Career Management Alliance Blog

Learn the basic steps of implementing job search and career development plans with Ken Dawson. Continue Reading »

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Last week I attended the first of many college planning meetings at my daughter’s school. Jammed into the school auditorium with 200+ other neurotic parents of high school juniors, I listened to details about student entrance exam test dates, transcripts, and application deadlines. Parents who are going through this process for the second time offered advice to the newbies and shared anecdotal stories about oscillating between having true bonding moments and enlightening conversations with their children during the process and other moments where they just wanted to strangle their kids and be done with it. I returned home that evening with a stack of tips sheets and even a flow chart of what was due when. It looked like the school had really done their homework and was on top of the process and the kids. They even included a list of questions to keep in mind when researching and visiting colleges…Lots and lots of questions. Continue Reading »

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Jay writes: I graduated from college a year ago and have been working as a staffing specialist for a temp agency. It really isn’t making me happy, but I don’t know what else to look for. I’ve heard of these surveys/tests that you can take to give you suggestions on jobs that fit your personality. Do you know of anywhere I can take such a survey? Maybe a website? Continue Reading »

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When considering a career change, keep in mind your strengths. Answering the following questions will help determine where your strengths lie: 1) I've always been recognized for..... 2) What makes me different from others who do the same job as I do..... 3) Throughout my career, I've always been drawn to..... 4) My former and/or current supervisors and co-workers would agree that the key to my success is..... Continue Reading »

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Sharon writes: I am 30 years old, and I am not working in my chosen profession of journalism. I am currently working as a paralegal, but I still have hopes of becoming a reporter, but I know that is unlikely as more time passes. I married young, and never established the career that I wanted. I am now divorced with two young sons, and I would like to make a fresh start. I received my degree in journalism in the 90s, and I am wondering if it is of any use to me now. I am afraid that I will never be fulfilled if I don’t have the career that I want. Do you have any suggestions? Continue Reading »

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Everyone’s starting to talk about their New Year’s resolutions…lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, get out of debt, and find a new job are the ones I hear most frequently. And while I think that New Year’s resolutions are a great idea in theory, I think that a lot of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions because often the only criteria motivating the person to make the resolution is the time of year. This year I made several really big changes in my life. Yet none of them happened overnight. Some took months to make, others took years, and one took more than a decade to come to terms with. But none of them were motivated by the time of year. They were motivated by a feeling that I could no longer continue in a situation under the current circumstances or by the fact that I wanted something and I wanted it sooner rather than later. Basically, my desire to change a situation was greater than my desire not to change it. There really wasn’t an “aha moment” or even a calculated plan in many cases…the changes happened because in my mind, they had to at one point or another. Continue Reading »

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Jessie writes: I feel that I am stuck. I am 26 years old, and have already had four jobs since graduating college with a degree in political science. I keep thinking that the new job is the one, but it never is. I feel like I want to go back and get a master’s degree — that might help me discover what I want to do. I feel pressure from my family to act my act together, but I just don’t know what to do. Can you help? Continue Reading »

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Jenny writes: I’m trying to set some goals for myself in the new year — in terms of my career. What advice can you give me to reach my goals in 2010? Continue Reading »

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Anonymous writes: I am currently trying to follow the advice of career-planning and job-hunting books regarding how to find a job — by networking, conducting informational interviews, and sending the word out to as many people as possible that I am looking for a job or that I would like to ask them questions about their career fields. While I have had some success in getting interviews and getting some information, the sad fact that the books never prepared me for is dealing with REJECTION. Not rejection by prospective employers since I haven’t started applying yet, but rejection from people I ask for information and who tell me that I need to know what I want. Or the feeling that I just made a bad impression by the act of asking questions and showing my ignorance — yet isn’t that why I am asking questions, because I am ignorant and I am seeking information? What should I be doing? Continue Reading »

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Anonymous writes: I worked as a police officer for 17 years then resigned to become a deputy in a county jail facility. Needless to say, it didn’t work out; that was approximately 1 year ago. After having many interviews and an attempt at a career change it all seems in vain. Will I ever get a position that meets my specifications? What move should I make next?

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The Career Doctor responds: I think the most important thing you need to do is find a day or couple of days for a career retreat. What are your specifications? What do you want to do with the rest of your working life? Are you burnt out with law enforcement? What career are you now trying to change into — and what have you been doing to help facilitate that change? So many questions — that’s why you need to take some time away and do some career planning. Your goal for this career planning retreat should be to finalize your choice(s) for your next career, with specific steps for how you are going to achieve the change. If you are still searching for your next career, you need to take time for self-reflection and research. You need to really evaluate what you like to do — at work, at home, in all your activities. You should also examine your accomplishments and transferable skills. Once you have gathered all this data on yourself, the next step is researching career paths that match your interests and strengths. Once you have an idea of your next career move, you should shift your efforts to developing a plan that gets you there. Will you need more education or training? Will you need experience in the new field, and if so, how will you get it? Does anyone in your network know people working in the field? How will you grow your network to include people in the new career field? Finally, you’ll need to implement your plan. Be prepared for some bumps in the road. Career change often takes time, but with proper research and planning, it should be a little easier for you. For more help with career planning, read this article published on Quintessential Careers: 10 Tips for Successful Career Planning. And for more assistance with a career change, go to: My Career Change.

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