Tag Archives: career planning

How to Get Experience

When first starting out in a new career, there is a common dilemma. You need experience in order to get the job… however, you can’t get that experience until you actually have the job. What do you do? The answer is to find ways to gain the experience you need through alternative avenues. Some ideas are: 1. Volunteer — Even if you have to work full-time and volunteer a couple hours a week, this is a valuable way to gain experience. A willingness to volunteer your time toward learning a job also shows a future employer your commitment. 2. Non-profit … Continue reading →

Where You Live Dictates Where You Work

Where you live will often heavily influence where you work. The two go hand in hand and depending on your career and personal preferences, selecting where to live will often determine where you work and vice versa. If you live by an ocean, you have a far more possibility of being a marine biologist or fisherman. However, in the mid-west, the chances of this career path are quite limited. There you might work in the city or on the farm. Sometimes where we decide to live influences our career path. Sometimes, we choose where we live based on the career … Continue reading →

Should You Continue at One Job While Searching for Another?

A common dilemma is whether to search for a new job while still working at the old, or to quit completely before you start to look. This can be a tricky problem, as both ways have their advantages and disadvantages. Overall, there isn’t necessarily one way that is the best. It is more about determining how each option affects your individual situation. Let’s discuss some of the pros and cons of each. Keep working: Pros: 1. You can maintain a steady source of income. 2. You don’t have to explain why you aren’t working. Cons: 1. Trying to find the … Continue reading →

Should You Go Back to School?

A question many of us ask ourselves in our careers, would I be able to advance higher in my job if I had more education? Typically, the answers vary on the job and the company. One example is executives who want a MBA. Is it necessary to have a MBA to get ahead in business? Whatever your field is, the best first step is to start looking for the job you want, before you actually get the degree. Don’t waste your time or money; if you can land the job without the degree, then go for it! See if it … Continue reading →

My Mini Me

Do you want your kids to follow in your footsteps, career wise? Tyler has announced that when he grows up he wants to be a writer. Why not, he’s been around books all of his life. He’s witnessed me toiling day in and day out, literally burning the midnight oil doing research or trying to beat a deadline. He knows that eventually a check comes in the mail along with a copy of the article that I worked so hard on. He’s proud of what I do and tells everyone that his mom is a writer. He’s been walking around … Continue reading →

Job Strategy: What Do You Really Want?

How can you decide what job you really want? The answer is by deciding which job you really want. No riddle or waste of time intended here; just the establishment of an important principle. Seek a career instead of a job. That will help cement your goals. The problem is that if you don’t make a decision as to where you really want to go, you will be riding a horse without reins, drifting from one company to another, dissatisfied and unable to dismount. Even the simple decision to stay exactly where you are can be a difficult one, for … Continue reading →