generation to enter the workforce, but you are
also viewed as the least prepared. Don’t be blind-sided by your
generation’s professional reality.

Your generation, Generation
NEXT (also known as Gen Y & Millenials) is the largest and most
educated generation to enter the workforce in US history (over 70% plan
to get undergraduate degrees and another 40% plan to get advanced
degrees). Unfortunately, you are also seen as professionally immature
and a huge challenge in the workplace. How did this happen? A little
historical perspective helps to explain…

Years ago, getting a
degree was a privilege and done with intent. If you were lucky enough to
go to college, you knew what you were studying and what your career
would be before you even began. You could expect a nice starting salary
and a bright financial future. You also could count on a lifetime of
employment and lots of career development from a single firm. A gold
watch and a retirement package were often your reward for loyal years of
service.

Fast forward to today: there are thousands of colleges
and anyone who wants to go can get in somewhere. Thus, a college degree
doesn’t get you a ‘leg up,’ it just allows you to ‘step up’ to the
career starting line. Inflation has outpaced starting salaries, and the
average student graduates $17+K debt but without the professional
experience and focus of those who graduated years ago. As many as 4 out
of 5 college students have to move home after school because they can’t
afford to live on their own. In short, a college degree today is more
expensive – but the return on the investment is down significantly.

TIP
#2: The other generations in the workforce don’t have much compassion
for your situation. You are being incorrectly perceived as lazy,
entitled and arrogant. Don’t validate these beliefs by ignoring their
concerns, instead, work to overcome them.

The other
generations in the workforce think you deserve some ‘tough love.’ They
are frustrated by your attitude in the workplace. The generations before
you worked hard, paid their dues in jobs they didn’t enjoy, and now
want respect for their professional battle scars. Many of them had to
pay for school themselves and didn’t have the option or time to identify
a career they could get excited about. The pressure to pay the bills
and be out on their own forced them to put their professional
satisfaction on the back burner. So, they don’t appreciate you
criticizing or challenging the workplace they created. These actions go
against how they were raised on-the-job. And while no one expects you to
follow in their footsteps, you do need to recognize that work
experience is critical to developing your own knowledge and skills. We
don’t run until we learn to walk, right? So, it’s time to consider that
you your views and opinions on-the-job may not be fully grown yet.
Before you offer advice on how a situation should be improved in the
workplace, take the time to seek out the varying generational
perspectives of those that have been there before you and make an effort
to understand their point of view. The best employees know how to
‘manage up.’ That means, coaching those above you in order to get the
results you desire. The first and most important rule in coaching is ,
“Ask, don’t tell.” If you want to change a person’s point of view, you
need to broaden their perspective by asking questions that will provide
you with a more comprehensive understanding of their position.

Here’s
something to consider: Generation NEXT is known as compassionate and
socially responsible. You are worried about the world and care about
those around you. So why not include the generations above you in your
efforts to create a better world? Share with them your ideas and
enthusiasm, but respect their knowledge and time spent in the trenches.
Assess your thoughts and think carefully about how you convey yourself
on-the-job. Your opinions do matter, but will only be heard if you can
articulate them in a way that connects you to those you wish to
influence. Learn to speak their language, and all ears will be on you.

TIP
#3: DON’T road trip, backpack or ‘take a year off’ without thinking
about your career first. Those who delay to play, often pay!

As
graduation approaches, many students feel the pressure of career and
think, “I’ve done what’s expected of me and now I deserve to do
something for myself.” However, rewarding yourself without at least
organizing your plans for career before you go can make embarking on a
job search when you return more difficult. Here are some stats to
consider: Landing an entry-level job after school (from start to finish)
averages at least two months. The process of finding the job
opportunity, going on the interviews, receiving and accepting the job
offer, and then starting the job, all take time. It is easier to manage
this process when you are close to resources (i.e. campus career center)
and a network of peers who are in the midst of finding work too. All
too often, college grads put off their career homework until after
they’re done having fun. They return home and suddenly find themselves
alone and without the support of their friends and school to help them.
Add in the potential pressure of parents over your shoulder, inquiring
about your progress, and looking for a job can become very overwhelming.
I once had an angry father call me to inquire about my services for his
son because, in his own words, “My son just got back from a 7-month
road trip of fun only for me to find out he has no idea of what he wants
to do or how to find a job. What did I spent $80K on a college
education for?!?!” This father-son relationship was quite strained, and
much of my time coaching this new college grad was spent trying to get
him to stop beating himself up for not taking responsibility for his
future. Don’t get stuck in this position. You must consider the
consequences of your actions.

But, if this isn’t enough reason to
focus on your career goals before you go, consider this: opting to play
as opposed to looking for a job sends a clear message to employers
regarding your professional priorities. Here’s a true story, I was
speaking to a manager of a successful consulting practice in March of
last year who was looking for an intern. She had just interviewed a
young woman who had graduated the previous May and had opted to grab a
job as a bartender because in her own words, “I didn’t know what I
wanted to do and wasn’t ready for a real job.” The young woman had
impressed the manager with her energy and appearance but was concerned
with the young woman’s inability to convey clearly how and why she now
was ready to commit to a full-time, professional position. The client
opted not to hire this graduate and said to me, “I think I’d rather wait
two more months and get an intern from the upcoming graduating class.
That way, I’ll know the person I hire has a sense of urgency to work and
be successful.”

Actions speak louder than words, so choose wisely
what you do after graduation. The best way to enjoy taking time off
after college is to make sure your professional game plan is in order
BEFORE you go. And when you return and start looking for a job, don’t
forget to incorporate what you’ve learned about yourself while on your
post-college adventure and how you plan to use that knowledge in your
career.

TIP #4: More degrees don’t mean more money! If you aren’t sure what to do next, the LAST thing you should do is stay in school.

Several
years ago, I was in a meeting with a group of college seniors. I went
around the room and asked each attendee what they were thinking of doing
after graduation. As I arrived at a young man who appeared confident to
the point of cocky, his response was, “I’m planning to go to law
school, get my MBA, or get a Masters in Education.” Given that it was
April and graduation season was a month away, I was very surprised. So I
asked him, “Why law school?” His response was a flustered ‘um, um’
followed by a defensively toned, ‘Because I think I might like it.”
Needless to say, six months later, he was seeking career coaching. He
had graduated, had no idea of what he really wanted to do, nor how to
find the answer. I think many college grads are like this young man.
They believe that education is a safe bet. His multi-faceted answer
months earlier had been his way to make sure everyone was impressed,
while he secretly was confused about what to do next. I’m just glad he
didn’t force himself to go to school to save face! Going back to school
without determining a financially sound reason to go is a risky
investment. Advance degrees only provide career advancement when they
offer the opportunity to build a specific skill set for a particular
job/career. Don’t go back to school unless you are 100% certain you’ll
use what you learn to get ahead. Better still, work for a company who
will pay for it. Don’t believe me? Then consider these facts: some
studies suggest as many as

Posted in: Career \ Tagged: , , ,

Career Choices – Discover How To Make The Best Decision On A Career Choice

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Many times college students, and individuals with years of
working experience, decide on careers without critically examining their
own impressions and understandings of a particular career. To often
they rely on someone else’s attitude toward a specific career without
finding out what is true and what is not.

Career planning and
their choices to often is made with limited and many times inaccurate
information. Rare is the person who takes the time for self analysis and
gathers information to develop viable career options. If your view is
limited you may be overlooking a hidden but ideal career situation.

Career
myths are everywhere and the key is to test assumptions, and critically
examine the information you know about a job or industry. There is
considerable risk in allowing assumptions to be the basis of a career
choice. The consequences can lead to a career where you have little
interest and lukewarm passion. A recipe for disaster.

Some abandon
work aspirations based on misconceptions about the career. They don’t
look into the career because they were told there was, “no money in it.”
Listening to others without challenging their inaccurate beliefs can
cause you to rule out a possible dream job.

Career choices or
changes should be approached in a critical and unbiased way. Here are
four guidelines to follow to help you make the best informed choice:

1.
Test all your assumptions: You may only have a fraction of the right
information along with comments from family and friends. Examine
everything and do comprehensive research to learn as much as possible
about the career. Also, remain flexible as your research will
undoubtedly uncover other promising leads.

2. Get your career information from a variety of
sources: If currently in school discuss the career with a counselor or
your professors. Look in the internet for relevant information. Find
someone who is currently working in the prospective career and phone
them to schedule a short interview. Attend job fairs and discuss the
career with recruiters.

Follow-up on resources that you uncover in
your basic research. Go back to your sources as you put together
additional questions.

3. Critically analyze all your career
information. Be a critical thinker in analyzing your research. Carefully
put some thought into the sources of information, are there
contradictions? Maybe some more research is in order. Think carefully
about your sources of information on careers. Who can give you a better
sense of what it’s like to be a CPA: a couple of CPA’s working in the
accounting field every day or your uncle who got audited by the IRS 15
years ago due to his CPA’s misjudgment?

4. Try out your career
ideas: If still in school consider applying for internships in your
chosen field. If possible, a part-time job in the industry will give you
a better feel for both the job and industry. If you still have concerns
about a career continue your research. If the proposed career looks
less than exciting, your continued study will point you in the right
direction.

Above all don’t chose a career based only on anecdotal
evidence or hearsay information. When you do make your career choice
based on solid information, you’ll go much farther in the career, enjoy
it more and be happy you spent the time doing proper career research and
analysis.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged: ,

Making Career Change Over 50

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It’s often hard to think about changing careers. It’s doubly
difficult to take the step to change careers after you have been doing
something for what may seem a lifetime. It’s often hard to think about
changing careers. It is doubly difficult to take the step to change
careers after you have been doing something for what may seem a
lifetime. Interestingly, many people are opting for a career change
after age 50. There are many things that drive people to look for a new
career direction: burnout, a feeling you have been doing something for
years that is not really fulfilling or fun, industry downturns that
create an oversupply of candidates in your present career field, a
desire for something new and stimulating at which to dedicate yourself
for the remainder of your working life. Whatever the motivation, it is a
big step and you will need help doing it.

First, here are some things to think about.

* What do you want to do now? Where are your strengths? What abilities can you draw upon to help you create a new career path?

* Do you know any headhunters?

* How good is your professional network? Will it be helpful in making your career change?

*
What local resources are available to you? Can you take advantage of
career seminars, personal and professional career counseling or career
fairs?

* You will need to reformat your resume to highlight your
experience and/or education and training in the new career area you want
to pursue.

“Headhunter” is a common term that refers to
professional recruiters who work for job search firms. They typically
specialize in certain career fields and/or industries, and may focus on a
specific professional level; e.g. executive, manager or director, etc.
You can find headhunters in a number of ways, including word of mouth,
internet ads, the Yellow Pages, and career change advice resources.

Here are some of the things a headhunter will do for you:

* Review your resume and give you advice on presenting it and yourself in the best light for the career field you seek.

*
Match you to open requisitions they are trying to fill, or contact
his/her network of employer clients to present you as a candidate.

* Arrange for interviews and travel, if necessary, and follow-up after your interviews with the potential employer.

* Negotiate salary and signing bonuses, if appropriate

* Follow-up with you after you are hired to make sure everything is working for you.

Your
headhunter can literally be your best friend during your career change.
Most are successful because of their empathy, their ability to
understand the attributes of their candidates and the needs of their
employers, and their enjoyment of continuous contact with people on both
sides of the job search fence … in other words, they like to talk and
they enjoy interacting with people over the phone. This helps the
candidates and employers interact comfortably with them and builds
trust.

It is important that you establish a good rapport with your
headhunter because you are entering unfamiliar territory in a new
career field, and the contacts and industry knowledge you had in your
past career may no longer be useful to you, depending on how drastic a
change you are making. There are some important steps you can take to
make sure you are successful in working with you headhunter. First, be
completely honest with your headhunter about why you want to change
careers and what you are looking for. The headhunter needs to understand
your needs completely in order to create a good match for you within a
new career field. Second, be responsive and follow-up in a professional
way. This does two things for you: it will move things along quickly and
demonstrates for your headhunter your professionalism. Third, quickly
report back on contact with companies who interview you to keep the
momentum going.

If you are over age 50 and feel something is
missing from your career, it’s never too late to make a change. While
career changes can be challenging, they can lead to a valuable
opportunity to build a professional life around the things you enjoy
doing.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged:

Most Wanted Tips To Start Your Accounting Career

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When it comes to the most well paid jobs, the finance jobs are the ones to look for. A career in accounting is more satisfying along with well paying. According to different statistics, the demand for accounting professionals has reached its peak through the recent years. People have a misconception that, in this nose dived economic conditions, the accounting career has no charm. According to the market research professionals, the need for accounting professionals is really need during the current economic condition. Nevertheless, surviving in the career and moving to the next level of the accounting career depends on several factors. Just keep reading on the article to know the 3 most wanted tips to kick start a successful accounting career.

Choosing the Degree program based on your current Job condition

There are various kinds of accounting degree programs available online today, associates degree and diploma programs. You should select the type of accounting degree based on the availability of time and your work conditions. Online accounting degree programs will be the best option if you have only a limited time to spare. It is always good to go for Associates Degree program in accounting if you want to gather lots of knowledge. Joining the associates degree programs in accounting will help you to shine in your career.

Selecting the Location

The fact is that the associates degree programs in accounting are available everywhere. However, when it comes to the best quality education, the associates degree programs available in the training schools of Washington DC are the ones to look for. The associates degree will prepare the candidates with the essential skills required for a successful Para-professional accounting career analyzing transactions, preparing journal entries and managing a companys payroll or books. The well experienced faculty of the training schools of Washington DC will teach you the knowledge required to shine in an accounting career.

Accreditation and career support

Though there are many Accounting training schools around Washington DC, not all of them are nationally accredited. It is very much important that associates degree you choose for getting ahead with the accounting career should be nationally accredited. It has to be noted that, only nationally accredited training colleges will be able to make the candidates appear in the CPA exam. Once you complete the associates degree and pass the CPA exam, you can get into an accounting career with ease. Getting trained in the best colleges will let your career grow rapidly than you expect.

Bottom Line

Once all the three factors mentioned above fall in place, you can get an aspiring accounting career in no time.

Posted in: Career \ Tagged: , , ,

Career Aptitude Test Offers Win-win Situation For Both Employers And Job Applicants

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Career aptitude tests are useful for both employers and job applicants. These tests play a crucial role in the decision making process for employers who are flocked with resumes and help them find a suitable candidate for a particular position. The career aptitude test also helps candidates land into an ideally suited job according to their skill-set and abilities. Proper utilisation of job aptitude tests is a win-win situation for both employers and job seekers.

There are plenty of career aptitude tests for assessing the abilities and intelligence of job applicants. Some of these tests are criterion based, for instance, the characteristics that people who are successful in a given field usually have; and then there are some aptitude tests that work on the basis of characteristics that all people share but are present in varying degrees in each person.

The career aptitude test results show both the employer and potential employee whether the given job is a perfect fit or is it only something that the applicant could do but would prefer some other type of work. Being satisfied with the work profile is a crucial factor for being happy on the job. It is also an important key for keeping the employee turn over low. With the help of a well-structured aptitude test, the employer would be able to choose the right candidate for his company and the applicant would find a suitable job for himself.

There are many things that are revealed by career aptitude test, for instance it could tell you whether a person has the characteristics to become a stellar salesperson or would be better off to work behind the desk crunching numbers. It would also tell you the most optimum way to manage the people on your team because you would learn about their communication style; therefore, you would be able to gather what it takes to communicate effectively with them. This in turn would prove to have an extraordinary effect on your business. Thus, these career aptitude tests are worth considering.

So, undoubtedly the career aptitude test is ideal for employers who have to wade through innumerable resumes and desire to make the best decision with respect to hiring the most suitable candidate. The test is also ideal for those people who are interested in starting with a new career but are not sure of where they should start from. Therefore, the career assessment tests are worth every effort and money spent because eventually the returns from them would be much higher in the long run.

Making use of career aptitude test, such as verbal aptitude test, personality assessment, logical reasoning test, and many more is imperative for the future growth of your company. These tests also help candidates identify their strengths and weaknesses, thereby preparing them well for the next opportunity. If you are looking for quality sample aptitude test papers, visit psychometric-success.com.

Posted in: Career