Success Discoveries’ team of researchers has brought the best of the best in resources to our clients. Career Transition and Planning Resources for Adults is intended to provide “high-value” information to help in career transitioning. Scroll down the entire page to see the many helpful subjects we offer. If you are entering the world of work for the first time, you may find our resources pages for students to be very helpful.
So you have an interview lined up. Master the Interview is another CollegeGrad.com jewel of a resource that will help you prepare for any interview. Click on Read More to find a wealth of direct links to quick topics on interviewing to read.
CollegeGrad.com has developed a great resource for anyone looking to get hired and facing an upcoming interview. Check out dozens of free, short helpful interview preparation videos by going to the CollegeGrad One Minute Video site.
If you’re the sort of person who thrives on challenge, gets bored if you do the same thing too long, and really enjoy being a business owner because everything’s different, you’re not alone.
And if you’re the sort of person who likes things that fall into neat, clear categories, who wants to get really good at something and practice it to perfection, and who isn’t sure how to manage those who have to have a constantly changing environment, listen up.
Margaret Lobenstine, known to many FBCers for her facilitation of the Older/Younger Generation discussion groups, came to the Family Business Center’s April 9 meeting, at the Log Cabin, to talk about “Renaissance Souls”; those are the folks who go crazy without change in their lives-including their work lives.
Too often, says Lobenstine, society is set up only to acknowledge and reward the Mozarts of this world: those who find a passion early and stay with it for their entire lives. And as Mozart proves, that is one path to greatness.
But consider another exemplar: Ben Franklin: a man with vast accomplishments and successes as a statesman, diplomat, Postmaster General, scientist, inventor, among various other careers. “Mozarts come with a resume that makes perfect sense; they move up the career ladder, They do more of the same thing, but with more responsibility. We’re not as familiar with the Franklin side. They are called dilletantes, dabblers.” Yet the world would be a far poorer place without them.
Lobenstine, who is working on a book about Renaissance Souls, got interested in part because she herself fits the pattern. She gave up a very successful life as an innkeeper to become a coach and counselor specializing in career and life transition. And now she’s moving into leading workshops and speaking about Renaissance Souls.
Why should businesses pay attention to Renaissance Souls? Lobenstine identifies three crucial reasons.
First of all, “the 21st Century requires people who thrive on change.” Even in the ordered career of engineering, she cites Phil Weilerstein, director of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, who says that future engineers will not be sitting at a cubicle all day, designing one airplane part. They’ll be working in teams, learning to develop and sell their ideas, and to adapt to a job description that changes every few years.
Second, “round pegs in round holes lead to much-needed productivity.” Give the Renaissance Souls in your company the opportunity to stay productive; make sure they feel they can spend every day doing what they feel they do best. Your employees will intuitively know where they excel and what they enjoy.
And third, let Renaissance Souls “do their thing.” Lobenstine noted that Daniel Goleman, author of a series of books on Emotional Intelligence, found that job-related stress, as expressed in medical problems, increases when challenges disappear. “People who feel...their work is repetitive and boring, have a higher risk of heart disease.”
Goleman cited a specific example of an employee with heart problems. He wore a portable heart monitor. While he was attending a boring meeting, his heart rate started climbing into the danger zone.
Other research, meanwhile- for instance, Maddi and Kobnasa’s “The Hardy Executive: Health Under Stress” -found health benefits and lower stress levels among those who found work “strenuous but exciting” and saw change as a chance to develop.
To close, one more look at our 18th-century genius pair: “When a Mozart type has a successful business, they want more of the same.” For instance, a restaurant owner may start franchising. “The one more like Franklin says, ‘I figured it out, I understand it, I’m bored - and I’m out of here if you can’t challenge me.’ What intrigues them is the design, the problem solving.”
If you have teenagers or college students, you probably have heard of or looked at Facebook or MySpace. Well if you haven’t found them yet, there are social networking sites for adults. So why should you care? Because networking is a significant part of success. And online social networks can be very effective at meeting your needs -reap your rewards - if you’ve been doing a little sowing ahead of time. Two of the more popular are LinkedIn and Plaxo.
So let’s say you want to begin investigating other employment opportunities. Using LinkedIn or Plaxo, you could find someone, actually just about anyone, anywhere, in any company that is willing to talk to you about their company, their culture, their job opportunities, etc. One piece of advice, don’t use these as job search tools, use them as job networking tools. There is a big difference. When you let it be known you are looking for a job, most people are limited in what they can do to help you.
On the other hand, if you contact someone at a company you are targeting and let it be known you were reading about their company and were intrigued by ABC company’s strategy for xyz and how it fits your experience, your contact may become a new friend, especially if the connection also includes you both went to the same university and graduated within two years of each other. Another example of leveraging your network is to look for people that list your employer as a past employer. The company alumni network is a tremendously deep network.
There are social networks for unique demographic groups. For example, for woman over 40, there is a site called fabuously40.com. Watch the video from the founder.
How to Build a Job Network 9/21/2008 Boston University
Professor Kathy Kram sits down with WSJ’s Jennifer Merritt and shares the skills needed to build good relationships at work. (Sept. 22)
National High Growth Industries are economically critical, projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs, and are being transformed by technology and innovation. “In-Demand” occupations are found within these industries.
United States Department of Labor O*Net Occupational High Growth Research System
The O*NET system is a unique, powerful source for continually updated information on skill requirements and occupational characteristics primarily for adult use. The link provided here takes you to the Career Finder site where you can put in a keyword and quickly zero in on possible jobs based on the key word. As an example, use keyword “Oncologist” or “Film Director” to see highly related information.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)
For hundreds of different types of jobs-such as teacher, lawyer, and nurse-the Occupational Outlook Handbook tells you:
==>the training and education needed
==>earnings
==>expected job prospects
==>what workers do on the job
==>working conditions
==>In addition, the Handbook gives you job search tips, links to information about the job market in each State, and more.
CareerOneStop is…
* Your source for employment information and inspiration
* The place to manage your career
* Your pathway to career success
* Tools to help job seekers, students, businesses and career professionals
* Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor O*Net Occupational Research System
The O*NET system is a unique, powerful source for continually updated information on skill requirements and occupational characteristics primarily for adult use. The link provided here takes you to the Career Finder site where you can put in a keyword and quickly zero in on possible jobs based on the key word. As an example, use keyword “Oncologist” or “Film Director” to see highly related information.
North Texas InterLink’s 2007~2012 Targeted Occupations
Identified by Employers for Long Term Growth
Whether you live in Texas or not, this site has very important information about the future of jobs of all kinds that will be in demand for years to come.
