Once again, I am seeing a round of clients determined to change careers rather than changing jobs within the same industry, and these folks are coming from all walks of life. So many say the same thing; a feeling of disenchantment, no encouragement on the part of management of teamwork, and certainly no acknowledgement of a job well done.

I probe my clients even before we plan to work together. Do they really want to change careers? Do they understand the sacrifices of time, money, etc that goes into a career change? Many do not, because they waited too long to even make the inquiry.

If you truly begin to feel that what you do professionally is not the answer anymore, do not delay. Seek out the services of someone like me. Do not wait until you are so unhappy that an instant fix is all you will be able to tolerate. There is no instant fix in any world, and especially when changing careers. Start to consider your next career when you begin your present one; look for your next job the day you start one.
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How is your momentum? Are you keeping at your career/job search? Allowing yourself distractions does not help. I recently began working with a client who has been out of the job market for many years due to child raising. Unfortunately, during that time, she allowed her marketable skills to atrophy. Distractions from her goal, that is finding a good, enjoyable, permanent job, continue to pull at her, even now when her children are almost grown and do not require the kind of attention that they once did. Time can slip by very quickly.

Do not allow yourself to be distracted! This is about you and the rest of your life. Make appointments with your career coach. Follow up and follow up again.

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Staying Home With Children

Recently, I have seen a rash of adults who left their careers and stayed home to raise children for several years. Now they are ready to return to the job market and are at a loss as to how to proceed.

Certainly, transferable skills awareness is the way to go. To become very aware of what transferable skills you had before the children were born is important, especially if not much time has passed. Hopefully, there were new transferable skills developed during the way based on volunteerism or perhaps even paid part time work while being an at home mom or dad.

If you find yourself in this situation, be as open as possible to a thorough review of transferable skills, to returning to school to acquire new, more marketable skills, and to paying attention to the networking opportunities that you have developed so far. It may take some time to find the career that you want and that will fit with your lifestyle. Nothing worthwhile happens quickly, and that is true in career development as it is in everything else.

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The Era of the Temporary Worker is Beginning!

I remember the days that temporary workers existed only as support staff, or in Engineering fields. Either a "temp" was a secretary or a "job-shopper". Frequently, people made livings this way, usually in bad times. All that is now changing, and no where will it be more apparent than in Washington DC.

As federal government spending tightens. we begin to see government contractors shedding people. The response is that most of these people now want federal jobs essentially for the security. Be aware that nothing today is secure. More and more people will have to earn their livings "temping"...ie working on contracts for government contracting organizations, while being aware that there is no guarantee that the contract will renew or even complete its original schedule! The era of Temping is here! Are you ready for it?

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Getting More Play?

A long time client just reported that after several years of intense networking, suddenly he is getting some "play", that is interest in his skills and abilities from prospective employers which he has not seen before, including from industries that he never thought would produce any connection. He admits that he has spent so much time intensely networking that he has not paid any attention to other aspects of his life...he need to consider his physical space, in case a new position means a move elsewhere; he also needs to pay attention to his financial situation.

Might a new position, if everything else were "in place" mean starting at a lower salary? It just might....therefore, it is very important to be aware of where you stand financially. A new position might mean a lateral or even a step back but such a position might expose you to a new and better skills set which would ultimately lead you to an even better and more prosperous future.

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Can't Or Won't

There is a school of thought that says if you continue doing the same thing again and again and it is not working, try doing something else. This is true in career change too....a recent returning client has been trying for two years to secure employment. At one time, he considered retraining in another field, but put that aside for a variety of reasons. Now he is rethinking his earlier decision.

Earlier, he gave many reasons for not retraining...but the real reason, I believe, is that he could not accept that the skills he has are not in demand. Two years of coming close to a new position, but just missing out every time has now led him to believe that retraining might be the ticket. Is that scary? Sure. Does he want to work? Yes. Therefore, he has his answer, and I hope to continue to stay in touch as he retools and seeks alternate employment.

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Burning Bridges-Never a Good Idea

I am presently working with a client who, as a temporary worker, was treated poorly by the employer. He was told he had the "inside track" toward a permanent job, did more than what was required of him in terms of job performance, and then found out through another source that he would not be getting the job. When he asked, the reason given to him as to why the employer was hiring someone else was, in his opinion, shaky at best. Therefore, he left immediately, causing coverage problems for the employer and prompting a scene between him and his immediate supervisor. He was told not to expect a good reference.

While his reasons for leaving immediately were understandable, the way he handled it was poor. Never burn your bridges! At all times, your intent to get leave an employer with good feelings and with a positive reference. My client is now working on securing a positive reference from another source within this temporary job. I hope he will be able to do so.

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