Three Ways to Transition to a New Career

As a Certified Personnel Consultant working for Find Great People International in Greenville, South Carolina, I receive telephone calls from people who are considering a career change. For some, transitioning to a new career is easier than others. Some professionals already possess a foundation of skills to make the transition easier. I'll give an example. An unemployed network engineer and hobby electrician decides to become an electrical contractor for new construction. His transition might be easier because he needs minimal training to enter the new field. But others require training, or additional schooling, which can sometimes be costly.

Strategy for Changing Careers

It's best to take a strategic approach when changing careers. The first step is identifying a career of interest to you. Then, visit jobsites like Careerbuilder.com,Monster.com, and Hotjobs.com and search for job postings by keywords or titles relating to your newly desired career field. Next, read through the job postings identified, analyze them, and try to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities employers are searching for in this field. Once you've researched your chosen career, deepen your knowledge through class work or mentoring with a friend whom you respect and whose experience might relate to that field. In order to advance in your field of choice, an undergraduate or advanced degree may be necessary.

Speak to a Recrutier

Another way to make an effective career change is to contact someone like myself ? a recruiter or "headhunter" who specializes in your desired field. The purpose of your call is to gather information about your chosen profession. For example, at Find Great People International, we have recruiters specializing in manufacturing, information technology, health care, apparel, finance and accounting, and professional temporary staffing. It may be helpful to jot down a list of questions before your call. When I speak to someone about changing careers, the individual usually acknowledges they do not possess the skills or experience to do the job yet -- but they are eager to break in. I evaluate their skills, based on a series of questions. Sometimes they'll have a foundation for the new career and that's a starting point.

Education: a Positvie Step

Schooling or training is a wise first step for many who shift careers, provided they have the money to pay for it. There are times when I recommend a national training center with locations throughout the U.S. Or, since I specialize in the IT field, I'll suggest a technical training institute, or a technical college that offers supplemental training. Some certifications and trainings in the computer field can range between $8,000-10,000. This may seem steep, but the truth is most places of employment will not hire you without some sort of training.

Step Into Your Field in a Better Job Market

There is a third, bolder angle, which works better in a more robust job market. Simply investigate companies in your field of interest, contact them directly, and ask them if they are hiring entry level. If you are lucky enough to speak to a hiring authority, or someone in a position to be helpful, use the time to sell yourself on the transferable characteristics you possess as an employee.

Transferable Characteristics as an Employee:

• complete projects on-time and within budget

• work well with people

• reliable and dependable

• follow-through skills

• computer skills

Highlight Former Profession

Do not overlook the generic qualities of your former profession, when presenting yourself to a potential employer in a new field. These include verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, and are considered portable skills. If you feel you are lacking in some of these key areas, then think about acquiring these skills through training. I have often recommended something like Dale Carnegie's course, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." If the cost for this course is prohibitive, then consider acquiring some books or audio tapes which help to build these skills.

To maximize success in your new field, I suggest that during the education or retraining process, you become a member of a professional organization. Plug yourself into an association, either local or statewide, related to your specific industry niche. Go to the monthly meetings. Get to know people. Start selling yourself by way of relationships and friendships. By the time you've finished your education, you'll have a network of people who will be aware of your skills and availability.

Select any one of the three methods I'm recommending, or combine aspects of all three. You'll be well on your way to landing a new position. Your new field might not open up to you right away, but if you are persistent about it, you should be successful.

About The Author

During the past 14 years, Steve Hall has been a consultant with Find Great People in Greenville, S.C. He has successfully found several hundred great people for clients all over the Eastern U.S. His focus includes Retail, Manufacturing, Consumer Goods, Insurance, and Financial Services. For the past five years, Steve has averaged an interview-to-hire ratio of 3 to 1, compared to the industry average of 7 to 1.

In November 1994, Steve achieved his Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) certification. He is one out of approximately 90 in the state of South Carolina with this designation. In addition, he has served as President for the State Recruiting Association and is a tenured member of the Board of Directors for that organization.

Steve Hall received his BS in Marketing Management.

shall@fgp.com

---

Job Tips For The Frustrated Job Seeker

There is nothing more frustrating and depressing when you are out of work and trying to find a job and your job search is going no where.... Read More

Targeting Your Resume is So Important For Your Career

Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you any job you desire! The purpose of targeting is so you can find your perfect match, your... Read More

Pebbles in Your Shoe Dont Only Hurt your Foot But Cause Back and Hip Problems!

CIO Magazine ran an article entitled, "Ten Mistakes CIO's Too Often Make" written by Susan H. Cramm, former CIO and vice president of IT at Taco Bell... Read More

How To Write A Résumé

Figure out what you want to do.You can't write an effective résumé if you have no job target. What I mean by this is you need to... Read More

Independent RN Contractors Are Taking The Nursing Profession

Nurses wake up and take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity. Are you tired of having no input in your career, little money in the bank, lack of... Read More

How To Get That Promotion

If you're looking for that promotion or pay rise then you'll need to be noticed by your employer, so here's a few tips to stand out from... Read More

Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth?

Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody ever asked you that? Have you ever asked yourself?The answer to this question really hinges on another... Read More

The Five Most Common - And Most Avoidable - Résumé Errors

Writing an effective résumé can certainly be challenging. There are numerous rules and none of them apply 100% of the time. It is often much easier for... Read More

CDL Practice Test ? Offers Practice Tests To Prepare For The CDL Exam

As you take CDL practice test, you do become more familiar with the CDL test, and being familiar with the test will make the actual test much... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Try, Try, Again

This article relates to the Career Opportunities competency and explores issues such as internal growth opportunities, potential for advancement, career development importance, and the relationship between job... Read More

Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success

The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How... Read More

How To Tap Into the Invisible Job Market

Is there a company in your area that you'd love to work for? Do you assume that, because you don't see them advertising in the classifieds or... Read More

A Career In Medical Assisting

My name is Danni R, and I am a certified medical assistant and online educator. I am writing this article to introduce you to an exciting career... Read More

Lost Your Job? Ten Ways to Bounce Back!

Whether you've been right-sized, downsized, underutilized, or just plain fired, looking for work is a life-changing experience that rocks your world. Regain your equilibrium with these ten... Read More

Are You Ready To Start A Business? Take This Quiz and See

Don't get discouraged! A "no" answer to any of the questions will identify an area for development -- not a roadblock. I am available to help if... Read More

Staying In Shape

Why Lawyers Should Eat Bananas by Simon Tupman is a book that caught my eye both because of its unusual title and because I coach lawyers who... Read More

Can Nurses Be Entrepreneurs?

Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today's market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor... Read More

Finally Revealed: The Top 7 Resume Killers?

During my job search I read dozens of books and articles took programs and evensat at the feet of two of the most experienced Human Resource professionals.... Read More

10 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Job Fairs

Many job seekers tend to overlook job fairs. They can be crowded, busy, competitive and confusing events. But they offer you the opportunity to contact many potential... Read More

How to Write Cover Letters That Increase Your Chances of Winning an Interview

Submit a poorly written cover letter and the chances are your resume will end up in the trash bin without even being looked at.On the other hand,... Read More

Change Your Life, Change Your Career And Get A New Job!

Careers dictate resume formatDifferent careers use different forms of resumes. When you're working on your resume, beware of services that try to sell you on just one... Read More

The 10 Biggest Career Change Mistakes - And How to Avoid Them

Career change is no walk in the park.If it was easy, the castle gates would have burst long ago under the stampede of restless corporate warriors. Even... Read More

Job Offers and Pay Negotiations

When you first get the job offer it will often be a verbal offer and is likely to be subject to taking up references and perhaps even... Read More

80,000 Americans Work in the Oil Change Industry

There is a huge shortage, which effects franchises costs in labor, availability of labor and quality of workmanship. For instance 80,000 Americans are in Oil Lube Facilities... Read More

Dissatisfied with Your Job? Take Your Power Back!

Apparently, there are all sorts of reasons to be dissatisfied with your job...Statistically, studies have shown that:-Lack of career advancement -Lack of training -Lack of direction from... Read More

Acing The Interview

It's no secret that there is a lot of competition for writing jobs.What makes or breaks you in an interview is more of a mystery that some... Read More