Changing Careers: Get The Help You Need

Changing Careers: Get The Help You Need

With the recent release of my latest book, How to Reinvent Your Career, I’ve had a lot of people writing and asking me questions about how to make some career changes.  According to an article in the Independent.co, this is a big time for career changers. In that article, author Russ Thorne stated, “If you’re thinking about changing careers, you’re not alone: according to some recruiters, this is the busiest time of year for job changes, prompted by months of summer reflection. However, a total career change demands more than planning a valedictory leaving do: research, networking and training or voluntary work experience will boost your chances of standing on the other side checking out the color of the grass.”

I discussed a many of these ideas in a recent radio interview with Anna Banks.  It is very important to have a plan.  Probably one of the biggest mistakes I see people make is to not have goals written down with clearly measurable ways of attaining those goals.

One of the chapters in my book is titled “The Product Is You”.  I often write and speak about how you must see yourself as the product and market your skills.  Part of preparing to do that is to do a personal SWOT analysis.  For those of you who have not taken many business courses, SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.  Companies analyze these things on a regular basis.  I think individuals need to do the same thing. 

After self-analysis, you must also be sure to find ways to stand out in the crowd.  There is a lot of competition out there for the few coveted jobs.  I recommend reading some of the following articles to help you with social networking to get noticed and find your dream job:

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Living Fully After 40 Radio Host Anna Banks Interviews Dr. Diane Hamilton

 

How to Reinvent Your Career
” author Dr. Diane Hamilton on Living Fully After 40 Radio – 10/11/2010

Posted by: Anna | Comments (0)

For those of you that are either in golden handcuffs, got laid off, are in an industry you don’t like, or are just ready for a change.  “How to Reinvent Your Career: Make Money Doing What You Love” by Dr. Diane Hamilton, helps you deal with the stresses, find the job best suited to your personality and interests, explains the education requirements and how to pay for them, teaches you how to network, gives you tips on how to face your fears, learn life balance, and improve your health to allow you to reinvent your career and your life.

via livingfullyafter40radio.com

To hear the interview click here.

To download the interview from Itunes click here.

Are You Satisfied With Your Career Path?

[SATISFY]

image via online.wsj.com

Many people are in transition between careers due to the economy right now. A lot of them are changing original focus in life and switching industries.  In my book, How to Reinvent Your Career, I wrote about how people sometimes find that the career or education they received when they were younger, may no longer interest them as they age. 

I found an article in the Wall Street Journal that included the above chart to be interesting because it ties into something I wrote about in my book.  Many of the jobs and opportunities that are now available, were not available when many of us first began our career. 

The above chart shows that the MIS or Management Information Systems major was more satisfied than some of the other popular majors.  When I received my first degree from Arizona State University in the 80s, MIS was not an option as the Internet and PCs were not available to the general public yet.  MIS is about collecting information and providing that information for the organization to run smoothly.  Computers are a big part of the MIS program.  

If you are considering making a career change, this chart may give you an idea of some of the fields that lead to a more satisfying career path.  Note on the chart, it states that the grades were asked if the set of jobs available were deemed satisfying, well-aid and with growth potential.  If those are important goals for you this information may be helpful.  What is important is to decide what your goals are and pick your major or career based upon those goals.

How to Reinvent Your Career

If you have lost your job or are in a career that you dislike, there is hope. In her latest book, How to Reinvent Your Career: Make Money Doing What You Love, Dr. Diane Hamilton explains: There is, in fact a way to find YOUR definition of that dream job and make the money you deserve every day.
“Mike Leonard of NBC Today‘s Show states: There has never been a better time to take note of Dr. Diane Hamilton’s wise and encouraging advice. Use this book as a road map to a better career and a more fulfilling life.”

Many people have recently lost their jobs, forcing them to recreate their jobs and their lives—allowing them to finally do what they love. There are more freelancers and new businesses than ever before. Out of some abominable situations can come great ingenuity.

Looking to reinvent your career? Dr. Diane Hamilton, author of the newly released book, How to Reinvent Your Career, has the experience and tools for creating a new work identity. After remaining in the same company for 20 years, she found the power to leave and reinvent her career and her life. Over the course of her working career she has reinvented herself 10 times, and with each job came a new lesson—both about life and the working world. Turning life lessons into real solutions, today Dr. Diane Hamilton is an author, speaker and teaches courses at multiple online universities.

The first step Hamilton recommends for reinventing a career is finding out what are the “tasks” one truly enjoys doing on a day to day basis. Starting in an administrative job, Diane realized early on that she loved to do paperwork and work on computers. To many people, this is the worst part of the day but for her, a satisfying way to spend her days. Now, 25 years later, Dr. Hamilton is very happy doing these things as an author and online university professor. Everyone has different passions. Once one learns what actually leaves them fulfilled, it is time to do the research and find the job that fits that skill set. Ultimately, enjoying what you do every day will squash those “Sunday Night Blues.”

Yes, believe it.

Some jobs are perceived as the “dream job” when in fact it is different for everyone. “I had what seemed to be the perfect job from the outside when I was a pharmaceutical rep. I rarely had to work a full day, I traveled, barely spent any time ‘in’ an office and was financially doing very well,” says Hamilton, “However that was someone else’s dream job, not mine. I refer to this situation as being locked into the golden handcuffs. There are ways to make money and still do the work you love.”

Personality tests are one way to find out what is the most suitable career to the individual. They are not to be underestimated. In her book Hamilton, a qualified Myers-Briggs instructor and certified emotional intelligence expert, explains the use of personal SWOT analysis, something commonly used by organizations, can be a great personal tool toward the road of job satisfaction and success.

Above all, times are changing fast. There is new technology and now with the advent of social marketing there is a new way to communicate every day. Being adaptable to change and knowing the right ways to network for mutually beneficial relationships are skills that can be carried over into any career. Taking this time to keep up with the times is an investment in the future—the path to that career dream come true.

About the Author

Diane Hamilton has a doctorate in business management. She currently teaches bachelor-, master-, and doctoral-level courses for six online universities. She has written several books including The Online Student’s User Manual, The Young Adult’s Guide to Understanding Personalities and How To Reinvent Your Career. To find out more about her writing, visit her website at https://drdianehamilton.com or her blog at http://drdianehamilton.wordpress.com/. Review copies are available.
How to Reinvent Your Career: Make Money Doing What You Love is available October, 2010 ($16.95/ Amazon). ISBN: 0982742819/9780982742815

PR Contact:
Rebecca Crowley, RTC Publicity
646-619-1178
rebecca(at)rtcpublicity(dot)com

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