Career & Life Coaching

When a lot of the news about the economy is anything but positive, many people focus on making sure that there is stability in their lives. In an economic downturn, after all, there is ample stress about keeping the job that a person has – particularly in industries in which there are a number of cutbacks; it hardly seems like a great time to make a career change.

One of the things that you will find, however, is that an economic downturn creates opportunities for those who are looking for a career change. Those who have been working in investments and banking, many auto workers and others, for example, will find that looking into a career change doesn’t just give them a chance to come closer to reaching their goals; instead, making a more dramatic change actually helps to ensure that they have a number of great options available to them – options that might otherwise not be there.

Ultimately, making a career change in an economic downturn isn’t for everyone; in addition to the stresses of a job search, there’s the realization that not only are they competing with others for jobs, but they realize that they are competing with others who seem more qualified. Therefore, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

1. Maintain your confidence. Whether you are looking into changing your career because you’ve been downsized or because you are looking for a change, you need to believe that you’re ready to make the transition.

2. Look into any training that you may need. No matter what change you are thinking about making, it’s important to know that you have the skills that you need to help you move forward. If that means looking at taking a course or even volunteering in order to get experience in the field they want to break into.

3. In an economic downturn, there are a number of people who will be looking for any given position; if you don’t hear back right away, it’s not necessarily a sign that you shouldn’t keep trying; it’s instead an indication that it’s not the right position.

The more that you are able to draw on your experience and the more that you are able to determine whether or not you are committed to making a career change, the better the position that you will be in overall. Remember that there is training available, and keep in mind that if you are in a great position to make a fresh start, everything will fall into place – provided you do the necessary footwork.

Changing your career goals can be the best decision that you’ve made – regardless of whether or not the country is in an economic downturn; if it’s something that you are willing to work for, you’ll find that no time is the wrong time to start moving in a direction that you feel great about. The resources that you need are readily available to you; it’s up to you to take advantage of them.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Given the situations that exist within the economy, more and more people are concerned that they will be facing a job loss. Despite the fact that being out of work can be a terrifying prospect – after all, so much relies on having a paycheck and even just the consistency of a schedule and routine – we all have career resources that we can rely on. The biggest challenge that many people have, however, is that they do not know how to identify the career resources that are available to them.

In order to survive a job loss, there are the obvious things that you will need to do. You’ll need to take the time to come to terms with the changes in your life and you’ll need to be sure that you’ve looked at your financial situation and ensured that you have a plan in place for yourself and your family. Then you’ll want to start looking at career resources – both those that are obvious and those that are a little bit less obvious.

Obvious career resources involve your skills and your talents – the things that you draw on every day that are extremely beneficial to your career and to any business that you are working with. Similarly, you’ll find that drawing on the experiences that you have will enable you to understand the path you are on and to identify whether or not you want to continue in the same field.

Just because there are obvious career resources however, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t scratch at the surface a little bit; often you’ll find that just beyond your initial sense of what’s available to you is a treasure trove of assets:

· There are the connections that you’ve made. Friends, business acquaintances, mentors, former colleagues that have moved on previously: all of these individuals can provide advice and references when you are looking to break into a new field or looking for new opportunities. Don’t hesitate to look a bit further though; for example, if you’ve always gone to the same coffee house and know the owner, he or she may also be able to steer you toward a great opportunity.

· There are your interests. Whether you’ve volunteered your services or simply had a passion for a particular topic, you may find that this too is a career resource. Volunteer positions that are outside of the realm of your traditional career provide additional skills and may open the door to a field that offers greater rewards.

In other words, if you are faced with a job loss – or even just the potential that it could happen to you – it’s important to make sure that you are looking beyond the moment. When you are able to identify your career resources along with your strengths and contacts, you will be able to do more than just survive; you’ll find that you are able to thrive and to find a new position that not only gives you stability, but also that offers its own rewards.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

With the current economic climate, more and more people are hearing the news and finding themselves concerned that they could be faced with job loss. On one hand, these individuals who are afraid of losing their jobs are looking for career tips that will help them to become invaluable in the office; on the other, however, there are some individuals who see job loss as a good thing. This latter group is often looking for career tips that will help them to change course.

In other words, what you are going to discover is that there are some people who see the bright side – who see the opportunity to look into other options and end up doing something that they think they will enjoy a bit more.

In order to turn a job loss (or just the possibility of one) into a positive, there are a few key things that you should do:

1. Focus on your interests. If you’ve always found yourself thinking that you would like to try something completely different just because it appeals to you, why not take the time to see what’s involved in making the switch. At this point, you’ll find that it might be worth it to take a few classes at a local community college, to volunteer with a favored organization or even to take on an internship; many people learn best by doing – volunteering and internships are great ways to get your foot in the door and start making connections.

2. Take advantage of your contacts. If you have friends, family members or former classmates in the field that interests you, take the time to get in touch now to show your interest rather than waiting for your job loss to be inevitable.

3. Make sure that your finances are in order. While this might not top the list of career tips that you usually see, it’s important. Whether you are thinking about starting down a new path or you’ve heard rumors about cutbacks, knowing that you have the money that you need to make ends meet is something that will save you a great deal of stress and anxiety and give you the time that you need to get started in a new position.

Ultimately, not everyone who is at risk for losing his or her job is going to be looking for career tips that will let them chance pace and start a new career – and that’s okay. In no ways is looking for the chance to get a fresh start the only option, however it’s the best option for some people.

If you are looking for a career change and the tips that will help you make one or you’re just concerned about the possibility of job loss, it’s a good idea to start looking at your options. Knowing the right contents and having a direction will let you have a plan that you’re ready to set into motion – a plan that will help you to secure a new job that you can feel great about.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.