Tips for Changing Career Fields
Changing career fields can be scary and exciting! I’ve done it twice. Both times, I took my favorite part of the career I was in and made is the focus of my next. This allowed me to build upon my skills and interests while continuing to move forward professionally and challenge myself. As you transition, it’s important to know that you will need to make adjustments in order to successfully align yourself with your new chosen career field. Three tips for making a successful transition include acquiring the skills and training necessary for your new field, customizing your application materials (resume and cover letter), and growing your network to connect with relevant professionals and content.
read moreThree ways to build your professional community
Chances are you belong to at least a few different communities related to factors such as where you live (geography) and what you like to do (interests and hobbies). Doesn’t it make sense that you should have a professional community as well that is related to your work? If you are currently employed or have work history, you most likely do. At the core of each community is the presence of relationships. These are associations and interactions that you have with people. Does this sound like networking? Shhh…yes, in many ways it is, since networking is essentially connecting with people, sharing information, and maintaining relationships. However, for our purposes we will use the term building a professional community because it sounds less intimidating for some than the term networking. There are so many ways that you can build your professional community including connecting with people that have similar work-related skills and interests through professional organizations and social media platforms, securing mentors, and accessing resources specifically related to professional development.
read moreHow can your priorities guide your career?
Developing and fulfilling career goals can be daunting tasks given all of the jobs that currently exist, plus the opportunities that are evolving as the world constantly innovates. There are many ways you can combine your skills and interests to fit with work opportunities. To set the course for a successful job search, it’s important to determine your priorities. Priorities vary, and it’s critical to identify what is most important to you. When it comes to professional priorities some things to consider include job title, company mission, work culture, location, salary, and benefits.
read moreHelp others and enhance your career through volunteering
Volunteering features many benefits, but do you know it can boost your career as well? Many people engage in volunteer work to help a cause or a community. Doing so gives them a feeling of satisfaction and the benefits for both the individual and initiative can be plentiful. Now, consider how that volunteer experience can support your career development, whether it’s in a personal (supporting a local nonprofit) or professional (serving on a committee for an industry association related to your job or career) context. Another thing to consider is that employers highly value volunteer experience, and in some cases, regard it as just as important as paid work experience! Consider how volunteering can help your career in terms of developing skills, building your network, and communicating your professional brand.
read moreYou got the interview, but not the job. Why not?
Your resume, skills, experience, and maybe even a network contact got you in the door with an employer for an interview. You thought it went well, but then you get a message from the employer telling you that they went with another candidate. It’s important to keep in mind that just because you have an interview, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get an offer. Employers take great care in conducting interviews in order to select the person they believe is the best fit for each job. You reflect on the interview experience and wonder; did I do something wrong? Review the following reasons candidates aren’t hired based on interviews and then consider how you can avoid these mistakes in the future.
read moreWhat NOT to do on a video call!
Video calls, conferences, and webinars are becoming the norm. We use technology to connect with people in our professional, academic, and personal lives more than ever since are living in the midst of a pandemic. Live video communication isn’t a novel concept anymore and it’s important to navigate it successfully. If you don’t, it can negatively affect your professional reputation or ability to land your next job. Learn from other people’s mistakes! Here’s are some watch-outs of what not to do.
read moreHello candidate, meet our applicant tracking system!
Given the prevalence of technology in our world, it is critical to communicate digitally in an effective manner. The hiring process is no exception. In the current hiring market, employers can receive thousands of applications for a single job opportunity. How do they manage that volume? They use applicant tracking systems, also known as ATS. Applicant tracking systems are computer software programs that are designed to manage the candidate application process, as most companies don’t have the people power to manually view and then sort every single application that is received. A hiring manager programs criteria (consisting of keywords and phrases) into the system, which then scans each application that is received to identify matches. If there are enough matches, the applicant tracking system moves the candidate along to the next stage. If not, the candidate is eliminated. Yes, candidates can be eliminated by a computer upon the initial scan, so the application materials are never even seen by an actual person at that company or organization! In addition to scanning materials, the applicant tracking system also sorts and ranks applications, then tracks candidates through the entire hiring process. When you apply for a job, expect that you will need to get past the applicant tracking system. Here are some tips that can help!
read moreIs that great job a scam? It may be, especially in the age of COVID-19.
As I write this, it’s the summer of 2020 and the world is more than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment rates in our country have gone up and millions of Americans are out of work. Many of these people are actively looking for jobs, in addition to the recent college graduates who are entering the job market for the first time. While most employment opportunities are valid, a few are not. Unfortunately, some individuals prey on people in crisis. If you are looking for a job and the opportunity seems too good to be true, or something doesn’t feel right, pay attention to your intuition. Be cautious when job searching in the COVID-19 era and consider these signs that an opportunity is fake and may be a scam.
read moreVideo interviews are here to stay. Are you prepared?
Due to many reasons, including advances in technology and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, companies and organizations are conducting more video interviews as they hire for positions. Video interviews are becoming the norm as opposed to the exception, especially for initial screening interviews. Video technology is now a part of our daily lives. Expectations are higher and you must be able to navigate it! While many of the basic principles for successful interviewing still apply, there are unique elements to video interviewing. Whether your video interviews are live or recorded, these tips can help. It’s important to understand how video interviews are different from in-person interviews and prepare properly to be successful in your interview experience.
read moreA job search is competitive; here’s how to stand out!
Regardless of your target career field or industry, chances are you will be competing against other candidates during a job search. And if you are competing for a highly desired position, that competition can be even more intense. It’s important to focus on what you can do to stand out rather than getting stressed, or even worse, paralyzed by fear to the point where you are afraid to move forward with your application! Some of these tips may be obvious, but it’s amazing how many job seekers don’t follow them. As a former recruiter, I can tell you with confidence that you need to all the right things and stand out in a positive way.
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