The Teen Dilemma - Which Careers Are Right For Me?

My heart goes out to Teens these days, because of the greater complexities and challenges Modern day life brings. My sympathies also go out to Middle Age Career Changers, because some of them may be as Confused as Teens about which Careers to Choose Next.

This may be because Midlife Career Changers have limited Career exposure working at only one Career their entire working life. If a Teen has had one Job or none, in my estimation, there is not much difference between the Average Teen and someone in his Midlife contemplating Changing Careers - Both may be Confused when it comes to Choosing New Job Choices.

There are so many more choices, pressures and distractions to contend with, compared to when I was a Teen. The hard question is - If you do not know what you want as a Teen, how do you sift through all the Confusion and decide which Career, or Teen Jobs to choose?

How do you even decide what Temporary Job you Want?

This is probably the Million Dollar Question. So, What do you do if you are Totally Confused about Who you are, and do not KNOW what you want to do for a Living for the next twenty, thirty or forty years?

Number one rule, and advice is - If you are feeling this way, for the time being, do not make any hasty decisions, nor big lengthy commitments with your future - Stand back, let things crystallize a bit, and take another look at your whole Career Enchilada Dilemma. Do not put yourself in a Pinch to make any life changing major decisions, when you do not know for sure they are the right choices. Anyway, you have a lot of time on your hands, because you are Young - So what is the hurry?

When I was a Teen, there was a Path laid in front of me through DEFAULT. This was the easy way - For me to follow within a Family Tradition. It made me a living, and I have since retired from it. But, There was this HUGE drawback - I never found myself through my Profession.

There are the fortunate others who discover their Passion through their Careers. I always wanted to be among these LUCKY ONES.

I chose to travel the KNOWN path instead of the UNKNOWN UNCHARTED PATH, because it was time proven and safe. I chose the conservative choice. If I would have Loved what I was doing, my choice would have been the right one. But, I did not - The Job was just there for me to take. I chose the short term easy way out solution. Unfortunately, The Profession brought forth neither joy, nor passion. All it did was make me a consistent living.

Yes, I survived Physically, paid my bills, bought what I wanted and all that, but psychically and spiritually I paid a Hefty Price in the long run Quality of Living My Life.

This is the PART of life I do not want you to miss out on. It is the Career Part, where you match your natural born talents to the Career that Matches who you are.

I do not want you to miss doing for a Living what you are PASSIONATE about doing.

Of course, to learn what you want, it is important to learn what you do not want. This may take a little trial and error on your behalf - And a little Discomfort. Being that you are young, and relatively new at the Career Game, you may have to test the waters a bit. This means that there may be a series of jobs you will have to try out, so that you learn what Job Conditions and Duties you MUST have in Your Ideal Career Choice.

You need to know what YOUR own Career Requirements are...Ask yourself, What do I want in a Career?

If you DO the Career you love, the Quality of your Life will immediately Skyrocket. And where there is Job Happiness, your Personal Life will Profit Greatly from it.

The Passion for your Job will spill over and Flood your personal life.

To be honest, finding your True Passion as it relates to a Career is not necessarily the easiest way to go in the short run.

I am living proof, because it was so easy to choose the Wrong Career, rather than get to know myself well and search for a Career that Matched who I was.

The Path to where you find your Ultimate Dream Job may be a path whereby you walk alone. On this Career Search Path, it is very narrow, and there is room only for ONE - ONLY ROOM ENOUGH FOR YOU. Often, the only way you can get to know your inner core personality is through being alone. Do not worry, Life will test what you are made of and force your Personal Growth upon you.

It is Only you that can know what Career is a best fit for your personality, interests and values.

In other words, No one can decide this for you - Not family, friends, Career Counselors. Not even Career Tests can.

Pursuit of that illusive quality called CAREER PASSION and what it really is can only be defined by what it means for you.

Furthermore, What you define your passion to be now, may change tomorrow, or in Middle Age.

People Normally change careers a few times or more during their working lives. This is a common phenomenon.

Changing your mind is probably inevitable when it comes to choosing Careers, or even being within one. But, this is OK. Life is full of change, and Teens seem to weather change better than older people do. Usually, the younger one is, the easier change becomes, and the more welcome it is.

I know that I can never reclaim my Youth again. But, I know that I can start from where I am at any given moment, utilize what personal tools I have at my disposal at the time, and direct my Career in any direction I want.

This is true no matter how old, or how young you are.

Remember that you can take a break, look around, and re-evaluate your life, and judge if you are living it the way you want.

Call This taking a self inventory and general appraisal of self, and asking relevant questions about whether you are happy with your life and career direction.

It is the way to evaluate whether what you value and are interested in is still valid, or if you need to modify something about you, your wants, needs, or your life direction.

I know that As a Teen, there will be Questions without Answers within your life, such as...

* Why am I here, how did I get here, and what is my purpose?

* Where is my life heading? What am I going to do with the rest of my life?

* You are young and may not know what you want to do as a Career. But, this is OK, you have a lot of time to research and decide later.

* You may simply lack enough experience in life in general to know yourself well, what you want, and your Ideal Career Choice.

* But, You learn something NEW about you every day.

* And, You may not even have had your first Job yet.

* So, If your first job is, or was flipping Burgers, it may not tell you what your Dream Career is, but it may tell you the type of Job Duties you do not want to do in your next job.

* Furthermore, even if you do not know what you want to do, because you have not done much yet, you can know what things you do not want to do, because you may have done at least some of them already. Therefore, next time you will Avoid those Jobs with Duties you do not like to do.

* You may have this feeling inside at a gut level that you belong somewhere, but can not figure out where it is you belong.

* Believe in this feeling in your gut, and allow it to guide you, but temper it with reason, logic and common sense along the way.

* You can take a Career Aptitude Test to find out what you have the career aptitude for doing.

* You can also take a Personality Test to see which career clusters blend in with your personality.

* If you weigh what you Subjectively believe about yourself and your abilities against what those Validated, Researched Career and Personality Tests suggest to you for Career Choices, this combination approach can make some Career Choices start Ringing True for you.

* What you keep hearing inside and outside yourself, can be a sounding board for verifying the validity of those things you KNOW to be true about YOU.

* Until you find your True Calling in Life, there will be a restfulness inside you that will not go away until you finally connect to a Career that evokes your Passion for it.

* A good paying job may be a short run solution for the pocket book, but it could turn out to be a SOUL DESTROYING job in the long run.

Oftentimes, one finds his way through life through a series of steps he makes - One foot after another with no planned direction. In other words, experience usually becomes your Ultimate Teacher and Master, but not necessarily your Best Friend.

Taking the plunge and trying out a job part time, because you think you might like it, could be the KEY that will lead you closer to knowing what your Dream Career choice is.

One step at a time, one job at a time, and even one FAILURE at a time, will lead you closer to that Occupation which you will have the Aptitude and Passion for doing Successfully.

You will discover what things you like and do not like in a job through the light of experience. Hopefully, and most important, you will Discover those duties you love to perform daily over and above all others.

Once you know more about what kind of Career Personality you actually have through knowing yourself better, then the various Career Tests or Teen Quizzes may become more helpful to you. You will learn to RECOGNIZE which career suggestions (That They recommend to you) are the ones you should research, and possibly consider choosing.

Finally, To Discover ones Dream Job, One has to Know Himself well.

Family, friends, Career Guidance Counselors, taking Career Tests and the experience of Life Lessons through the passage of time, can offer useful, but essential insights about YOU.

These INSIGHTS serve as REFLECTIONS of what you already know about YOU.

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The Right Career Choice - Starting Or Changing Careers!

Choosing the Right Career: And how to make a smooth career change!

Choosing a career or changing from one career to another can be a daunting task. However, with some well thought out career planning you can start in the right job field or make the transition into another career field with a minimum of fuss.

Why do so many end up choosing a career that is less than satisfying and some find themselves in careers where they are downright miserable? The short answer is many think they know the correct way about picking a career, yet there are a number of myths associated with choosing a career that you need to know about.

The number one myth about choosing a career is that the process is simple, takes little time and

once the career choice is make the book is closed. Actually, selecting the right career for you should be an ongoing process that involves career and employer research, learning about yourself and effectively using all the available career and job hunting resources available to you.

Career Planning for Great Future Results

Once you recognize career planning and selection is an involved process you need to spend the appropriate amount of time to get the best results.

Career ideas can come from many sources. Don't let a career counselor or a friend tell you what career is best for you. They can give you a level of guidance on new career ideas but it's never wise to rely entirely on their advice.

For example, many times you'll get advice from professionals and friends that you can't make a living from your hobby. In reality, this is the one area to start looking how you can take your skills learned from the hobby to a profitable career. Either, self-employed or working in the field for another employer can be an excellent career choice.

In addition, a part-time hobby that can be turned into a small money making business, while working full-time, can provide you with an additional level of financial security.

Learn about a Career without working in it

Many think the only way you can really learn about a career is to work in it. Not true. If you find a career that interests you, do the research to find others working in the field. Contact them to see if you can arrange a short interview. Or have questions ready for a short phone interview. Many times these discussions will lead to other valuable resources regarding the career. All will assist you in making the right career decision.

Another area where many go wrong is to only look at careers on the latest "hot careers" list. These are top ten lists of the hottest current and projected future jobs. Although interesting and a possible source for further research you need to focus on your skills, what are your top interests and what excites you about a particular career and not what someone predicts will be the outlook for a specific occupation.

Career Change is in your Future

In the course of a lifetime, if you are typical, you will change jobs and careers several times. The secret of making a successful career change is to spend time every week and month is career planning. A well though out plan researching jobs and employers will keep you attuned to changes in the economy, new careers in which you may qualify and other income opportunities.

Developing career related skills through training and self-study will make you more valuable in your current career and prepare you to open future doors of yet undiscovered career ideas.

John Groth

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Career Planning - Are You Following a Planned Career Path or Simply a Series of Jobs?

Successfully managing your own career is critical for your financial and personal well being. Yet it is rarely pursued on a strategic or informed basis. Career planning, particularly in the technology field, is more and more the responsibility of the individual. Particularly, since most people today end up working for many employers. The overall basis for more successful career management includes developing career plans that are applicable at different stages in your career.

Although living in the information age, there is few comprehensive career information and planning resources available online. Exploring career versus job information is more readily available once you have focused on a career path, such as technology or even further, within a specific industry. Career training in college consists largely on how to interview and write a resume. There seems to be limited formal training programs available about career choices.

When employed the employer generally provides training, successive jobs, and a defined career ladder to the degree that it unites with the organization's needs and objectives. Career coaches mainly work via large employers and focus on building leadership skills, not generally on developing career plans. Outplacement counselors generally help people focus on job searches rather than career plans. Recruiters are looking to fill job positions with top candidates for employers who are their clients and normally do not provide career planning services for individuals.

We can generally fit career planning as having three major phases: early stage from ages 16 to 33; middle, from 34 to 52; and later, beyond 53. Many times, early career choices are highly influenced by parents, relatives, teachers or close friends. The choices of technical schools, colleges or graduate schools, as well as majors, begin to focus interests for career paths.

It is important, in the early stages of a career planning, to carefully make choices, as initial decisions can have a major impact on longer term career success and ultimately, happiness.

Mid-stage career planning and effort usually reflects the initial experiences and jobs one has had with his or her early career. It generally is an extension of that experience. At this stage, there may be a thread of a career track, but job moves and knowledge growth during this phase that are not well planned or executed can result in important limits to career-growth.

Late-stage career planning frequently results from the need to find the right position in one's career after an early retirement or a reduction in force. Career choices at this stage generally reflect more entrepreneurial, part time, or flexible working arrangements. This is when traditional employment limitations as well as long developed interests come more into focus.

Career planning at each stage of a person's working career can best be analyzed by considering the following: (1) Take stock of your career. Define your career and objectives at regular intervals preferably at least once a year. Do it in writing. (2) Research and identify possible career options that could meet those career objectives. (3) Evaluate your skills, personality, training and experience. Develop a plan so you can pursue your career objectives. (4) Make a decision as to which career options are the best. Build a plan in the near, medium and long term to reach your career objectives. (5) Be flexible as you monitor your progress. Refine the plan, challenge yourself.

It's critical for you to invest in career planning during each stage of a successful career for short-, medium-and long-term achievement. Ask yourself, are you following a well defined career roadmap or simply working a succession of jobs? If you said yes to the latter, it's never to late to get started.

John Groth

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Top Career Web Sites for Children and Teens

Career assessments and tests help you explore who you. Career books and web sites give you a glimpse of the world of work. Free career information is available on web sites. Some writers have written facts for children and teens. We would like to share some information with you. These web sites use graphics, multimedia presentation, activities, and other techniques to expand our knowledge of careers. We have written information on seventeen (17) web sites. Here are the four different types of exploring careers web sites:

Curriculum

General Career Information

Science Career Clusters

Specific Science Careers

Curriculum Web Sites

Curriculum web sites provide activities, tests, guidelines, as well as career information.

Resource One: Career Cruiser

Source: Florida Department of Education

The Career Cruiser is a career exploration guidebook for middle school students. The Career Cruiser has self assessment activities to match personal interests to careers. The Career Cruiser has information on Holland Codes. Careers are grouped into 16 career clusters. The Career Cruiser has information on occupational descriptions, average earnings, and minimum educational level required for the job.

Teacher's Guide is also available.

Resource Two: Elementary Core Career Connection

Source: Utah State Office of Education

The Core Career Connections is a collection of instructional activities, K to 6, and 7 to 8, designed by teachers, counselors, and parents. Each grade level has instructional activities that align directly with the Utah State Core. This instructional resource provides a framework for teachers, counselors, and parents to integrate career awareness with the elementary and middle level grade students.

Career Information Web Sites

Some web sites provide excellent career information. Some web sites list facts about job tasks, wages, career outlook, interests, education, and more.

Resource Three: Career Voyages

Source: U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education

The Career Voyages web site is a Career Exploration web site for Elementary School students. The Career Voyages web site has information about the following industries:

Advanced Manufacturing

Automotive

Construction

Energy

Financial Services

Health Care

Hospitality

Information Technology

Retail

Transportation

Aerospace and the "BioGeoNano" Technologies

Resource Four: Career Ship

Source: New York State Department of Labor

Career Ship is a free online career exploration tool for middle and high school students.
Career Ship uses Holland Codes and the O*NET Career Exploration Tools. For each career, Career Ship provides the following information:

Tasks

Wages

Career outlook

Interests

Education

Knowledge

Skills

Similar careers

Career Ship is a product of Mapping Your Future, a public service web site providing career, college, financial aid, and financial literacy information and services.

RESOURCE FIVE: Career Zone

Source: New York State Department of Labor

Career Zone is a career exploration and planning system. Career Zone has an assessment activity that identifies Holland Codes. Career Zone provides information on 900 careers from the new O*NET Database, the latest labor market information from the NYS Department of Labor and interactive career portfolios for middle and high school students that connect to the NYS Education Department Career Plan initiative. Career Zone has links to college exploration and planning resources, 300 career videos, resume builder, reference list maker, and cover letter application.

Resource Six: Destination 2020

Source: Canada Career Consortium

Destination 2020 helps youth discover how everyday tasks can help them build skills they will need to face the many challenges of the workforce.

Skills are linked to:

School Subjects

Other School Activities

Play Activities At Home

Work at Home

Through quizzes, activities and articles, they might actually find some answers or, at least, a direction about their future. There are more than 200 profiles of real people who are describing what a day at work is like for them.

Resource Seven: What Do You Like

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

What Do You Like is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Career web site for kids. The web site provides career information for students in Grades 4 to 8. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most of the material on the site has been adapted from the Bureau's Occupational Outlook Handbook,a career guidance publication for adults and upper level high school students that describes the job duties, working conditions, training requirements, earnings levels, and employment prospects of hundreds of occupations. Careers are matched to interests and hobbies. In the Teacher's Guide, there are twelve categories and their corresponding occupations.

Science Career Clusters

Some organizations have created web sites that feature science careers.

Resource Eight: EEK! Get a Job Environmental Education for Kids

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Eek! Get a Job Environmental Education for Kids is an electronic magazine for kids in grades 4 to 8. Eek! Get a Job provides information about:

Forestry

Hydrogeologist

Engineering

Herpetologist

Park Ranger

Wildlife Biologist

Park Naturalist

There is a job description for each career, a list of job activities, suggested activities to begin exploring careers, and needed job skills.

Resource Nine: GetTech

Source: National Association of Manufacturers, Center for Workforce Success, U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S Department of Labor

Get Tech is a educational web site that provides CAREER EXPLORATION information.
Get Tech has information about the following industries:

New Manufacturing

Information Technology

Engineering and Industrial Technology

Biotechnology and Chemistry

Health and Medicine

Arts & Design

Within each area, there are examples of careers.

Each career profile gives:

General description

Salary

Number of people employed to job

Number of jobs available in the future

Place of work

Level of education required

Location of training programs: University Pharmacy Programs.

Courses needed

There is a Get Tech Teacher's Guide.

Resource Ten: LifeWorks

Source: National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Education

LifeWorks is a career exploration web site for middle and high school students. LifeWorks has information on more than 100 medical science and health careers. For each career, LifeWorks has the following information:

Title

Education required

Interest area

Median salary

True stories of people who do the different jobs

LifeWorks has a Career Finder that allows you to search by Name of Job, Interest Area, Education Required, or Salary.

Resource Eleven: San Diego Zoo Job Profiles for Kids

Source: San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo Job Profiles discussed jobs for people who:

Work with animals

Work with plants

Work with science and conservation

Work with people

Work that helps run the Zoo and Park

There are activities listed under each area, for example:

What we do

What is cool about this job

Job challenges

How this job helps animals

How to get a job like this

Practice Being a ...

How to Become a ...

Resource Twelve: Scientists in Action!

Source: U.S. Department of the Interior

Scientists in Action features summaries of the lives of people involved in careers in the natural sciences:

Mapping the planets

Sampling the ocean floor

Protecting wildlife

Forecasting volcanic eruptions

Resource Twelve: Want To Be a Scientist?

Source: Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of the Agriculture

Want To Be a Scientist is a career exploration web site for kids about 8 to 13 years old. Want To Be a Scientist has a series of job descriptions, stories, and other resources about what scientists do here at the ARS.

These stories include information about:

Plant Pathologist

Chemist

Soil Scientist

Entomologist

Animal Scientist

Microscopist

Plant Physiologist

Specific Science Careers

The last group of web sites is dedicated to providing information on specific science careers, for example veterinarians,

Resource Thirteen: About Veterinarians

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association

About Veterinarians has facts about:

What is a Veterinarian?

Becoming a Veterinarian

Making a Career Decision

What Personal Abilities Does a Veterinarian Need?

What Are the Pluses and Minuses of a Veterinary Career?

Veterinary Education

General Information

After Graduation From Veterinary School

General Information

School Statistics

Preparation Advice

Preveterinary Coursework

Where Most Schools Are Located

About School Accreditation

The Phases of Professional Study

The Clinical Curriculum

The Academic Experience

Roles of Veterinarians

Private Practice

Teaching and Research

Regulatory Medicine

Public Health

Uniformed Services

Private Industry

Employment Outlook

Employment Forecast

The Advantage of Specializing

Statistics

Greatest Potential Growth Areas

Other Professional Directions

AVMA Veterinary Career Center

Becoming a Veterinary Technician

Your Career in Veterinary Technology

Duties and Responsibilities

Career Opportunities

Education Required

Distance Learning

Salary

Professional Regulations

Organizations

Further Information

Resource Fourteen: Aquarium Careers

Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Aquarium Careers features careers information. For each Staff Profiles, there is Educational Background and Skills Needed. The Staff Profiles include:

Aquarist

Education Specialist

Exhibits Coordinator

Exhibit Designer

Research Biologist

Science Writer

The Aquarium Careers web site answers the following questions:

What should I do now to prepare for a career in marine biology?

Where can I find a good college for marine biology?

What should be my college major?

How do I pick a graduate school?

I'm not sure of my area of interest. What should I do?

Marine Science Career Resources include information on:

Marine Advanced Technology Education

Marine Mammal Center, California

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California

Scripps Library

Sea Grant

Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station

State University of New York at Stony Brook

Resource Fifteen: Engineering The Stealth Profession

Source: Discover Engineering

Engineering The Stealth Profession has a lot of information about engineers:

Types of Engineers

Aerospace Engineering

Ceramic/Materials Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Civil Engineering

Electrical/Computer Engineering

Environmental Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Other Engineers

True Stories

Salaries

Education Required

Work Schedules

Equipment Used

Resource Sixteen: Sea Grant Marine Careers

Source: Marine Careers

Sea Grant Marine Careers gives you facts about marine career fields and to people working in those fields. Sea Grant Marine Careers outlines information on:

Marine Biology

Oceanography

Ocean Engineering

Related Fields

In each area, there is a detailed description of the type of the work that the scientists do. There are feature stories for different scientists in the career field.

The career profiles include information on:

What is your current job and what does it entail?

What was the key factor in your career decision?

What do you like most about your career?

What do you like least about your career?

What do you do to relax?

Who are your heroes/heroines?

What advice would you give a high school student who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in your field?

Are career opportunities in your field increasing or decreasing and why?

What will you be doing 10 years from today?

What is the salary range?

Resource Seventeen: Do You Want to Become a Volcanologist?

Source: Volcano World

Do You Want to Become a Volcanologist? provides the following descriptions:

The Word Volcanologist

Daily work

Traits for success

Education

Salaries

Career web sites help you build awareness of the different aspects of careers: the tasks, wages, career outlook, interests, education, knowledge, and skills. We know that you will be fun exploring careers.

Dr Mary Askew

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Getting Your Dream Job is Very Simple

In this current global economic meltdown, most job seekers do not know the advantages that lie in such challenging times. Of course most organizations will lay off some members of staff as a result of the recession financial impact on their turnover either monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Wherever and whenever the word "downsizing" is used, it means there is economic depression which would automatically require a fractional part of the work force to be sacked, retrenched, laid off or retired.

One will definitely have that belief that such a time is not the best for applying for jobs, and the main reason is that they are not realizing the expected turn over, let alone recruiting new employees.

The statement that can never be argued is that recession or not, companies will still require the services of fresh job seekers who have been well grounded not only in academic qualification, but also skillfully endowed. This is well believed by the employers of labor that people that are very skillful, with their academic qualifications will help the organizations to achieve their goals and objectives, and in line with their mission and vision.

This era of global economic melt down has a lot of advantages for job seekers in the sense that while some people are laid off, the services that will be required from fresh job seekers will be of a very high standard in terms of the application of both knowledge and skills.

Moreover, this is to let people know that certificates are insufficient for the implementation of company goals and objectives; the timely application of relevant skills is well required in such a time of financial crises. Once you have acquired the necessary professional skills, include them in the curriculum vitae, which makes it a stronger one and with a comprehensive back-up letter. This will automatically give you an edge over your colleagues and you have a far better chance of standing out from the crowd and getting attention from the coordinators of the job interview.

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How to Succeed in the Hunt For Newly Qualified Solicitor Jobs

Now that the end of summer is within sight it is an important time for all those trainee solicitors who will soon be finishing their second year of their training contract. There will be many who have decided to continue their career in law and who will be hoping to secure one of the newly qualified solicitor jobs on offer. Given the recent economic crisis however the outlook for many might not be so great.

During the recession many law firms have been recruiting less and their retention rates of their trainee solicitors has gone down. This has meant that even where firms may have ordinarily offered a trainee a newly qualified solicitor job they have now not been able to due to financial constraints.

The knock on effect of this is that there will be a flood of newly qualified solicitors entering the solicitor job market to find another firm who might help them take the next step in their legal careers. The sobering fact however is that if many firms are unable to take on all of their own trainee solicitors upon qualification then they will almost certainly not be taking on newly qualified solicitors from outside the firm.

The reality for many therefore may be harsh in that they are unable to stay at their current firms and they may also be unsuccessful in succeeding in the hunt for another newly qualified role in a highly competitive job market.

If you find yourself in this position you have a few options. The first one is to try and form solid relationships with the key recruitment consultants for the area you are searching in and for the type of law you want to practise. This way they will think of you and contact you when they get a new newly qualified solicitor vacancy.

Secondly, you need to ensure that you are checking the legal press and all the law jobs websites on a daily basis for the new vacancies when they are announced. You can also be spending some time working on your application documents so that they are as good as they can be and are ready to put into action as soon as a vacancy comes up. It is advisable to search the internet for information, resources and tips relating to CV's, covering letters and application forms. What is not advisable is just using the same documents you used when applying for training contracts as this will be apparent to any recruitment consultant or law firm and could count against you.

If after an initial search for a newly qualified job you do not have success you may be advised to consider seeking another legal position, such as paralegal, so that you are still gaining legal work experience. This is often seen as a positive by potential employers and will also help with your continued professional development.

If for any reason you do not want to work in another legal position then you can always consider the option of taking a sabbatical or gap year and then return to the legal jobs market at a later date in the hope that it has improved and your chances of success are greater. You should be warned however that you will need to be able to justify this to a potential future employer and some may not view it in a positive light. Many will be ok with it though.

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Finding Work in Tough Times - The Hunt for Reality, Optimism and a Job

Teresa, a 40-something manager, rode a career wave that peaked and crashed. The major telecommunications company where she had worked in Silicon Valley for many years showed signs leading up to the lay off. When Teresa lost her job, it marked the third round of layoffs at her company. The first had occurred four months earlier...

''You could see a trend," says Teresa. "I knew my position was in peril because I was finished with a large project and was looking for things to do. I was not surprised, but it was disturbing."

The company dwindled from 700 employees to 400. Last to be laid off were well-paid managers and directors. When Teresa found herself in that group, she deployed a seven-tiered approach to facing the job market anew. You can use these tips too. Use them to get a new job in your current field or to pave a new career path.

1. Seek Training and Support

Get the training you need to sharpen your interview skills and update your resume. Career transition companies like Lee Hecht Harrison (http://www.lhh.com) offer courses to give you a roadmap that optimize your job search results.

Certified career coaches, like the author, are also available. Coaches work with you one-on-one or in groups (typically with over the phone convenience) to build your communication and confidence. You can use your sessions to practice interviewing and receive feedback on strengths and weaknesses. Coaches point out where you're going astray, how to maximize your efforts and keep you on track so you can obtain the best possible job options.

Other resources such as professional organizations offer job leads, an opportunity to network within your industry and can provide subgroups for job seekers. Join existing job seeker groups within an organization or start your own. Form a "success team" with four to eight people. Get together with them to share job leads, successes and failures. You can hire a facilitator to direct the group and offer guidance about tough job obstacles or take turns switching off leadership for each meeting.

The success team that Teresa joined provided her with support during a time of uncertainty. It offered shoulders to cry on and a cheering squad to motivate each other onward.

The group also provided answers and self-esteem boosters. Teresa explains, "When people get laid off, it really is a loss. When it happens each of us needs to address the lingering issues and come to terms with: why was I laid off? Why not this other person?" Bringing these questions to a facilitated group helped build morale.

Whether you are pondering these questions in a group setting or on your own, also consider these questions: What can I learn from this? And, what is next for me? You may or may not get to the bottom of all the "whys" but you can learn from your experience and build the courage to move forward into your next opportunity.

2. Set Goals and Work Toward Them

Take some time to set both short term and long-term goals. Do you want to work toward a new career path? Do you need to find a job right away? Based on your professional and personal needs, form goals directed toward your next employment move. Sometimes setbacks can hold the gem of an exciting new opportunity. For example, let's say you enjoy designing web sites for friends and you have your own blog. You've dreamed about taking this hobby to a professional level. Does the ending of your current job give you the chance to go for your dream? You may opt to work either full time or part time while you get trained for and launch a new business. There are many ways to make it happen. Look for the opportunity in the setback. Shape a goal around it.

It may be challenging, but set at least one goal that is three to five years in the future. This will give you a bird's eye view of what you're moving toward. Write down your future goal with a date associated with it, such as: To advance my career and get a marketing manager job by June 30, 2011. Let your goal stretch you. Also make it real enough that you believe you can do it. Your longer-term goal will inform goals you need to set today.

Facing reality: what goals do you need to set today to get a job or make a career change? Set a four to six week goal. Make sure to write down what you intend to do by when. For example: To obtain a product development job at the same salary or greater by April 15, 2008. Once you put a specific goal with a target date out there, you can map out daily and weekly action steps to move you toward your outcome.

Each person in Teresa's success team created six-week goals and shared them with the group. This created instant accountability. Teresa's goals were: Join two volunteer organizations and to have a job offer at the end of six weeks. Teresa accomplished her goals. You can too by mirroring what she did. No matter how scared you are take action anyway. The next tip will give you what you need to create a plan and go...

3. Create a Plan and Go

Your goals are in place. Now post them in a visible area to remind yourself of them every day. Then let the rubber hit the road. Take at least one hour to figure out how you will achieve them. Develop a marketing plan featuring you as the product. Don't know where to begin? Seek the advice of a certified career coach or talk with a successful colleague. Bouncing ideas off of someone and saying your thoughts out loud can clarify next steps.

To discover her personal job roadmap, Teresa asked herself these questions: What are my job search objectives? How will I position myself in the job market? What skills and experience will I emphasize? With whom will I network? What companies will I target? What types of jobs will I seek?

Ask yourself the same questions. Also ask: What is my purpose? Why do I need a new job?

Answering these questions ignites fire beneath your job hunt. What are the compelling reasons that motivate you to wake up in the morning and search? Examples include: advance your career, learn new skills, support your family, connect with people and build a sense of personal accomplishment. Your purpose provides the key to unlocking your drive and motivation. Become intimately acquainted with the why behind your job pursuit. Remind yourself of it daily, especially if you are resisting taking action.

4. Set and Hold Daily "Work Hours"

If you are unemployed, your job is now to get a new job. That means that you must dedicate part or full time hours to a structured job pursuit.

You went from having set works hours to the vast open space of free time. We all long for it, but when it's before us free time can be daunting. Make sure that you set and hold "work hours" each day. That is, dedicated and focused time toward your job search. Know in advance what you'll do each day.

Teresa set regular 9 to 5 work hours. To lock in this schedule four days a week, Teresa rewarded herself for hard work. She says, "I took one day off as an incentive because you know how demoralizing it can be to find a new job."

You can also set up rewards or consequences to help you stick to your job search schedule. Another professional woman, for example, enjoyed spending summer weekends at the local water slide with her kids. She decided that if she didn't get her focused tasks done during the week as planned then she would have to spend the weekend working while her family was off playing. Her family wanted to spend fun time with her so they all rallied behind her to get her job activities done during the week. It was a strong incentive to keep her going even when she didn't feel like picking up the phone or dressing for an interview. She managed to follow her set schedule and avoided the "no fun" consequence. She found herself splashing away in the rush of water with her kids and husband: her reward for putting in a week of concentrated efforts.

5. Broaden the Range of Jobs You Will Consider

You're sending email blasts to get the word out. You've researched companies of interest and tapped into your network. But still no results. To get back out there, earn some income and re-build your confidence, you may need to broaden the jobs that you'll consider.

Perhaps you have been out of the market for a while to raise children, for example. The available jobs today may differ from those available when you were in the job market before. There may be a larger or smaller number job openings in your field of interest.

Put yourself out there and find out. Ask around. Search the net. Discover what people currently in your desired industry have to say. You may have to expand the types of jobs you are willing to accept and that match your skills.

A colleague of Teresa's, Jim, approached the job market as if the economy was still robust. As an ex-director, he pursued vice president and director-level positions, which made high salary demands. But, given the rapidly declining market and changed hiring needs, potential companies were not interested.

Jim started looking into government postings. But city and government positions, once overflowing, had been dramatically cut. To avoid a prolonged job search like Jim's, Teresa offers the following advice.

When you're faced with accepting less than you are accustomed to, Teresa suggests, "Lower your expectations about what you're going to get. When your gut feeling says to take the job, do it. Don't let pride get in the way." Do not stall. You never know where the position will lead. With often 100s of people applying for every open position, jobs can fill quickly. If it is not your dream job, it can be a temporary place holder until you find a more suitable career move. Here's how...

6. Fill Your Job Search with Leveraged Tasks

What actions will give you the highest return toward getting a new job?

Whether you're dedicating 40 hours a week to a job search or devoting an hour a week outside of your current job, continue to take steps toward your next position.

As mentioned, Teresa filled four full days a week with the targeted actions. You can take the same steps to accelerate your job search.

- Research job search engines like http://www.monster.com and Yahoo's http://www.hotjobs.com. Also peruse local on-line job listing sites to check out openings in your area.

- Contact hiring managers to ask questions by phone or in person. Or try contacting someone in a department of interest and see if they'll chat with you for 10 minutes about what it's like to work there.

- Submit resumes and always follow up by phone and email to make sure that the company received them. Don't just be another sheet of paper in the stack. Get noticed by making personal, voice-to-voice contact.

- Network. Contact colleagues for job leads. Set up lunches and coffee meetings to let people know you're searching. Friends and colleagues can be your greatest allies in finding work.

- Research companies before interviews. Even reading a press release about a new product the company created can let the interviewer know you did your homework.

- Interview. Getting an interview alone is a positive step. Be prepared with questions and clear examples of how your work fits the position. Greet the interviewer and a firm (but not bone breaking) handshake.

- Follow up with prospective employers. After an interview, call the person who interviewed you, send an email or a hand written thank you note. Re-emphasize your commitment and enthusiasm for the job.

- Attend trade shows and industry forums. This will give you direct access to recruiters and employees from targeted companies. Job listings are commonly displayed at trade shows.

- Join new business organizations. Get connected with members and build relationships with those inside of companies you would like to work for. Professional organizations often share strong leads with members.

7. Find Meaning Outside of Work

Many of us define ourselves by work, work, work. But when we lose our jobs, our identity in work is gone. There's a pause in those dinner party conversations when someone asks, "What do you do?" Before you could happily say, "I'm overseeing the Benefits Department at Seagate Technology." Now you fumble for words explaining your situation. Finding meaning outside of work will help you define yourself beyond your job. You are still worthy. Your job loss may even connect you with dormant parts of yourself. Was there a time in your life that you did a fun hobby? Did you used to enjoy wood working classes? Are there recipes you used to love to cook? What's that volunteer organization that you used to joyfully devote time to?

As you recall, one of Teresa's job search goals was to join two volunteer organizations. She says she did this to "get out there and do something. It was a way to make myself feel valued during this time of uncertainty. If I'm not working, I might as well be doing something." She enjoyed spending one Saturday a week leading tours at a historical property in Palo Alto, California.

We humans are wired to be productive. Dig your hands into volunteering at the community garden or take that Pilates fitness class one day a week. Do something that increases your energy and reminds you that there is more to life than work. Spend a full stretch of time doing something purely fun. Or commit one night a week to that cherished hobby you've almost forgotten about. It will lift your spirits and motivate you to keep going on your job search.

And while playing and pursuing work, you will remember the balancing act of life with its opportunities and challenges. If you look at life as a series of cycles and phases, you're in the midst of one to the next. Ideas and answers will point you toward new job beginnings. Teresa took her job hunt as an adventure saying, "You can't take it too seriously. As long as you have a roof over your head and food to eat with a little spending money... there is always much to be grateful for." With gratitude for what you do have and a willingness to let go of what is lost, you will be well on your way for what the future holds.

So step into the river, one step at a time, feeling the rocks beneath your feet until reach more fertile ground.

And are you ready to learn more about how to turn your goals into reality?

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