• Would you be considering a career change?
• Would you be thinking about learning new skills to advance in your current career?
• Would you be exploring a field that has always intrigued you, but that you haven’t considered seriously – until now?
• Would you go back to school?
• Or would you be planning to finally strike out on your own, start your own business?

So many options today!

What Would You Do if You Were Younger?

Are you inspired by eighty eight-year-old Hazel McCallion? Also known as ‘Hurricane Hazel.”

She’s the eleven-term mayor of Mississauga Ontario, Canada’s seventh largest city. In her most recent election, she won with a 98% voter approval rating.

Or are you drawn to the examples of Henry Liu, or Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman? They are among the 2009 winners of the “Purpose Prize” that honors people over sixty who harness their experience to tackle some of the world’s greatest issues.

Henry, age 73, transforms toxic fly-ash, the residue from coal-fired furnaces, into safe green bricks.

The Aldermans, both 68, are bringing mental health services to countries torn apart by war and terrorism, to honor the memory of their son, Peter, who died on 9/11.

Some of you who read the first paragraphs of this article are excited by these questions. Others are thinking, “yes, but… I am too old, it is too late.”

I agree that if you are a Baby Boomer and your dream is to become an Olympic speed skater, it is too late – to become an Olympic speed skater. But you can still have the heart of your dream.

For example: I once worked with a client who wanted to be an opera singer. Although she had trained in her youth and had some experience performing, when I met her it was many years later. She was divorced and raising four children. In addition to the years since her last performance, she wasn’t in a position to travel to perform.

Through considering a series of questions about her experiences with opera and singing she was gradually able to clarify and articulate the heart of her experience.

The heart of her experience, what gave her the most pleasure, was standing on stage, and being the focus of all eyes – not necessarily singing.

She went on to a very satisfying job as a corporate trainer and later developed a successful career as a motivational speaker.

Unfortunately, many more people tell themselves “I’m too old,” than those who genuinely have dreams that are age-related. Don’t let yourself be one of them!

Assuming you’re too old can keep you stuck in your comfort zone, shielded from reaching out for new experiences and continuing to grow, develop, challenge yourself. Wouldn’t you rather contribute your gifts to a society that needs your experience?

Don’t Let Fear Stop You

It’s true that we live in a society that holds many negative biases about aging; seeing aging as a process of decline and disengagement from life. It’s also true that most of these negative perceptions are inaccurate; based on myth, or on experiences of aging from long ago. True or not, these views shape societal perceptions about aging, and even more importantly, consciously or unconsciously, they shape the expectations of people in mid-life and beyond.

When you catch yourself saying “I’m too old” or “It’s too late,” or other limiting ideas about aging, STOP! Remind yourself that what you are listening to is the voice of your fear, and not you.

How much time do you have left? Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty? More? Think back to where you were ten or twenty years ago. What did you do and learn and grow through in those years.

Ten years ago at age fifty I was a career and small business consultant. I hadn’t yet had the fascinating opportunity to direct a college career center. I hadn’t yet trained as a coach, or in leadership development. Ten years ago I hadn’t learned how to make jewelry. Ten years ago I wasn’t married. My fifties were the most happy and interesting decade of my life. A lot can happen in ten years if you keep opening yourself to new experiences.

What career adventure would you attempt if age were not an issue? What would you love your life to be like in ten, twenty, or more years. The choices you make, whether they are driven by your desire to learn and grow, or based on your fears, will largely shape your future. The choice is yours.

I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. Mark Twain

To learn more:

For a more accurate view of what you can expect as you grow older, and strategies for staying engaged in life while aging I recommend: “Engaged As We Age,” from the Sloan Center on Aging and Work that debunks societal myths about aging.

Barbara Sher has written a heartening book about creating your best life at any age “It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now.”

Visit Encore.org to learn more about the “Purpose Prize.”

You can see a video interview with me on this topic by Bill Vick of BoomersNextStep.com (6 minutes).

About the author…

Phyllis Mufson is a career / business consultant and a certified life coach with over 25 years of experience. She has helped hundreds of clients successfully navigate career transitions. You can learn more about Phyllis and her practice at PhyllisMufson and follow Phyllis on Twitter @PhyllisMufson.
More about this author…

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Why Change Now?

Think about what it is you do every day. Are you still interested in the content of your job, the daily and weekly skills that you use? If so, then maybe your job discontent is related to the company where you work.

Sometimes businesses grow or merge or change leadership that leads to a change in culture or environment.You might have once been happy working for a small company where you had a wide variety of tasks, but now that the business has grown, your job may have become repetitive and a little boring. Maybe the hour-long commute was fine before you had children, but now you prefer to be home before they go to bed. All are reasons for considering a job change.

Just know the reasons you want to leave so that you can ask the right questions at the new job interviews.

Is It the Job?

If you think it’s your job that’s the problem, list the tasks you generally perform and mark those you like to do. If fewer than half of the tasks are checked, you probably will be happier with a new career direction. Maybe it’s time to start that business you’ve always dreamed of, or join the non-profit that serves your political or cultural interests. Since you spend so many hours a week working, you should be doing something you like, if not love.

Is It Something Else?

At the other extreme, you may have marked most of the job tasks as those you enjoy. Then the problem is something else: your colleagues, commute, boss, pay, opportunities to advance, etc. The task becomes to identify what needs to change so you don’t end up in another job that doesn’t meet your needs.

Think about your ideal job description, and then go looking for it. You’ll come up with good interview questions if you know exactly what you want. The closer you can get to that ideal, the happier you’re likely to be.

Get Help

Don’t consider job hunting as a “do-it-yourself” enterprise. It can be a lengthy process to find a new job. Find a colleague or friend who’s also job hunting, or hire a career professional to help. The cost is worth the money invested if you find a job you love.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post Time to Choose a New Mid-Life Career? appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Best Places for Whom to Work?

• First, it’s important to understand the criteria for a business to qualify as a possible contender for the “best” list.Each list has its own process for identifying and choosing participating companies. Most are based on organization size and the number of years in business. Very small or new businesses generally don’t make the list.
• In addition to the size and years in business, companies need to be willing to spend the time to complete the surveys, which generally include employee questionnaires, leadership responses and human resources information about corporate demographics such as size, hiring practices, retention and pension plans, etc.Often this requires resources of time and personnel that many businesses are not willing to spend for the possibility of getting on the list. It can be a costly venture for the businesses that participate.
• Finally, the size of the sample (the number of businesses that participate) will be limited. Whether the application to participate is self-selected or based on some selection criteria where a fixed number of businesses are chosen to apply, the sample will not include all possible businesses.Many businesses never make any lists, but that doesn’t mean they’re not good companies to work for.

A word of caution when using a “best companies to work for” list: do your own homework. They may have met the criteria established by the organization doing the ranking, but you’ll need to supplement the research.

In many cases the business policies that are important to you may not be those evaluated in the “best of” analysis. For instance, they may look at retention rates for workers over fifty, but not say anything about hiring policies for that population. If you’re looking for a job, the companies on the “best of” list may be great places to work or retire from, but they may not hire you in the first place.

Bottom Line

Whatever your key issues, those are what you should look into for the companies you’re interested in, regardless of their affiliation with any list.

So, start with a “best” places to work list, but don’t limit yourself to those companies only. Doing a thorough job search will give you a list of the “best” places for YOU to work. And that’s the list you should rely on.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post Choosing a New Mid-Life Employer appeared first on Job-Hunt.

It’s against the law to ask questions about age in an interview, but more subtle signs of ageism can creep into the verbal exchange.

Some potential employers may see you as too expensive. Or that your experience will be a hindrance rather than an asset. They may believe your work style will be a carryover from your previous positions rather than learning their approach.

Whatever the reason, interviewers may say you’re overqualified. That could be shorthand for too old, but legally an OK response.

Proactive Tactics

If you feel that you’re not being considered for a job because you’re too old or too expensive, here are some proactive tactics to dispel the employer’s fears.

• In your your cover letter and interview state directly how your skills and the job requirements are a good fit.
• In telephone and in-person interviews, relate those situations where your boss was younger.Often this is a concern of young HR managers who are doing the interviewing. It’s easy to see how they could view you in a parental role rather than a cohort. It’s a natural reaction, and it’s to your advantage to show how you get along with Gen X or Millenial workers.
• Show how your experience is an advantage in quickly allowing you to learn the ropes.Tell how you’ve learned new methodologies and systems in the past. And, most importantly, indicate how your experience will bring value to the company: your contacts, skills, expertise, etc.Your examples should reveal how much you can help the company. Just a word of caution, however. Don’t go overboard. You don’t want to be seen as know-it-all or threatening.It’s a delicate balance between revealing your capabilities and being overpowering. Again, the interviewer’s own experience with older people, family members or co-workers, will unconsciously play into their evaluation of you. It’s up to you to be professional, pleasant and confident.
• If an employer hesitates or finds reasons not to hire you, accept the assessment and move on.If there’s resistance to hiring you, it may not be an environment where you’ll be comfortable working.The interviewing process is a time for you and the employer to determine if there’s a good fit. If they make excuses about hiring you, it’s probably not going to work out in the long run.

There is a job out there where your experience and skills will be valued. It may take longer to find that job, but it’s worth the wait.

You don’t want to be looking for a new job again in a few years (or less) because you encouraged them to consider you when it wasn’t really a good fit.

Remind yourself that you are not defined by your job. It’s what you do, not who you are. And you want to do your best in a job that’s right for you and the employer.

For More Information About Age Discrimination

• Fighting Age Discrimination in Job Interviews
• Handling Age Discrimination in Hiring
• Handling Age Discrimination in Job Loss

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7 Tips to Improve Your Mid-Life Career IQ

Here are seven things to keep in mind to make the best possible impression.

1.  Make a good impression before your interview.

When you get the call to set up an interview appointment, use that opportunity to make a great first impression. Be polite, pleasant and professional. If at all possible, tell the caller a little about yourself and why you’re interested in the job.

Your favorable impression on an assistant who called the candidates may help sway the decision in your favor.

2.  For phone interviews, be a clear communicator.

Often the first interview is by phone. If at all possible, have this interview on a land line and not a cell phone for better reception.

Don’t treat this any differently than one where you go into the office. Be prepared. Do your research before the call to find out details about the company: new projects or acquisitions, product and sales information, any news items about the company, etc.

Even though the interviewer can’t see you, it’s really important to use the same body language you would in a face-to-face situation. The energy comes through in your voice, so sit tall, lean forward, and project your voice into the receiver.

3.  Plan your wardrobe for a face-to-face interview ahead of time.

Don’t wear anything flashy. Conservative always works, even if you’re interviewing for an artsy job. You can always relax your style once you’re hired. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Conservative also means limited jewelry: a watch for men and a watch or simple bracelet and small earrings for women. If you have piercings, fewer adornments are better for the interview.

Planning ahead means that if your suit or dress needs to be cleaned, you’ll have time to either take it or make another choice. Have polished, unscuffed shoes and carry a notepad for taking notes.

4.  Be on time for your interview. That means being 10 minutes early!

If you don’t know where you’re going, see if you can have a dry run to see where the building is, how long it takes to get there and, if you need parking, where a convenient parking lot is. You don’t want to be rushing in at the last minute, out of breath.

Plan to arrive in time to visit the restroom to freshen up before your meet your interviewer, then take a few minutes to sit quietly and get a sense of the organization. It’s amazing how much information you can pick up just by sitting and listening to what’s going on around you.

5.  Have a firm, but not bone-crushing, hand shake and offer your hand as soon as you meet.

Take a cue from your interviewer. If s/he offers a weak shake, mirror it back. You might be meeting someone with arthritis whose hands hurt and won’t want to be squeezed too firmly. You don’t want them to remember you because you gave them pain.

Smile and introduce yourself. If you have an unusual or difficult name to pronounce, acknowledge that it might be difficult to remember and repeat it.

6.  Be ready to ask questions.

Many people who conduct interviews don’t have much experience hiring people. Be ready with some questions you want answered about both the company and the job.

Think about what’s important to you about the particular job and then formulate some questions ahead of time. Write them down so you can easily refer to them when you’re having the interview.

You’ll probably be a little nervous, so writing them down will help you remember them. You’ll also impress the interviewer when you take out a piece of paper with questions already written down. It shows you’re prepared and done your homework.

7.  Practice interviewing with a friend, colleague, career advisor, even your cat.

If you’re going on an interview for a job you really want, you can’t be too prepared. Practicing asking questions and giving answers will go a long way to making you more relaxed. You’ll give a better impression if you’re not too tense, and practice helps take away some of the anxiety.

After your interview…

Be sure to write a note to anyone you met, thanking them for their time and interest – and ask for the job. This is no time to be shy. If you want the job, ask for it – politely, of course. Also, this note should be hand written and sent through the mail, not e-mail. This means you’ll need to get the correct spelling and address of everyone who interviewed you. This is easy if you ask for their business cards before you leave their offices.

Interviewing is a skill that anyone can learn.

Make yourself different by knowing how to conduct a good interview. And good luck!

More About Job Interviewing:

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Successful Job Interviewing

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post How to Improve Your “IQ” (Interview Quality) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

At mid-career it can take up to a year or more to find a new job, depending on your experience, income expectations, field and economic environment.

If your job search is extended, it’s even more important to have someone (or several someones) to talk with about job search as well as life issues. Finding a job is not a do-it-yourself project.

Finding Support

So, where do you begin? If you’re lucky you have family and friends who are your cheerleaders. But just as often they can put pressure on you and make you feel guilty that you’re no longer employed.

Emotional support is very important during the stressful time of a job search, so if your family members are not giving you what you need, it might be a good investment to work with a therapist, counselor or clergy for a while.

When it comes to job search issues, family and friends might be helpful, too. But it’s more likely you’ll find real support from other sources.

If you were fortunate and received outplacement services from your previous employer, take advantage of them. Usually they include workshops and seminars on writing resumes, networking and other job search skills. Your fellow attendees are good support group candidates. They know what you’re going through and have their antennae out for job support groups, leads and can help with brainstorming “next steps” with you. They can also keep you on track with your plans.

It’s unlikely that several people will be discouraged at the same time, so a small group to help boost the spirits of each other is ideal.

Do you or did you belong to a trade organization or association? They may have job search groups. Go to a meeting or two and see if anyone wants to be your job search buddy.

There are also many companies or organizations (military groups, social or fraternal groups, etc.) who have alumni or active members who get together as job search support groups. Or a college career office that offers similar services.

Creating Your Own Support Group

If you’re stumped about finding a group, start one of your own. Put an ad in the local paper or on the bulletin board of the local grocery store or coffee shop. Just be sure to meet at a public place, not your home. (For more detailed directions on how to start and run a job search support group, see chapter 12 in my book, Now What Do I Do? (Capital Books, 2005).

Mid-career changes can be traumatizing and/or liberating. Any major life change is stressful. Make it less so by regularly connecting with others who support you. You’ll build friendships as you look for new work.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post Job Search Support Is Critical appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Or, maybe you’ve had a dream job in mind that you needed the extra incentive of being jobless to kick-start your move in that direction.

But, what if you don’t have any ideas about what to do next? Read on…

Adversity often leads to creativity as we try to move from an uncomfortable situation to one that is more desirable.

If you’re looking for a new job, you might look at employment options you wouldn’t give a second thought to in other circumstances.

One of the challenges we all face is knowing what jobs are available. We each have limited access to information about job possibilities.

There are career opportunities to be discovered in unexpected places. Here are some areas you might consider.

Anything to do with pets.

Dog sitting or doggie daycare. Grooming and walking services. Creating or selling merchandise for pets – fancy collars and leashes, food trays, outfits… the options are only limited to your imagination.

Luxury, green, and organic items are becoming more popular. Insurance, travel and healthcare are some other pet-related areas to investigate.

This is a market worth over $3 billion. You can probably find a job that will generate – or tap into – some of that revenue.

Personal services.

Do you like to see everything in order? Are you a good cook? Can you shop and do errands effectively? Are you organized? All of these skills can lead to jobs, either as an entrepreneur or working in an established business. Personal or executive chef. Professional organizer. Concierge service. Personal assistant.

Busy people and organizations need these services. If you’re good at one of them, check it out. We all have skills beyond those used in a typical office. Your next job could be radically different from the one you had. And maybe more fun.

Helping the elderly.

And I don’t mean offering your arm to help them across a busy intersection. Services for the elderly are expanding. Like pets, they need services and products designed specifically for them. Offer transportation. Help navigate the healthcare system. Become an advocate for housing or community elder services.

If you’ve had to assist an elderly parent, you may have developed skills others would appreciate – or managed needs no one has anticipated. Your experience and expertise could make you a pro in this booming field.

Bottom Line:

Whether you work for someone or go it alone, doing something a little different in the interim between corporate jobs might be more than a paycheck – it could be fun and personally satisfying. Think outside the box when you’re stuck and consider everything as a possible new job.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

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No matter what, eventually mid-career employees with experience will be hired. And now is the time to prepare.

It’s likely that people who have stayed in jobs they don’t like during the economic stress will reconsider once new jobs become available. So, it’s not only new jobs that will be created when businesses are growing again, but also replacing employees who will jump ship when they can.

What can and should you do to prepare? Here are 3 suggestions.

1. Skills Update

Be sure you are technically up to date in your field. That may mean taking some courses for improved proficiency or obtaining new certification or licensure.

If you’re looking to change fields, be sure to learn what technical skills are needed in the new field and then get up to speed.  This includes, of course, computer skills, but also could mean accounting updates, engineering changes, even knowing the latest etiquette for using the new social media online.

Specialized skills and information vary by industry so become informed via industry publications and company websites.

2. Association Membership

If you’ve let an industry or professional association membership lapse, this may be a good time to get reconnected.

You can find out the newest trends in your field and renew or start networking with colleagues who often know about job openings before they are put into general circulation. Volunteer to work with the membership officer to meet the largest number of members with the least amount of effort.

3. Personal Update

One side effect of not working, or being unhappy in your job, is gaining weight. We tend to eat fats and sweets to feel better and, if slightly depressed, skip the exercise, too. Start now to get in shape for interviewing. You don’t want your interview suit to fit like body armor.

Have your hair styled (and colored if there’s lots of gray) and send the suit to the cleaners for a fresh look. Polish your shoes and think about contemporary eyeglass frames (or contact lenses).

This may seem shallow and egotistical, but you want to look and feel your best for any interviews that come along. So use this time to get in shape physically as well as mentally.

Bottom Line

New jobs will be available in the not-too-distant future. Now is the time to prepare so you are ready to make a strong entry into the market.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post Preparing in Mid-Life for the Economy to Rebound appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Here are some suggestions for moving your resume from so-so to spectacular.

Exclude Some Skills and Activities

1. Don’t include on a resume any skills or activities you’re not interesting in continuing in the future.

During an interview, the interviewer generally looks at the resume and reviews it from top to bottom, asking questions about what’s written. If, for instance, you list “budgeting” as one of your job tasks, but don’t really want to be involved in budget preparations in the future, leave budgeting off your resume.

The interviewer might say, “Oh, I see you’ve had budgeting experience. That’s great. This job has a good deal of budgeting associated with it.” Can you answer, “Oh, I don’t really want to do that anymore.”? Better to not have the comment/question arise in the first place.

2. Avoid making the resume a laundry list of everything you’ve done.

Don’t include skills or activities that aren’t relevant to the job you are seeking. Including irrelevant information makes it harder for the interviewer to quickly see how you already meet the job’s requirements. If you have experience in retail sales, but this job doesn’t need someone with retail sales expereince, don’t include it on your resume for this job.

Make it easy for the reader to learn about you.

When describing your job experience, instead of creating a dense paragraph-like list, create a list using bullet points. The resume is a tool to secure an interview, a better place to focus on the details of your knowledge and skills. Have the resume indicate where you’re headed; describe only those parts of your job experience that relate to the job you’re applying for.

Only list positions you’ve held for the past ten years.

If you’ve worked at multiple companies and have a long job history, only focus on the most recent positions on your resume.

It’s likely your most recent jobs have built on your experience, or you’re in an entirely new field. In either case, if listing all those jobs makes your resume longer than two pages, drop the old positions or merely list the companies, job titles and dates. The purpose of the resume is to inform the reader about you, but avoid boring him/her with endless details or information.

Note: If you’ve only worked in a few companies for the past thirty years, listing jobs from more than ten years ago won’t be a problem.

Use a Profile or Summary section, not Objective, at the top of your resume.

The Profile or Summary is simply a description of your skills and experience compacted into three or four sentences, appearing just under your name and contact information.

If there are a lot of resumes received for a position, as often is the case, each resume may only get 30 seconds of attention.

A targeted, information packed summary which includes key words from the job description stands a better chance of being read beyond the first few sentences.

Make it easy for the reader to find out that you’re a good fit and call you for an interview.

Bottom Line

Take a hard look at your current resume and see how you can improve it. Make it a document that the reader can easily learn that you’re a good candidate for the job. And remember, you can have a unique resume for every job you apply for.

Just be sure you tell the truth and focus on how your experience makes you a good choice for the position.

More: 6 Interview Tips for Mid-Career Professionals

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

The post Your Mid-Life Career Resume: From So-So to Spectacular appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Retooling yourselfcan be a daunting task. You might have the feeling that you’restarting over from scratch. But that’s not true. You do have experiencethat will be valuable in your new job; things like knowing how businesseswork, getting along with co-workers, work habits, etc. They’llgive you an advantage over workers with no experience.

Transforming Yourself

So, how do you transformyourself? The most obvious is to go back to school or get more training.Before you spend the time and money, however, do a self-assessment tobe sure you need it. Start by yourself, but you might want to work witha career counselor if you get stuck. They have tools that can help identifyyour skill strengths. Here’s a suggestion to get started.

Start with What You Do and Enjoy

Make a list of allthe things you know how to do well. Don’t limit yourself to work-relatedskills. Think of the things you do as hobbies, as a volunteer, etc.Your new job may be in a totally new field for you and use some of theseskills.

Make a list of whatyou know. This could include specialized programming languages, designingan organic herb garden or how to apply theatrical make-up. This listmight be hard to make since we rarely think about what we know whenwe’re working on a task—whether at home or on the job.

Brainstorm aboutwhat jobs use the skills you’ve put on your two lists. It mighthelp to do this with someone (friend, spouse, fellow job seeker) sincemore ideas are better. Be wild and crazy when you’re making thislist. You can always go back later and get rid of the totally “offthe wall” ideas.

Organize your listof brainstormed ideas. See if there are jobs that fall into categories—eitherby task or type of organization that would use them—and groupthem together.

Edit your groups,putting them in order of preference—the one you like best first,etc.

Do any of your topthree categories require more training? If so, then find a program thatgives you the skills you need (check out their job placement statisticsas well as their courses).

Potential Employers?

Start looking for companiesthat would use those skills categories. They might not be companiesposting jobs just now, but they are companies you should investigateand try to get an information interview with.

The more companiesyou can put on your list, the more likely you are to find a job. Usethe want ads (online and off) to identify companies. Look in the YellowPages. Check business directories at the library. Visit one-stop careercenters to check out their resources.

Your next job maybe totally unrelated to your last. Or it may be a variation on it. Justbe willing to change focus. Keep a positive attitude. And get help ifyou need it. Just like Steve Buscemi (former NYC fireman, present Hollywoodactor), you can reinvent yourself to get a new career focus.

About the author…

Dr. Jan Cannon, Job-Hunt’s Mid-Life Career Expert, is author of Now What Do I Do? The Woman’s Guide to a New Career, Find a Job: 7 Steps to Success, Finding a Job in a Slow Economy, co-author of Exceptional Accomplishment, and a career professional for 20 years. Visit her website, https://www.cannoncareercenter.com for more career advice and help.

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