The phrase "reinventing yourself" seems to be popping up all over lately. Just a few days ago a friend asked me how he could do it without starting completely over. His concern was, "How do I move in a new career direction without sacrificing all the skills and experience I've worked so hard to achieve?" The underlying question is, "Is this even possible?"
Yes, it is possible to start fresh without starting over! Here's how:
1.) Take inventory of the skills, experience, credentials and achievements you've built into your career to date. Know your strengths and weaknesses, your assets and your liabilities. Recognize your transferable skills and how to market them. Describe the breath and depth of your work experience. Understand the value of your credentials. Match power verbs, specific nouns and quantifiable descriptors to your achievements and practice telling stories about them.
2.) Clarify your values. Dig deeply enough into yourself to know which values are yours and which are your parents', mentors', employers', culture's, society's or faith community's. Claim yours and release theirs. Look again at any value regarding money or security: What you think is a value may not be a value at all, but a mask covering a cluster of values. For example, "money", "benefits" and "security" often mask values such as lifestyle, adventure, independence and safety, so record these values as the latter, not the former, if you hope to actually live them.
3.) Identify the talents, gifts and passions that drive you. Be honest and real with yourself and if necessary, seek the objective opinions of others. Claim what is truly yours then describe it in who-what-when-where-why-how detail and practice condensing your description into a 60-second story. Note how related talents and gifts seem to cluster around passion themes. This is not coincidence, but a sign pointing the way to your life's purpose.
4.) Use all the data you've collected about yourself in Steps 1,2 and 3 to brainstorm a list of jobs, careers, employers and industries that match and make positive use of your skills, experience, credentials, achievements, values, talents, gifts and passions. Use career professionals and reference materials such as the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and the Occupational Outlook Handbook to assist you. Shorten, refine, categorize and prioritize your list.
5.) Develop a stellar self-marketing package to match each cluster of jobs, careers, employers and industries you want to market yourself into. Create multiple versions of your resume and cover letter to cover a series of related titles, career paths or industries. Use the key words associated with each profession. Distribute your resume and cover letter package to employers strategically via ads, online postings sites, networking, recruiters and targeted mailings.
It really is this simple! Yes, these steps are dense with all kinds of "to do's", but if you do everything suggested, you will get to where you want to be. The worst mistake you can make in career reinvention is to believe it you can't do it. Aren't you worth that hope?
Cheryl Lynch Simpson is a Spiritual Director and Solutions Coach who helps women discover and create the life they've always wanted to live. Cheryl is the author of over 30 print/Internet articles and the founder of Coaching Solutions For Women, a coaching website that produces and showcases career, business, and life solutions that improve the life balance of today's busy women. For a complimentary copy of her latest e-book, Ten-Minute Stress Zappers for Women Service Business Owners, visit http://www.coachingsolutionsforwomen.com.
This article is based on the following book:How... Read More
Even before I checked my calendar on Monday... Read More
You're nervous. You're so nervous that you crave a smoke.... Read More
Today everyone is looking for that special job that will... Read More
Attention Job Seekers: Tasks and Responsibilities are BoooringHo hum. The... Read More
No matter how much time and energy you invest in... Read More
The first thing you need to do before you write... Read More
Anyone who is a jobseeker knows that looking for a... Read More
Recruiting firms, like most businesses today, must embrace technology in... Read More
You don't write a resume every day. Not even every... Read More
Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private... Read More
In our ever changing world where job competition is rampant... Read More
Whether you've been right-sized, downsized, underutilized, or just plain fired,... Read More
It's never too early to update your resume, even if... Read More
Why is it a good idea to determine your worth?... Read More
Being dissatisfied with your job is a cycle, a very... Read More
Getting a job is not just about your performance in... Read More
It Is Up To YouSo, you want to get promoted.... Read More
The unemployment checks are running out and there is no... Read More
Regardless of where you open your briefcase or palm pilot... Read More
Interviewing Tips for the Older Job-seeking PopulationA red alert is... Read More
Your network consists of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and former... Read More
I like Simon, one of three judges on... Read More
Take a moment to step outside yourself. Now, be honest... Read More
Jobs and employment on the Costa BlancaThe Council of Europe... Read More
Research indicates that we retain only 10% of what we... Read More
It can happen to anyone. there's a change in the... Read More
Looking for work is an energy-devouring ordeal, often leading to... Read More
1: Keep It ShortConsidering that initially HR personnel only spend... Read More
Yes, I've Had Gaps In My Employment History--What Can I... Read More
Continuing professional development (CPD) is promoted by the CIPD to... Read More
Does a headline like this scare you? it should because... Read More
Wonder Woman makes it looks so easy. She gets up... Read More
Here is a last year resident checklist not to forget:LICENSING:Licensing... Read More
In light of recent unemployment figures, and a continual downturn... Read More
Do you leap out of bed in the morning looking... Read More
There's no denying that a healthy work environment is a... Read More
Résumé TipsSome basics about job hunting...First of all, nobody owes... Read More
Jobs for copy editors may seem like they are hard... Read More
Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a... Read More
10. Understand all of the opportunities available to you. Don't... Read More
While more people are finding employment, more employed workers are... Read More
As you know by now, if you have been a... Read More
Do you feel like one in a million at work... Read More
A trade show is a great place to network, look... Read More
Looking for work can be difficult, frustrating, anxiety-provoking, and demeaning.There... Read More
Let's be realistic here - hands up all of you... Read More
You've got the itch to change jobs. This might be... Read More
Your resume needs to outline your skills and experience, as... Read More
Our lives are tranquil and smooth so seldom, it seems.... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment Careers, Jobs & Employment |
|
| العاب | منتديات هيدى | الزاوية الحمراء | |
|
Pharaohs products egypt products Egypt shopping Shopping in Egypt sho Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center Egypt Pharaohs |