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New Wave of Old Truckers
Wednesday, September 12,
2007
Patrick White, from The Globe & Mail, wrote about the situation of
an engineering technician who got laid off and decided to change
her career path to become a truck driver. There is a trend for
people nearing their 50s/ over 50 to become truck drivers, as their
children have grown old enough to be on their own.
According to the article, the number of truck drivers over 50 now
represents 1/3 of Schneider National, North America's biggest
trucking firm. Although not a luxurious profession, truckers can
earn up to $80,000 annually and, if they team up with their spouse,
can share a truck and earn around $150,000 per year combined.
25% of New Hires Sing the "Uh-Oh"
Blues
Monday,
August 06, 2007
Marylin Gardner reveals in her article that 25% of new hires regret
taking their new position within the first year on the job. If
after the first few months the feeling of regret still lingers (or
worse, if you feel miserable), you should address the problem and
avoid being in denial.
The following article discusses the experiences of many
professionals who made the wrong decision. Learn from their
mistakes.
Katie Couric Admits Some Regrets Once
in a While
Tuesday,
July 10, 2007
In a short interview, Katie Couric admits that she sometimes regrets
her move from NBC's "Today" to the "CBS Evening News." Part of it
is due to the low ratings that she is getting (distant third place).
Career Change & Personality Type
Sunday,
April 15, 2007
Newsday.com has an interesting article on how our personality type
should be factored in when assessing our career choices.
Career Transition: Seven Tips to Make
Your Dreams Come True
Thursday, February 22, 2007
With the low unemployment rate (4.6% in January and 2.1% for those
with a college degree - according to the U.S. Labor Department), now
may be the right time to consider transitioning to a new career.
MarketWatch offers 7 tips to make that happen:
- Think in terms of "career shift" as opposed to "career change."
- Look into your skills set and what you like to do.
- Don't ask yourself "what's out there," but rather "what's in
you."
- Set yourself goals and elaborate a plan to meet those goals.
- Research the possibilities that are open to you.
- As you prepare your job applications, think as a recruiter.
- Learn the lingo, meaning that you should sound as an insider as
opposed to an outsider trying to get into the industry.
Following Your Dreams, MarketWatch
Ten Reasons Why You May Want to Leave
Wednesday, February 07,
2007
CareerBuilder offers ten reasons to look for greener pastures
somewhere else (keep in mind that they make money out of people
changing jobs...):
- You can no longer stand your co-workers.
- You are discontent with your work environment.
- You suffer from "mental exhaustion" at the end of the day.
- You don't get along with your boss.
- You can't stop looking at the clock (... you can't wait to get
out of there...).
- You don't get respect.
- You work with people who have no regards for you.
- There is no communication at the office.
- You don't feel appreciated at work.
- You feel stifled creatively, mentally, or physically.
Ten Reasons You Should Quit, CNN.com
Leaving on a Good Note
Sunday, February 04, 2007
BostonWorks.com has a useful article on how to transition from an
old job to a new one. The basic thing to keep in mind is to act in
good faith and to thank people with whom you worked. As a rule of
thumb, give at least two weeks notice or no less than your annual
vacation. This will allow your employer to find someone else to
replace you. If people ask for your feedback on the work that you
performed, try to be honest but positive.
Leaving on a good note is always preferable as you may come back one
day or ask for a reference.
Time to Reflect
Tuesday,
January 02, 2007
As you enter the New Year, it may be a good time for you to reflect
on your career. Are you happy where you are? Is there something
bothering you? What changes would you like to make?
Nella Barkley, president of coaching firm Crystal-Barkley, suggests
taking a day to "catch up on yourself." If you are not satisfied
with where your career is heading, you should figure out a solution
instead of hoping that the situation will change on its own. Be
careful, however, about quitting your job:
"Doug Matthews, a career coach and executive vice president of
global operations for Right Management, a Philadelphia unit of
Manpower Inc., says the pressures of the holiday season can cause
people to make snap decisions to quit. A lower-than-expected bonus,
a bad year-end review, or a conversation with a boastful relative
can all put people in the mood to make abrupt decisions. But that
may not be the best course, Matthews says."
Career Transition: Avoid Being
Labelled
Monday,
December 11, 2006
We live in a society that likes to "label" people. Too much
information to process and too little time lead to fast judgments.
In this context, it is very easy for recruiters to put a label on an
application. That is something you want to avoid, especially if you
are aiming for a career change.
The first step is to frame your application through your cover
letter in a way that will meet your objectives. If your goal is to
make a career transition, make sure to let that known and to
emphasize key points such as your desire to move on, your
transferable skills, and so forth. This will make sure that, after
reading your cover letter, the recruiter will be more inclined to
keep an open mind towards your resume. Introductions are important
and that's what cover letters are for.
The work is not over yet as you need to tailor your resume in a way
that will reflect the potential contributions you can make. At this
stage, be careful and keep in mind that you are competing against
other candidates who may be better suited than you. You are the one
making a career change so you are the one facing an uphill battle.
Try to differentiate yourself from other candidates and ask yourself
what you can bring to the job that others can't. Make sure to use
the right resume format. In that regard, you might want to envisage
using a
functional resume
or a
hybrid resume instead
of a
reverse chronological
resume.
Remember, your application should be your springboard towards the
future and it's all a matter of putting the emphasis at the right
place.
"Enrolling" into the Hype
Thursday, October 26, 2006
During the housing bubble, many people bought into the real estate
hype. Now that there are talks of the housing bubble bursting,
there are also talks of the "real estate agent bubble" bursting as
well.
In both cases, those who jumped on the bandwagon at the peak of the
hype will most probably suffer the worst losses.
10 Bad Reasons For Leaving
Sunday,
July 30, 2006
There are many reasons why a person may want to quit his or her
job. If your justification for leaving your job falls in one of the
categories below, you may want to reconsider:
- get-rich-quick schemes;
- transport problems;
- salary woes;
- buckling under the workload;
- personality clashes;
- other possible job prospects;
- following a lover around;
- resigning out of spite;
- starting a new business; and
- bored to tears.
The basic idea is not to leave your job when you encounter a problem
because you will face challenges and difficulties no matter where you
go. Try to work it out. If you tried but can't, then you may have a
good reason to find another job.
10 Bad
Reasons to Quit Your Job, Health 24
Don't Burn Bridges, Even if It Might Be
Tempting
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Even if you had some bad experiences at work, and who doesn't, it is
not a good idea to leave on a bad note. Think of it this way, what
will you really gain at the end of the day by acting on your
impulses? Nothing really... What's more, you may meet the same
people on the street, at a conference, or even at your new
workplace!
No matter how bad your experience was, there must have been some
good parts about it. Following are few tips on your last day at
work:
- dress appropriately;
- be gracious and emphasize your positive experiences;
- be clear and succinct as to the reason for your departure;
- give constructive comments; and
- share information to allow your employer to make an easy
transition as a sign of good faith.
Best Not to Burn Bridges Your Last Day in Workplace, The London Free
Pess (AP)
Are You Where You Should Be?
Monday, May 15, 2006
Have you ever wondered whether you were in the right profession?
Are you feeling a lack of motivation?
If that's the case, better take the time to reflect and start taking
action. You have two choices: stay where you are or make a change,
for the better or the worse, only the future can tell. Below are
some websites that offer career tests:
Doesn't hurt to try!
"Iron Rice Bowls"
Saturday, April 08, 2006
This article from the China View caught my attention because of its
title: Cracking the "Iron Rice Bowl". I don't really know what it
means, but the article is about the changing work environment in
China.
According to a report, workers currently below 30 years-old are
expected to change jobs at least five times in their career
(approximately once every five years). This stands in stark
contrast to 20 years ago when the Chinese government use to "assign"
jobs to people. Back then, there was always something for everyone,
no matter how trivial.
Job security is now replaced by job insecurity, but chinese people
now also have job opportunity. "Job security" under a "communist
regime" - got the joke? Well, when you're forced to work, that's
not really security... that's what I meant.
Approximately 4.1 students are expected to graduate this year in
China and a university degree no longer means guaranteed
employment.
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