How to Make Smart Career Choices in 2009

Author: Robert M. Ingbretsen

We are in the midst of a recession with an increasing rate of unemployment. With that said, we are also experiencing a lack of preparation by many entering the workforce and those which have been laid off. To deal effectively with gaining the career knowledge required to navigate the ever changing workplace, takes thought, making smart career choices, a plan, and focus.

Many are now faced with chasing any job, with others not knowing what their next career move will be. If you find yourself in this situation; stop…take some time to think through your possible options. Take the time to examine your strengths, skills, talents, competencies, and aspirations… and what it will take to “reinvent you” so you can best deal with the realities of the market place. Not only is the workplace itself changing rapidly, but career opportunities are also evolving. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that over Fifteen million new jobs will be added in the next ten years.

A large number of individuals will enter into college or enroll in certification programs without a clear career goal. This approach results in costly time and money spent chasing a degree and low-demand “sunset” jobs (a sunset job is one that is going away, overseas etc.) or drifting from one major or program to another. Engaging in obtaining more credits or training without a clear purpose is not an effective direction to take. Don’t get caught in the trap of pursuing courses which do not align with employer needs.

When planning your next career move, look for trends that will possibly require your present skills and abilities. Most likely you will need some addition education or training, but it will be focused in the right area. Look for the “sunrise” jobs (the new hot jobs with a growing demand). The following information may spark some ideas which will help you focus on making smart career choices.

In general, any job that requires personal contact with customers or provides a service that can not be transferred off shore is a smart career choice. These can be categorized as “high touch relationship jobs.” Examples of these job areas would be: residential care, child care, pharmacist, psychologists, personal/business coaches, and physical therapists, public relations specialists, hospitality specialist, police officer, firefighters, security, sales people, nursing and teaching.

The economy will come back so traditional skilled trades such as carpentry, electrician, plumbing, construction contractors, food processing, quick-turn and custom manufacturing, auto mechanics, maintenance and repair look very good in terms of not moving offshore. Also, cosmetologist, hair stylist, dental hygienists, administrative assistants and computer support specialist are good choices.

Online retail sales will continue to drive home delivery; this will increase the need for drivers, pilots, airplane mechanics, distribution specialists, etc. Retail store positions will decline gradually as Internet shopping continues to grow, but there will always be retail stores and retail positions.

Positions requiring creativity and originality will still be highly valued. The need to write books, screen plays, TV shows, music, and produce the sports our culture enjoys, will continue to drive the entertainment sector.

The retirement population alone is driving the need for replacement workers and is already creating high demand in products and services tailored to this demographic. Home building in retirement areas will be on the increase, home healthcare services, nursing homes, yard care and the leisure/recreation industry for the 55+ age group will generate a large increase in employment. The increase in the “baby boom” population will also drive a continuing need for surgeons, nurses, and financial specialists.

Many jobs in local, state and federal government will surly continue. Jobs related to the energy field such as engineers, line technicians, and fuel cell sales and distribution specialists will grow. Our wired society will continue to drive the need for applications engineers, network and technical support technicians for many years.

Last and certainly not least, a vocation in religious institutions and employment in nonprofit organizations will definitely continue. There will be a need for ordained ministers, priest’s, rabbis, and all the jobs associated with religious and nonprofit intuitions such as, executive directors, counselors, program directors, grant writers, fund raisers, lobbyists and administrative support individuals.

As new discoveries are made in medicine, science and technology, new and unnamed jobs will be created. Each major discovery in these fields has spawned new industries which have created tens of thousands of jobs.

The key to survival and winning in the career game will be your ability to make smart career choices, spot and learn new jobs, and be the best at what you do. Even in tough times, if you have a reputation for being a quick learner and being the best in your field, you will do better than most.

A Very Important Point: In most if not all careers, no matter how secure you feel, you will experience ups and downs due to the economy, unexpected changes in technology and world events. There are no guarantees, but with determination, focus, and learning new skills associated with in-demand career fields, you can make smart career choices and stay employed.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/career-management-articles/how-to-make-smart-career-choices-in-2009-714466.html

About the Author:

Roger Ingbretsen has more than three decades of operational and leadership experience, Serving on USAF active duty for twenty-six years, he then worked for high-tech companies for nineteen years before starting his leadership coaching and organizational consulting business.

Roger has held positions as a project manager, new product program manager, marketing and sales manager, corporate training and development manager, production manager, director of material, director of quality, director of executive development, and vice president of operations.

Roger has a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership, from Gonzaga University, a dual undergraduate degree in Economics & Business Administration, and an AA degree in Business.

Roger is a member of the International Coaching Federation, has completed many professional training programs attaining certifications in the Harvard Law School "win-win" negotiation, Center for Creative Leadership "360-Degree Feedback" process and "Coach the Coach" program, Zenger Miller "Team Training Certification" and "Executive Coaching" from the Professional School Of Psychology, California. He is also a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory.

He is very knowledgeable in the area of "workforce development" currently conducting extensive research of recruiting and retention issues with a focus on generational problems.

Visit his web site at www.ingbretsen.com.

Managing Finances After a Job Loss or Redundancy

Author: Jobs Manager

We are in the midst of a recession with an increasing rate of unemployment. With that said, we are also experiencing a lack of preparation by many entering the workforce and those which have been laid off. To deal effectively with gaining the career knowledge required to navigate the ever changing workplace, takes thought, making smart career choices, a plan, and focus.

Though this article deals with the financial aspects of a job loss, I would like to say that the first step in a job loss situation is to:

· Not take it personally. The job loss has nothing to do with you. The job is redundant you are not. The decision to make redundancies was more than likely done in a boardroom thousands of miles away by people who have never met you and due to market conditions that have nothing to do with you.

· See this time as an opportunity for positive change and a chance to develop a challenging and rewarding career for the future. Taking this as a given, it is important that if such a time arises, or has arisen, that you are able to sustain yourself during that period when you are not working so that you can concentrate on your job search and not worry about bills and expenses.

Step 1: Stay calm. Running around tearing your hair out will not help you in any shape of form. Whether you are willing to admit it or not, losing a job takes a lot out of a person and if you have not given yourself time to get over it, you will find it more difficult to get re-hired. So, allow yourself the time to come to terms with the change. Remember, concentrating your energy on solving this new job search challenge is far more productive than wasting energy on worrying about the cash side. So focus on the right things.

Step 2: Plan ahead. It is not everyone who gets advanced warning that their job is being made redundant so be prepared for this. Make sure that you have saved enough to get your by for at least three months should the worst happen. This may sound ridiculous, however having enough for several month means that you will not have to take the first job that comes along. It also gives you some free time to collect and recharge yourself.

Step 3: Know what your company will be giving you. You may be eligible for a redundancy payout. Ask HR and see what the company can provide for you. Also, look into social welfare payments and ask your local office what payments or allowances you can avail of.

Step 4: Add up all the essential bills, rent, utilities, food etc. Know exactly what you need to cover your basic costs. This will allow you to easily budget for the monthly essentials.

Step 5: Prioritise your bills. Some bills are paid monthly, other have a longer line of credit. Use this to your advantage. If the rent is due this week but the phone bill does not need to be paid until next month do not waste your money on the phone bill now. However do remember that the phone bill does need to be paid at some point.

Step 6: Cut out all other expenses. Examples of ways to do this are:

· Walk rather than take the bus/car
· Use Skype to Skype rather than your mobile phone
· Re-look at where you are doing your grocery shopping
· Substitute your shopping items to for the generic brand (its all the same produce in a different package)
· Invite your friends to your house rather than meet them in a café, or bar

Be strict with your spending and watch out for those impulsive buys that can really add up.

Step 7: Keep a diary of all your expenses for a month. Write down everything that you spend and what it was for. When you review this list you will see where you have been wasting your money. This is where you find the few extra shillings to put aside.

Step 8: Be very careful when using credit, especially credit cards. They are very expensive to run with extremely high interest rates and having a bad line of credit may hurt you down the line when you need a loan for something else. However if you really need a loan, shop around with the banks and credit unions to get the best deal on repayments. Also, while asking about loans, ask your bank manager if you can put current expenses on hold. Sometimes you can freeze mortgage payments or extend the time of an existing loan to decrease monthly payments.

Step 9: If things are getting tight and there is no new job in site then take a temporary role. It makes no difference what the job is. Just make sure that you leave enough time in the day to continue your job search.

Step 10: If all of that is not working well for you then consider explaining your situation to your family. They may have some ideas on how you can cut your costs further or come up with a favourable, repayable, finance plan to get you by for the short term.

Experiencing a job loss can be unnerving. But such situations can be effectively solved by carefully devising a plan on how to get past the unemployment period. Remember that you are not the only one who is going through this. The majority of people come out of it unscathed and ready to do battle again, as will you.

If you have just suffered a job loss and you are having difficulty dealing with it please seek help. There is plenty available and you should never face a situation like this alone.

If you know someone else who is faced with the above problem then please pass this article on to them. They will appreciate it. The link is www.jobsmanager.eu/job-search-articles.html

This article had been written and brought to you by Jobs Manager.

Please visit us at http://www.jobsmanager.eu/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/career-management-articles/managing-finances-after-a-job-loss-or-redundancy-706675.html

About the Author:

Jobs Manager is a specialist consultancy organisation operating with the UK and Ireland. We also provide confidential and sensitive services to individuals facing career change, redundancy or a new job search. We assist you discover your true career vocation and we ensure that you embrace change and think positively about the future. We will assist you develop your Job Marketing tools to ensure you get a new job and are ahead of the other candidates.

We also provide tailor made outsource solutions for organisations requiring help with HR, Recruitment or Redundancy programmes. We provide expert experience and expertise at a fraction of the cost of an In-house HR Department.