Encore Careers - 4 Ways to Inject Fun Into Your Next Career

Are you starting to get a stronger sense of the "real" you? Are you ready to explore some of the many options available to you in the wonderful world of encore careers?

Remember, I define an encore career as a new stage of work, post-retirement, that's purposeful, meaningful, and joyful. It's work on your own terms; work that matters. An encore career is not one-size-fits-all. It's the perfect fit for who you are at this stage in your life.

Since you've finally earned the freedom to have fun, make sure your encore career is fun. If you're looking for meaningful engagement and fun, you might:

1. Express yourself creatively. Do you have a creative side that's never been fully expressed? Have you always wanted to act, paint, or write but never pursued the dream? It's not too late. My client, Jean, is a perfect example of living her creative dream later in life.

After "retiring" from a successful career as a therapist and completing her second Master's degree in her 60's, Jean was struggling with what might be next for her. In our coaching, she uncovered her passion for writing, and in fact, had quite a large body of unpublished work. She also had three ideas for books, and decided to write the "easiest" one first, and got it published.

Jean's second book is currently being shopped around to publishers, and she's working on her third book. Her passion for writing has led her to a side career speaking and leading workshops and retreats around the country, and she's having a blast. By allowing her rich, creative side to flourish, she's thriving in unexpected ways.

2. Follow your calling. Is there something you longed to do when you were younger but didn't have the discipline to go for? What's been "calling" you most of your life? What if you answered the call?

That's what John (eventually) did when he retired from his 35-year career in the military. He knew he would continue to work, but wasn't sure what would be the best fit. For the first few years he tried out a number of new things: selling solar panels, training to become a paralegal, and even trying to launch a home business. They didn't make his heart sing.

Since he was quite young, John had felt called to become a minister. In college, his lack of discipline made it challenging to pursue this calling, so he entered the military. Nearly 40 years later, he had the discipline and the ability to accomplish whatever he set his mind to, and answered the call to ministry.

Now in his late 60's, John is minister of his own church and loving every minute of it.

3. Create a business around what you love to do. Are you an entrepreneur at heart? What's your passion? How could you marry the two?

Darlene was downsized from a high-pressure sales position in a major financial institution. She needed a break, and took time off to recharge. She played with the idea of turning her passion for quilting into her lifelong dream of having her own business, created a business plan, and took the first tentative steps toward getting the business off the ground.

After four months, she started to worry about her cash flow, and went back to work in sales. Two months into the new position and she was clear it was time to be her own boss. She's devoted herself totally to the business, has had a successful launch, and is on target to meet her plan this year.

And, of course, she's having the time of her life!

4. Make an impact. Do you have a deep desire to make a contribution? What if you brought your incredible experience, resources, and wisdom to solving a serious social issue in an innovative way?

I first read about Dr. Jack McConnell in Marc Freedman's book, Prime Time: How Baby Boomers will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America. After retiring from a successful medical practice, Dr. McConnell moved to a gated community in Hilton Head, SC and played golf until boredom began to set in.

He saw that people living outside his gated community were living very differently than he and his affluent neighbors. Many were uninsured and using the local hospital emergency room when in crisis. He saw a way to provide excellent health care and save the community money.

It wasn't easy, but he persuaded the local hospital, businesses, and legislators to support his vision of a free clinic. He enrolled his neighbors who were retired doctors, nurses, and dentists in donating their time to this new venture, Volunteers in Medicine (VIM), and providing excellent medical care to the people of Hilton head. They now experience a joy in practicing medicine that they didn't believe possible.

Dr. McConnell has since helped his dream become a reality in communities around the country, and I'll bet he's having fun.

Each of these extraordinary role models didn't land in the perfect encore career right off the bat. Each one kept exploring until they locked into "it". Each found a purpose that's fun, and is making a difference.

What would give your life meaning and be fun, too?

Copyright (c) 2009 Lin Schreiber

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3 Job Hunting Tips for Fast Results

Job hunting? Believe it or not, you already have a job. Job

hunting is your job. At least it is if you want to find a job,

find it quickly, and have it be a job you want. So how do you

make your job hunt work for you?

Quality Resume

An effective job hunt begins with an effective resume. Your resume

isn't something you should gloss over or whip up quickly. The

quality of your resume will make or break you.

Spend a lot of time

on writing your resume, polish it, and make it as good as it can

possibly be. You may even want to consider hiring a professional

resume writer to put together your resume for you.

Make sure to check your resume for mistakes. In fact, have a few

other people you trust to proofread it for you as well. You just

can not have typos or spelling mistakes in your resume.

If you can't keep those out of one page of information that you need to

get a job interview, how are you going to perform on the job?

That's what your potential employer is going to wonder.

Avoid Interview Mistakes

In a survey done by a staffing firm with 1,400 chief financial officers,

it was concluded that most job candidates made their crucial mistakes

during the interviews. The top mistakes included:

* Arriving Late

* Not being familiar with the company

* Not knowing anything about the particular position you are interviewing

for

* Acting arrogantly

* Poor body language

Avoid these types of mistakes in the interview and your job hunt will

be way ahead of most of your competition.

Answer Questions Confidently and Smartly

Most interviewees are nervous in an interview. This is because they

are unprepared by not knowing the company or the job position. This

leads to nervousness that causes them to fumble even the questions

that they know. Thus, they blow an interview for a job that they are

perfectly qualified to do.

If you don't know an answer to a question, be honest and say so. And

then say you may not know the answer, you can get the answer.

If you know the company and the position, you'll be able to talk about

your strengths that match the companies.

If you can follow these three job hunting tips you'll be well on your way

to an effective and successfully completed job search.

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Job Hunting Online - Some Good Reasons To Post Your Resume Online

Online job hunting and career hunting websites have been increasing over the years. Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com are two websites that are very popular even today. One nice thing about these websites is that you can look through a huge number of jobs ranging from hundred to over thousand and also look for them near your locality.

Many of these job hunting and career hunting sites will let you look for jobs around the place you live. This can easily be done with a little help form your side. Your zip code and how much distance you are willing to travel is all you will need to enter. You can also change settings in such a way that you can choose what kind of a job you want to take up and also jobs that are related to a certain industry. You can also look through these websites without having to create an account most of the times. However, if you want to apply for any sort of job you will need to register here. Many of the job hunting and career hunting websites are free to use most of the times.

When you do apply for a job online through these websites, the process of the application will depend on the questions of the site. A small from will need to be filled sometimes. A little information from you and also job experiences will be asked. A resume will also need to be attached. Many of the sites do however let you create your resumes then and there on the site itself. It is very necessary that you attach a resume as it will give more job opportunities to you.

Many of the sites let your resume be looked upon by employers who are looking for people. This also helps you in an extra way as you will not need to run around and search as the site itself helps you get a job. All you need to do is simply upload your resume. Most of these websites will make your resume be seen only by employers and hence you may get more job offers. You do not need to worry as they will not go into the wrong hands.

With hardly any work on you, you can be sure to get a job by simply uploading your website and making it available to the employers. The employers also do find this method convenient as they do not have to go through the trouble of searching the one million resumes that are posted. You never do know who is going to give you a job and what sort of a job you will be getting at the end of the day.

Most of these job hunting and career hunting websites do allow you to make use of their services with no charge form their side. You can also upload your resume by paying nothing. You may therefore do this as you have nothing to lose but a lot to gain at the same time.

Abhishek 

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Job Hunting - Basic Tips For Job Hunters

Take a look around and you will see that most people think nothing of changing jobs at the drop of a hat! Each one is interested in going where the money beckons! The result is that job hunting has become an industry by itself today!

Why do I call it an industry? Some people have realized that these job hunters require help and have come up with the perfect resources. There are entire books and web sites that offer expert advice regarding a great variety of professions and career options. Social groups provide personal counseling. TV has become a great medium to advertise jobs as well as have programs on careers. The radio is not far behind! Whatever be the resource, contact information is provided too.

Some career development professionals have made it their business to stick to a certain area of expertise only, where job hunting is concerned. For instance, some of them find another form of gainful employment for those workers who have been laid off at their previous jobs. Others aid those people who have constrained themselves to the house for 10 years or even more, and then discover that they need to go back to work once again. Basically, these experts take care of the special needs of each individual.

Of course, with the emergence of the Internet, job hunting has taken on a new meaning! There are many advantages to be gained from browsing the Net. One gets a bird's eye view of all the jobs that are advertised out there. So finding a match becomes easier, and right from the comfort of one's living room! There are no time constraints involved in job hunting here, even midnight is okay! The best part of the whole thing is, you are "seen" by everyone, everywhere!

Before uploading a resume, it would be wise to do some research on the company and position being applied for. What are the employers like? What is the professional background of the company? What do past/current employees feel about the management and the company itself? Pay and perks offered? These are just a few basic questions which come to mind; there could be many more. The answers to these questions can help the job hunter to narrow down his/her choice of preferences.

There are other aspects to job hunting too. It may be a fresh college graduate or it may be someone who has gone through a number of jobs already, but each one finds job hunting a strain. It is not just a question of sending a resume (even a resume has to be written out properly); there are other skills that are required, such as personal grooming and demeanor, facing an interview, and so on. Hence, quite a few employment services and schools have come up, offering to train the individual in developing these skills.

To conclude, job hunting does bring on a lot of stress, especially if quick results are not to be seen. It hurts that so much of searching has come to naught. One has to have a lot of patience for the right job to come along. Also, to put everything in a realistic perspective, there is nothing wrong in working one's way up from the bottom of the ladder if top positions are not immediately available. Maybe one could spend less time on brooding, and instead concentrate on developing a different set of skills or some kind of useful activity till an excellent job shows up

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Job Hunting Strategy - How To Develop a Winning Proactive Job Hunting Strategy!

A winning job hunting strategy-don't follow the crowd but develop a proactive job hunting strategy!

The average job search, according to most experts takes up to five months or longer to find a job. The higher the salary or a career in a very narrow niche, normally, the longer the search. Being out of work five months or longer is a long time to be working at a job hunt.

There are a number of reasons the job hunt takes so long. One of the main reasons is because most job seekers are using the almost identical job search strategy. It is a "wait and wish" strategy. First they search for jobs that are advertised, in the local newspaper or the internet. Second, they select a job that they may be qualified for and send in a resume. Finally, they "wait and wish" for a positive response.

Most job hunters are not aware that about 25% of all jobs that are being filled are through advertising-the visible job market. When told about this many job hunters are surprised. This means there is a less visible or hidden job market where about 75% or more jobs are filled without advertising. This is positive news for the job applicant who is willing to develop a strategy to tap into this hidden job market.

Here are five steps, which are easy to implement, to tap into this out of sight job market.

1. Identify where you want to work, the type of job you would qualify for and if possible the employers you would be interested in working for. Build a list of potential employers that you call your career prospect list. This list should be as long as possible, don't overlook any possible opportunities.

2. Now you need to do some research on each potential employer on your career prospect list. Use the internet if the organization has a web site. Otherwise, your local library has information on many companies. Look for current company news (events over the past year; people promoted, new products, etc.) in the local newspaper or a local business journal.

Look for a directory of company officers and managers. Use this information to send your employment package directly to the appropriate company official.

3. Don't overlook the advertised positions. Budget your job hunting time wisely. If the advertised jobs are 25% of available jobs, keep your job hunting time in balance. One tip: If you see an employer looking for employees in an area that you may not be qualified chances are since they are growing they may have now or in the future openings to which you may be qualified.

4. You have the name of the company official in the department or area that you would be working. Now is the time to do something that many job hunters do not do. Make direct contact with the organization, personalize your cover letter and resume.

5. Just sending a resume and cover letter to a prospective employer, without proper follow-up, will drop you back in the "wait and wish" category. Develop a tight follow-up system. Be persistent and determined to follow-up on the information sent the company. If you can't get through on the phone send a follow-up letter. If you can get an email address us this avenue.

If you get through and the answer is "no," find out if there might be something in the future. Thank them for their time and ask if they know of anyone that might be interested in your qualifications. If they give you a referral be sure to send them a thank you note.

This system does work. Often when your resume and cover letter gets to an official or manager, they may have been thinking about adding a function, or someone just quit or got fired and now you are the only applicant. This process will put you ahead of the majority of job hunters, you'll get a job quicker and the job will likely be a better fit for your career.

John Groth 

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Job Hunting Websites Only Compliment Your Search

Job hunting websites are commonly used by job seekers. We see advertisements for Careerbuilder.com during the Super Bowl, and Monster.com has become a household name. As an employment coach, I do quite a bit of research to help my clients improve their offline and online job hunting success.

I recently read a surprising statistic. I don't remember which news site referenced it, but it said that less than 5% of all positions are filled through job hunting websites. Less than 5%!! If this is accurate, and your goal is employment, your approach cannot only be online. You must use a variety of methods to find the right position for you. Job hunting websites have you competing against hundreds of others for the same job, and in a medium that makes it difficult to stand out or make an incredible impression.

If you are determined to use job hunting websites as a source for employment opportunities, be aware of how competitive it is. It can be frustrating to invest the time to apply online, usually for a job you are not especially suited for, and never hear back from the company. Frequently, you won't even receive a confirmation e-mail for your application. This is nuts! It becomes a waste of time AND it can become very frustrating. What do you need to do instead?

You can still do your online job hunting-- just switch to applying directly to the source! Do your research on companies within your preferred industry or sector to see if they have any opportunities on their individual websites. Keep in mind that advertising costs money and capital may be tight. Besides, employers want to know you are specifically seeking them out.

Do you have to apply online? It is becoming standard procedure. Unfortunately, both broad job hunting websites and individual company websites are designed to screen applicants out rather than screen them in. So, how do you slant the playing field in your favor?

If you must submit online, look for ways to leverage personal relationships inside the organization in an effort to make the online job hunting more successful. If you do not have any internal contacts, look at your network. Does anyone you know have a contact inside the organization? If not, and you really think the company and/or position is a good fit for you, you may have to do it the old fashioned way. Walk into the organization and introduce yourself to the receptionist.

Don't underestimate the value of a skillful combination of courtesy, sincerity and a good attitude. Introduce yourself. Acknowledge your objective. Find out who the contact person is for your resume and application follow up. Do not forget to send a thank you note or small gift to the receptionist for their effort. This may be a determining factor in advancing you through the process. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE INFLUENCE OF THE RECEPTIONIST!

Job hunting websites are not the best, or the only, tools to find employment. A much smaller number of jobs are filled this way than you think. While most job seekers are focused solely on online job hunting, make sure to use your networks, contacts, and good old fashioned pavement pounding to slant the playing field and potential for success in your favor.

Employment Coach Sean P. McCaffrey

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My 10 Top Job Hunting Tips

Looking for a job is frustrating, depressing and seems like an endless cycle with little that is positive. This is especially true if your main job hunting tactic is "Click and Apply".

You know the one, everyday, checking out the different job boards, finding a job you are suitable for and then clicking on the link and applying for the job. Wondering why you are not getting called.

And in fact you do know why, you are one of the thousands of other people doing the same thing. The reality is that the chances of getting a job with the "Click and Apply" tactic ranges from poor to useless.

The best way to get a job is to be in front of an employer before they post the job, to be in front of the employer when they say to their staff, "Do you know anybody that can fill this job?".

Here is my list of top 10 Job Hunting Tactics:

1. Have a list of the top 20 companies you want to work for. This doesn't mean limit your job hunt to these 20 companies, it means focus on this this list as your starting point. The focus will bring other opportunities to you. Make sure you know everything about these companies, Where they are growing, Where they are experiencing problems, Who their top 3 competitors are, Which recruiters they use, Where they have offices. Become an expert in these companies.

2. Know 12 problems that you can solve in your 20 companies that increases sales or saves the company money. Companies hire people to solve business problems. If you know the problems you can solve, and how, then the you will be the person being hired.

3. Know your three strengths. Yes, I know you can do many different things. But, there are three things you can do better than anybody else you know. Know what they are, know how well you do them. Using these three strengths are how you solve the 12 problems.

4. Create a cover letter and resume for each of the 12 problems you can solve. These cover letters and resumes must demonstrate how you will solve the business problems. For every job opportunity that you discover, you will modify one of the 12 cover letters and resumes for the company.

5. Write a White Paper that clearly demonstrates your knowledge of a topic . Use the white paper as a way of marketing yourself. The last page will be a brief summary of your experience. Have a different white paper for each of the twelve problems.

6. Have a dollar budget to spend on getting a job. Getting a job is a marketing problem, nobody starts a marketing program without a budget. Decide how much money you are going to spend getting a job. The budget can include clothing, a website, job hunt training, getting your resume reviewed, and business cards, . The amount for each each item should be equivalent to how many days you can expect the item to save in finding a job. For example, if you need help creating a resume, and you feel a good resume will shorten your job hunt by a week, then the template can be budgeted at less than a week's pay and you have make money on the investment.

7. Have a detailed plan for getting a job. Create a detailed plan of all the things your are going to do to get a job. Assign milestones and deliverables for each of the tasks. Set a date when each milestone will be completed. Finding a job is not one single thing, its a combination of many different things. Serious job hunting takes at least 40 hours a week.

8. Schedule 10 job information meetings a week. This is two each and every day. They can be on the phone or in person. The better ones will be more effective in person. Your goal is to know what is going on. You need to find out what people are doing. You need to know what is working and what isn't working. The best way to by talking to people. When you talk to people they get to meet you and feel comfortable with you.

9. Have a powerful LinkedIn.com profile that sells you . The profile is not your resume online, it includes your LinkedIn Answers and questions, who and how you recommend, and the size and depth of your network.

10. Each day find a new job hunt tactic. Not every tactic works for every person in every situation. But, if you keep finding new tactics each weekday, and two work for you, then at the end of the month you have 8 more tactics beyond "Click and Apply". Each new job hunt tactic you use, shortens the time before you start your new job.

I hope this was helpful and will move you farther along in your job hunt.

Take Care and good luck on your job hunt.

Zale

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Winning the Job Hunt Battle through Personal Motivation

Job hunting can be easy if you find a job quickly, or for most job hunters it can approach nightmarish status as it drags on for weeks and perhaps months. The one factor that brings earlier success in the job hunt is personal motivation. Here are some practical tips to help you achieve success and keep you motivated in your job hunt:

Set achievable daily and weekly goals: How many phone calls are you going to make every day to potential employers? How many resume packages are you going to send out every day? How many hours a day are you going to work at job hunting? It is a full time job to find the right job so you should have an excellent reason for less than a full time job hunting effort.

Be disciplined in your approach and stick to your planned routine. Set up a workable follow-up system and work the system. Don't be out cutting the grass at 10am when you should be making telephone calls or doing job research.

Study and Perfect How to Sell Yourself: Losing a job can have a negative effect on our feelings of self worth. Focus on your accomplishments both on and off the job. Your job is to learn how to sell yourself.

It's productive to think like the prospective employer. Would you hire yourself? What do you have to offer? Remember the employer will be investing a lot of money in you, including your salary and training. Come up with the most persuasive and strongest three to five reasons why you're worth hiring. Refine and hone these reasons and you've made an excellent start in selling yourself to the prospective employer.

Productive use of the Telephone: In your daily job hunting plan don't forget how important the telephone is find job leads and meet the right people. Work hard at developing a 20-30 second "elevator speech" highlighting your selling proposition. If nothing is currently available, make it a point to always ask for a referral. This can be a productive strategy in tracking down job leads and job opportunities.

Interview Preparation: Develop a list of up to 50 or more questions you are likely to be asked in the job interview. Have someone ask you the questions and tape your responses, if no video recorder is available make an audio tape of your responses. Critique your performance. Was your tone warm and positive? Did your nervousness come through by speaking to loud or fast? Work at improving your performance, not only the responses but the accompanying body language is also critical in communicating and selling yourself.

Remember, the favorable first impression, is a combination of personal confidence and positive body language. Studying and researching both will go a long way in selling yourself to the prospective employer.

The Network Advantage: When you've worked out the direction of you job hunt make productive use of networking. Ask for advice and referrals. Don't forget to send hand written thank you notes to all that assist you. Studies have shown that up to 70% of jobs are found through networking.

As you measure your daily job hunting activity against your overall job hunting plan you should get a feeling of accomplishment. These accomplishments will generate the required motivation and drive to see that you reach your ultimate goal: finding the right job and career and ultimately winning the job hunt.

John Groth

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Politics Is Wrong for Career Starter

Politics, theoretically and practically, is probably the word's most biased career. Politician, therefore, needs to not care about anything, but power and meticulously bias toward his/her political party. That's why I strongly suggest anyone not to enter politics as career start-up.

As a career-starter, you need to be curious about everything; opening your eyes and ears to learn everything in a neutral way, allocating time to involve in any activity of your workplace and society as a whole, thinking and working as a researcher (neutrally learning everything, as well as analyzing), and finally you need more time to always sharpen your skill(s) by reading and other socializations. Politics is an absolute barrier to these self-improving activities.

Business nations like Singapore, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, young graduates might have more choices not to enter politics in career start-up, since these nations offer diversified career in business and other non-governmental sector. Low-developed and developing countries in Southeast Asia, like Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and many other countries in Africa, young graduates or youths may agree to accept any job; low-paying or without pay, for experience which might help boosting their future job prospect. I am very regretful that in Cambodia political parties are using youth and young graduates to campaign for their parties, since youth and young graduates have the highest potential and highest numbers.

To me, reading books in library, browsing internet, participating in public lectures and presentations offered by NGOs, universities, government, business institutions, and other interest groups, are more beneficial than working for any political party as career start-up.

This letter hereby wishes to function as an appeal to all young graduates and youth in the world not to enter politics as career start-up, and to appeal to all political parties and governments in the world to place these youth and young graduates out of politics.

Vicheka Lay

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Advice for Young Career Seekers - How to Network With Family and Friends

Ever seriously considered talking to friends and relatives about career matters? Believe it or not, it can be one of the first big career moves you make. You'll most likely gain some great insights and maybe even an opportunity or two - try it out.

Granted, networking with your nearest and dearest may feel uncomfortable at first. But since you don't yet have a professional network, you almost have to start with people in your immediate circle. Actually, this is a great opportunity for them to start seeing you as more than just a kid out of college, but someone serious about their future goals.

You may feel a bit funny about approaching your uncle Bob in a professional and serious manner. But believe it or not, he can be one of the best people to give you the inside scoop on your chosen field... and he'll likely be flattered that you asked for his advice.

Okay, so now you're probably wondering, how do I kick this networking thing into gear? Here are few tips to ease you into the practice:

Take the first step.

If you have a former employer from a college job, then definitely contact them and make sure you get letters of recommendation. Next, start thinking of who you can approach - and ask your parents for ideas. They know more people than you think and may even have some connections in the industry you're interested in. Family and friends are usually happy to support you so they're a safer place to get this process going.

Don't be afraid to make the cold call.

Sure you may not know your second cousin well, but people love to talk about themselves. They also usually love to help young people get a leg up. Start with an email introduction if possible, so you're not putting them on the spot on the phone. Ask them for a good time to talk... and be sure to find out how much time they can give you so you're respectful of that.

Be persistent in searching for names.

Brainstorm everyone you know. Keep your eyes and ears open for potential career networking opportunities... on email, at the next family gathering, or social event you attend and so on. If one idea doesn't pan out well or someone doesn't respond, don't take it personally. Sometimes people get caught up in the stress of everyday life, and they simply forget to get back to you. If that happens, follow up at least once to be sure you don't miss a good opportunity. If someone isn't open to talking with you, they're probably not a good fit for you anyway. Whatever you do, know that it will happen for you at the right place and time. So don't stagnate - move on and keep going.

Don't be afraid to ask.

There's no need to be shy about asking for information or help. If the person you're planning to speak with enjoys what they do and are kind-hearted, they'll be happy to give advice and recommendations. Many jobs are landed by following up on a referral, so pursue these personal contacts with commitment. Be persistent - make it a point to chat with people about your career plans.

Prepare questions in advance.

Be curious; show genuine interest in the career paths that friends and family members have followed. If you don't understand something, know that this is okay - and that the best way to become informed is to listen, think, and ask more questions. You're not expected to know everything; after all, you're new to this game. People will understand that and be eager to share their knowledge with you.

Be clear about what you're looking for or wanting from them.

Let people know that you're seeking information or ideas - and be specific so they know what to give you. If you want to find out about a certain opportunity or maybe even land an "informational interview" with them or a fellow company member, just come right out and make this known. Sometimes it can be a challenge to get family members or friends to see you in this new and professional light. This is why you have to be even more up-front about what you'd like to happen in your career and how they might be able to help get you started toward that goal.

Leave no stone unturned.

Even if talking to a certain person seems like a stretch, try it anyway. You never know who they will know and can connect you to. If they don't know anyone, they'll tell you that, so you can move on. I suggest casting a wide net. It will help you uncover any available resource.

Holidays, family reunions and summer barbecues all present a great opportunity to connect with the older generation who just might be seasoned professionals in your field. Before your next family gathering, do your homework. Ask your parents what their brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles do for a living. Pose the same question to your best friends. When you get to the party, be prepared to ask questions of those who've "been there and done that" in your industry... and get ready to make some career connections while learning something new.

Copyright 2007 Hallie Crawford and Authentically Speaking. All rights reserved.

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For the Young Career Seeker - How to Set Up an Informational Interview

Thinking that you'd like to set up an informational interview in your chosen field? Good for you! An informational interview is not like a typical interview; in this case, there is no "want ad" to answer and no open position to fill. It's simply a way to make contact with someone who works at a company that interests you. It's a method of getting your name out there while learning more about careers in your industry.

If you're young and just starting out in your career, I highly recommend taking the initiative and seeking out an informational interview as a stepping stone to a great career doing something you really love. You'd be surprised how many young career seekers don't bother to set something like this up, and miss some really terrific opportunities because of it.

How to get the informational interview ball rolling:

Begin by speaking to someone in your social circle who already has a foot in the door. Also scan online for companies that appeal to you, and then ask if you can schedule an informational interview with someone in their office. You might even ask for an interview with a family member who works in a position or with a company that appeals to you.

Prepare in advance.

The very first thing you should do before this or any type of interview is update your resume. Include all of those resume basics, like your career objective, college degree, computer proficiencies, and especially any experience you may already have, including unpaid internships, temp jobs and so forth. If you need extra help with this, I suggest hiring a professional resume writer. Leave it to the pros to brush up your resume for you. You can find resume writers I recommend on my website.

Make initial contact.

When you feel ready to make contact, try sending an email first so they're not caught off guard by a random phone call. If you can't locate their email address, then the call is okay. Present yourself professionally; tell them something like, "My name is so-and-so and I'm interested in learning more about (X type of) careers at your firm. I'd love it if we could set up a time to talk." Of course, it helps to draft a couple of practice emails or do a few test-runs of your phone message before sending it out there.

Tips for a successful information interview.

1) Be clear.

Let them know up front that you're looking to set up an informational interview and would like 30 minutes or so of their time if they're willing. Tell them directly what you're wanting help with, "I'd like to learn more about what it's like to actually work in this field." Or "I want to know if someone with my personality and skills can succeed in this type of business."

2) Be prepared.

This is your chance to ask questions about the company and the industry, so write up a list of things you want to know. When the big day arrives, don't hold back. If you feel nervous about this at first, then give your interviewer the floor for the first part of the interview. Later, after you've explained your personal interest in this type of job and your experience, you can ease into asking questions. Here are some good ones:

o What does a typical day on the job consist of?

o What do you like best and least about what you do?

o What qualifications and experience does someone need to have in order to get a job in this field?

o What is an entry level position in this field?

o What are best places to look for jobs in this field?

o How did you get started?

o Do you know anyone else who it would be beneficial for me to talk to?

3) Be respectful of their time.

Ask how much time they have (30 minutes, an hour?) and be respectful of that. Don't just call them out of the blue and expect them to be able to talk right then. Set a time and treat this just as professionally as you would a "real" interview where they're searching for someone to fill a position. If this is a friend or family member, don't let them side-track you with long-winded chatter about personal topics. Politely remind them that you don't want to take up too much of their time but would love to learn more about what they do.

4) How and where?

You can conduct your interview over the phone or in person, whatever they prefer. I like to suggest the phone as a first option. It's less formal and will save the interviewer preparation time as well as save you money on gas! However, if they prefer to meet in person, do what works best for them. Also know that if you're really feeling good about your future at this company, then you just might want to meet up in person. You'll get the inside perspective and have the chance to be seen as well as heard. Visual impressions go a long way - so be sure you're dressed to impress!

5) Send a hand-written thank you note.

Be sure to get the mailing address of the person with whom you're interviewing. If they referred you to someone else, let the original contact know if/when you connected with them and how it went. Thank everyone "in your path" who may have led you to the informational interview. If you don't feel very confident about your handwriting, then type your letter out on stationery and send by mail. It may be tempting to just flip them a thank-you by email, but I recommend sending a note of appreciation that they can hold in their hands. It's something to remember you by, and that's what you want - to be remembered.

Best of luck in your future career endeavors.

Copyright 2007 Hallie Crawford and Authentically Speaking. All rights reserved.

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Online Educational Training Options For Administration Careers

Students who are looking to gain the education needed to enter into a career in administration can do so by enrolling in an accredited online school or college. Career training programs in this field allow students to prepare for their desired career by gaining the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. Accredited educational options are available at various levels of study ranging from an associate's to a master's degree level. Students can choose to study in specific areas such as executive assisting, office administration, and public administration.

*Executive Assisting

Training for executive assisting can be done through an accredited online school or college. Students will learn to file, type, manage offices, and much more with a career training program. Coursework will vary by level of education and program of enrollment but may consist of subjects like:

* bookkeeping

* telephone etiquette

* computers

and much more based on the level of study. Students can choose to earn the accredited education needed to become a:

* Certified Professional Secretary (CPS)

* Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)

and more. Training in this area of the field will open a world of career opportunities for students looking to enter into the workforce.

*Office Administration

Students who wish to enter into an accredited educational training program for office administration can do so by enrolling in an online program. Training in this area of the field will prepare students to answer phones, file paperwork, make appointments, and much more. Specific areas of study will vary but may include subjects like:

* word processing

* organization

* communication

and much more. With training in these areas students will be prepared for their desired career in this exciting field. Careers can include working as:

* human resource managers

* clerical workers

* executive assistants

and many other professions. With an online education in office administration students can seek employment in their desired area.

*Public Administration

Accredited online schools and colleges are available for students looking to gain an education in public administration. Students can gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this exciting field. Training will teach students to develop and enforce various policies for the government and public. Specific areas of study will vary but may include course subjects like:

* public policy

* program development

* management strategies

and much more. With knowledge and training in areas like these, students can pursue a variety of careers such as:

* city manager

* association executive

* social worker

and many other exciting professions. Online career training in public administration will prepare students for their desired career.

Accredited online programs allow students to gain a quality education from the comfort of their own home. Agencies such as the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (acics.org) are approved to fully accredit online educational training programs. Students can start by looking into an online administration certificate or degree program and requesting more information about the program of their choice.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.

Copyright 2010 - All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

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Database Administrator Careers

Database administrators are often confused with computer systems analysts and even computer scientists. While these three careers are often lumped together when it comes to reporting trends and salaries, each career has its own set of job duties, educational requirements, and even salary. Database administrators coordinate changes to computer databases and test and implement the database by applying knowledge of database management systems.

These professionals also plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases. Computer systems analysts analyze science, engineering, business, and all other data-processing problems for application to electronic data processing systems. Computer scientists work as researchers, theorists, and inventors. They do everything from creating programming languages to designing robots. See the differences?

The number of database administrators is expected to grow from 119,000 to 154,000 by 2016. These figures represent a 28.6% increase in job growth over the next six years. Job growth is expected to grow at such a rapid pace thanks to advances in technology, workers that advance to other careers or retire, and changes in security standards. Anyone interested in entering this field can expect to find plenty of opportunities in every sector, but computer systems design will have the most offerings. In addition, there will be a strong demand for seasonal employees, independent contractors, temporary employees, and telecommuters as companies slowly begin to regroup and restructure.

Not only is the demand for database administrators on the rise, their' salaries are on the rise as well. Database administrators earned an average salary of $67,250 per year in 2009. In 2008, they earned an average annual average salary of $64,670. This means between 2008-2009, database administrators' salaries increased by nearly 4%, which is excellent in the nation's current economy. Database administrators earn around $83,830-$103,100 per year on the high end and $37,350 per year on the low end (entry-level).

If you want to become a part of a growing industry that offers competitive salaries, you can begin by enrolling in a bachelor's degree program in information science, management information systems, or computer science. It is important to note that more and more employers are paying close attention to applicants with a master's degree in business administration (MBA) with a focus in information systems, mainly because these businesses plan to move their operations to the Internet.

If you would like to start out at the community college level and work your way up, you will find that most community colleges and independent technical institutions and proprietary schools offer an associate's degree in computer science or a related field. Not only will an associate degree prepare you for study at a 4-year institution, it can also help you get a foot in the door at a number of companies that need entry-level help. It is not uncommon for database administrators to work in the field while earning their bachelor's or master's degree.

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Cutting Through The Hype - How to Become a Fashion Model

A fashion models job has the first appearances of being a glamorous one. Once you attain the position of it you go through a life of beauty, receive tons of money for just looking great, and numerous people idolize you for both your looks and your talent.

Numerous younger girls and boys alike, dream of someday living the life of a successful fashion model. Nevertheless, the job itself is more challenging then they realize. There are many requirements to be a fashion model. In addition to the mandatory requirement of exceptional physical beauty, you also need superior mental traits to help you to both survive and excel in the fashion and beauty industry as well as with your competitors.

The Talent

A certain amount of talent is a necessary trait to have when being a fashion model. Beauty only takes you so far in modeling. Simply looking into a camera is only one aspect of modeling as there is so much more to it than that. In a sense it is kind of like acting. You must become the character or the object that you are modeling. You have to have the ability and talent to portray emotion from the facial expressions you show to your body language.

A fashion models primary job is to make any type of item look good and hence more appealing to the market they are catering to. This also goes beyond just clothing. They are suppose to make look appealing anything from a dust-repelling sofa spray or million dollar shoes.

Lets face it, if these models do not look good or with their charisma do not sell the product, then there is no point to them. Some also walk the catwalks and runways. To do this in a proper manner, the right posture as well as walking must be learned.

The Look

Sadly, personality and inner beauty do not cut it when it comes to the world of fashion. A certain look must accompany a fashion model. Fundamental guidelines state that to be able to walk down the runway, a female model must be at least 34-24-34.

That is to say that their bust and hips should be 34 inches and their waist should be 24 inches. Additionally, they should be at a minimum 5 feet 8 inches tall. Because measures such as these are very extreme, they have promoted dramatic eating disorders. There are some modeling agencies that will not accept models who have been proven to be underweight on a clinical level.

Naturally, not all women modeling fall under this thin category. There is an additional option of plus size modeling. Plus size modeling stands for bigger sizes. An average woman would most probably not conform into either of these categories.

In addition to being the right weight and height, a fashion model must have beautiful hair, skin, and face. Make up and airbrushing can make anyone thinner and flawless, only it makes the job easier if they can take a fresh, young face and work from there.

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