Ask Us Anything: Changing Careers.

Anonymous asked:

I’ve recently discovered that I want a complete 180 and switch careers while unemployed..I am planning on returning this summer to community college to knock some pre req science courses out of the way to move on to a university Dietetics prgm…I want to only go for a part-time job so that I may go to school part-time as well. And while I feel I have resolved this part. Everything else seems imbalanced. When I was doing my undergrad, all I did was school work and obsess over school work—I don’t want to go back to that! I need advice on how to balance my time—how to divide the days up for personal reading, self-education to make muyself more marketable, family, hobbies, friends (how many hours I should realistically devote to these essential aspects…Because of my obsessive nature, I will read nutrition books for half a day and then just job search for the rest of the day, and then I have days where I’m just reading blogs, not learning anything, exercise and that’s it..I want to volunteer some time, too..I want to be efficient and enjoy life and seriously think that I need help to divide up the hours of the day/week to accomplish this. What is reasonable allotment hours wise?..I’d appreciate the guidance.”

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Dear Anonymous: Congratulations on your decision to change careers. You are wise in being able to make the first decision in response to your job ending. This is the first step in using this time of unemployment in a valuable way. I would suggest that you enlist in some free help on the Internet for time management in order to round out and plan the hours in the day to accomplish what you want. This is absolutely imperatiave and might be your first order of business for yourself to thrive. A solid time management commitment would not only bode you well, it is essential to your success. You need to know how to break down the individual chores, etc. you need to do everyday. I would suggest that you determine your priorities. Prioritize and make a specific written list of numbered activities which can always be modified according to need. But do ONE thing at a time. One will lead you into another. Make a list of daily chores, errands and activities and number them: One, two, three, clean the apartment, write out bills, report to unemployment, go out and network by joining a support group and exchange information and build self esteem, and so on…Try to “compartmentalize” activities in your mind (ie: “Today I am going here, tomorrow, I’m doing this…”) Visualize boxes in your mind to fill with things important to you. For example, regarding your career plans and timeline, a time management/priority list  might look something like this: 1.  Research your new career choice. Speak to people employed in the field. See what the going salary is for an entry level person. Research tools include ONET, Occupational Outlook Handbook, and salary info sites including www.salary.comand www.payscale.com. Join www.linkedin.com. Set up a page profile. It’s free. Invite colleagues and friends into your network. See who they know.Be sure there are opportunities in your region for this kind of work and that it pays a living wage that can sustain you. 2.  Go to your local One Stop Career Center where you live. See www.servicelocator.org and tap in your zip code. Some centers have taxpayer funding and can send you to training free of charge. See if you can have your choice of training funded and not have to worry about finances, loans, etc. A job counselor at the Workforce programs can help you determine if you can obtain training as a dislocated worker. 3.  College schedule—apply for financial aid; register for the program you want. Your school schedule will take priority. You will need a couple of hours to study.I don’t know what your other life obligations are (ie: family, children, parents). This is where your time management skills come in. The time management skills are as important as your formal training. Without them, you cannot function effectively. 4.  Consider a non paying internship to gain practical hands-on experience and some substantial offering to add to your new resume. 5.  Compose a resume of your achievements. The web is chock a block full of information on how to write a dynamic resume and compelling cover letter and knock employers dead in interviews. It’s all right at your fingertips! Write it down. These are just some of the long-term plans. If you create a list, you may feel less overwhelmed. The strategy will be on paper and visible and perhaps not so daunting. You need to do this for your daily plans. Invest a small cost in a daily planner and calendar so you will make life easier for yourself. Below is just one of the many time management how-to sites with helpful advice. You can google more. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_00.htm You mention obssessiveness. We all tend to be this way sometimes. The key is whether or not it becomes an obstacle to living.  Do you speak to someone professionally? There are sliding scale clinics. This tendency is not uncommon. Some people in today’s world suffer from anxiety, as well. Maybe you can take advantage of a public library free Yoga course or one in adult ed. If your tendencies are interfering with your daily life functioning, you can call your local mental health association for the nearest sliding scale pay clinic (only what you can afford based on the amount you receive in unemployment compensations). Today there are no stigmas because we now know NOT ONE person among us is without some challenge or quality they want to improve and it is important to concentrate on your strengths, rather than labeling yourself in a negative way. Remember, the cup is half full. Good luck and God bless!

1 year ago  /  Notes  /  Comments