What's your Career Resolution for 2010?

The 5th annual list of New Year's resolutions from Franklin Covey is now available. How does your list of personal resolutions stack up with this new list?

The economy was clearly the overwhelming influence this year with 44% of the respondents including resolutions pertaining to finances. Of course everyone knows that career and economics really go hand in hand. With 10% unemployment, careers, jobs and finances are front and center.

Did you make any resolutions for 2010? How did your 2009 resolutions work out for you?

2010 New Year's Resolutions from Franklin-Covey:

1. Improve financial situation or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., healthy eating, exercise)
4. Change employment
5. Develop a regular savings plan
6. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g. smoking, alcohol, overeating)
7. Spend more time with friends and family.
8. Other
9. Get organized
10. Develop a new skill or talent

Keep in mind that the New Year gives you 12 months to acheive your goals. Stressing yourself because you don't get it right in the first month, doesn't really help.

Write them down and revisit them periodically throughout the year.

Take your time, stay positive and be deliberate.

Niche web sites Help Overcome Barriers to Employment

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that the average job search is taking about twenty-eight weeks. The word “average” is important here. Many of us know people who have been very lucky and picked up new roles in a couple of months while we know others who have been unemployed for over a year in this current recession.

Time-to-employment is impacted by many factors, over which the jobseeker has control including number of hours committed to job search and how willing a job seeker is to explore multiple career options.

Time-to-employment can also be impacted by other factors over which the jobseeker has not much control – at least not in the short term. Some of these factors could be discrimination around age, disability or race or previous gaps in employment. Although we know these factors are at work, it is often hard to prove that an employer may be unfairly screening you out of the candidate pool.

If you think you are being impacted by any of these factors, the last thing you want to do is pull back on your job search and lose focus. Instead, you want to improve your chances of being hired by adding one important strategy to your job search -Connect with transition resources that have a track record for success in niche employment.

These niche resources can help job seekers narrow the focus enough to hit the bullseye and land an opportunity in a shorter time.

For example, eSight Career Networks, lists jobs for the disabled, and offers career tips to help professionals deal with disability employment issues. The Fortune Society, works to help people who have been incarcerated improve job search skills and build better lives through meaningful employment. Workforce50 serves older workers with a full service job board and career information website for Boomers.

If your job search is being stalled by some of these factors, get a leg up by finding resources in your online and “on-land” communities.

November was National Career Development Month

I am very, very late with my blogs this month. Not typical of me, but took on a new full time assignment and had a little bit of a settling-in routine. Not to worry, I feel I am in my zone now and ready to be productive.

In the meantime, November, the National Career Development Month, has just about come and gone. Before you know it, we will be looking at the 2010 Franklin Covey new year's resolution list.

Even though November is almost over, I wanted to remind you of the 30 assignments I usually share this time of year that, if used, could help every professional improve their career satisfaction.

Here they are again, with an accompanying blog post for each:

Here they are again:
Day 1 - Career Change Requires a Positive Attitude
Day 2 - Analyze Your Job
Day 3 - Evaluate Your Skills
Day 4 - Grab a Career Book
Day 5 - Focus on Training
Day 6 - Start Reading Career Blogs and Articles
Day 7 - Start a Career Journal
Day 8 - Start Working on a Career Portfolio
Day 9 - Get a Handle on Workplace Stress
Day 10 - Join Your Alumni Association
Day 11 - What's in Your Personnel File?
Day 12 - Enhance Technical Skills at Work
Day 13 - Thinking About Starting a Business
Day 14 - Join a Professional Association
Day 15 - Rejuvenate Your Contacts
Day 16 - Volunteer!
Day 17 - Create a Kudos Folder
Day 18 - Research Upcoming Job Fairs
Day 19 - Update Your Resume and CV
Day 20 - Explore Career Assessments
Day 21 - Job+Holiday=Stress; Get Some Perspective this Season
Day 22 - Look for Work Life Balance
Day 23 - Are career Myths Holding you Back?
Day 24 - Share your Resume and get Feedback
Day 25 - Learn About Informational Interviews
Day 26 - Identify 2-3 Career Options
Day 27 - Identify Gaps in Skills and Competencies
Day 28 - Register with 3 Employment Websites
Day 29 - Put Your References on Notices
Day 30 - Spend Time with a Career Coach

60 Weeks to a Health Care Career

The next time you have a doctor’s appointment, note how much time you actually spend with your personal physician vs. how much time you spend with medical office support staff. If you are like most people, you might find you spend more time with the office assistants and medical support staff than you do with your doctor.

I have nothing against doctors; I love mine!

As a career management professional, I often get asked about employment trends and ways to recession proof careers. Because of that, I am always observing the workplace, the roles people play, how organizations function and whether or not employees are a "fit" for their roles. I am also always scouting new opportunities to share with readers.

During my last visit to my doctor to remove stitches from the sole of my right foot, I noticed how much of my time I spent with medical office assistants.

The medical office assistants and staffers did everything from verifying my insurance eligibility, retrieving my charts and collecting my co-pay. The assistants in the front office who worked with me were energetic, friendly and showed real interest in hearing about the freak accident where I stepped on the neck of my son's Double Bass, which he had left laying across the living room floor, in the dark.

It made me think about how important these medical office assistants are to smooth operations of healthcare offices whether they are working in my doctor’s private office, in hospitals, insurance companies or with local, state or federal government agencies.

As our demographics continue to shift due to longer life expectancy, the Department of Labor reports that the health care sector, is expected to account for about 3.6 million new wage and salary jobs up to 2014. The health care industry is focused on attracting new labor to meet growing demand in these allied health professions. Since many of the front line, high demand jobs in the sector, like medical office assistants, do not require a four year degree, many schools, are making medical office assistant training available.

If you know a displaced employee, a recent graduate who has not yet landed the right opportunity or someone thinking about changing careers, urge them to consider a career in health care.

The field is growing and pending health care reforms will make the industry a hot area for employment for the foreseeable future.

The Halloween Costume vs. The Corporate Costume

IMG_2421 - Cruella de Vil
Originally uploaded by Anime Nut

I watched the Halloween episode of The Office last night. Yes, I tore myself away from The World Series to get my weekly fix of the crazy, wacky shenanigans of the gang at The Office.

By the way, GO PHILLIES! But I digress...

When I moved to California, I worked in a major corporate travel office where business professional attire was a daily must.

As Halloween approached, and everyone became increasingly excited, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Halloween came and I realized that people really looked forward to sharing their real selves with each other...all under the guise of an office event.

Once I told my kids about the fact that people at my office dressed up, they were ecstatic that Mom should do it too. I had capitulated and gone in as Robin Hood. At 5'10" it was the only costume I thought comfortable enough for my 60 minute commute. In fact, I wore pants over my tights and finished my get-up in the bathroom at work, not daring to be seen on the road or in the business park in a Halloween costume.

I was truly amazed at the steps some of my colleagues had taken to get the perfect fit and look. Still relatively new to California, I did not realize that many of my colleagues were aspiring actors and actresses. Many had already been in paid roles or were always auditioning or waiting for the big break.

One shift manager, always the comic, came in a complete, couture bridal attire, with two "bridesmaids" to accompany him and be at his beck and call for the entire shift. One company owner, usually stoic and professional, shaved his beard and goatee and came to work, fully made up as his very pregnant wife - which was hysterical. Turns out he had grown the beard and goatee for months to add impact when he came in for his big reveal.

One supervisor, known for her abrasive manner, appropriately came in as Cruella deVil and was lauded for doing so.

What struck me about that day, as I sat in my safe, Robin Hood get-up, was the energy that went through the office. It seemed easy for people to stay in character and be what they wanted to be for the whole day. Conversations were no holds barred as shifts changed and staff came and went. People came in early and stayed beyond their schedules to hang out, eat and just see each other.

We worked in a call center, and even though our callers might not have perceived the difference, we hope, the folks in the office certainly had a blast being these "characters" that revealed much about ourselves.

When the costumes went away the next day and we went back to "normal" corporate attire, there was a palpable feeling of routine and weariness. Some of that was no doubt because many of my co-workers were hungover from going to the famed Halloween parade at Santa Monica pier on Halloween night.

Aside from that though, I think people were somewhat unhappy going back to the corporate masks many of us wear to work every day.

With the Halloween costume, we can call people as we see them...crazy, stupid, funny, back stabber, silly, angry, evil or hellish.

Not so, the other 364 days of the year. Do that and you could end up in HR or court!

Don't Always Blame the Resume in the Job Search

“I am not getting any offers and so I need to change my resume,” is something I hear all the time.

In fact, it is one popular rationale frustrated job seekers use if their job search isn't yielding results. Of course in some cases the resumes may be the cause of the job search setbacks, but in many other cases, some job seekers have done a pretty good job with resume writing all on their own or with the help of professional resume writers.

Once I establish that the resume is fine, I usually to ask for them to tell me a little bit more about their job search strategy.

For example, if they have been sending out resumes, getting interviews and not getting offers, the probability is great that the problem is NOT the resume. Getting the offer is more about doing an excellent job in the job interview. If a job seeker is not interviewing well, then the goal should be to work on mastering some job interview techniques instead of embarking on a resume re-write.

If you or someone you know is having a tough job search, maybe these tips can help decide if it is necessary to jump into a resume revamp or work on other parts of the job search strategy.

Keep in mind there are many places between the resume and the offer where a job search can be derailed.

1. Remember -- this is a tough economy. If you are not getting employer calls -- do not assume that your resume is the problem. A quick rule of thumb I learned from a supervisor years ago--expect a 20-30% response rate to your resume. If you distribute 10 resumes, expect 2 or 3 call backs. This will vary based on industry, profession and qualifications etc, but you should know what to expect for your search. The last thing you want to do is to keep your head down and hide away from the job market because you are rewriting your resume.

2. If you are getting calls, then your resume might be doing the job. It is possible you may be just not making a good impression on the call. Do you sound low energy or sound lost about which job the recruiter is calling about? Are you remembering to ask for the interview in the phone screening?

3. Are you aware of the potential weak points in your resume and have an answer ready for the recruiter on the phone? If you are getting calls and don't have a solid explanation, for why you have had 3 jobs in 2 years, why you had an extended absence from the workforce or why your GPA is low. These reasons can cause you not to make it to the interview. In other words, know the potential weak spots in your career history and be ready to speak to those in the initial call.

4. So you are getting interviews, but not getting offers, the problem is most likely not your resume. Think through the interview you have had. Be honest with yourself and write down where you think you may not have been strong. Get some help with that part of the process. It could be as simple as the fact that you are not selling yourself in the interview or that your interview follow up is not as good as it could be.

5. If your job search constitutes just an online strategy and you aren't using a scannable resume fomat -- it could be the reason for no call backs. Maybe without a scannable resume format, your resume is not making it to the employer in a format they can read.

6. If your entire job search strategy is on-line, you may want to broaden your horizons and develop an "on-land" job search strategy as well. You know..like old times, you may have to attend job fairs, open houses or participate in networking events. "Pounding the pavement" again so to speak, will help put YOU behind your resume. In many cases, resumes by themselves won't do the trick in a tough market.

So, before you hunker down for a resume rewrite or throw out the one you have, take a few minutes and honestly evaluate where your job search strategy may be going awry.

Get Fit for Life; Become a Personal Trainer

If you are considering a new career path in the growing personal wellness industry, have you thought about the following reasons to become a Personal Trainer?

Emphasis on Health and Wellness
There is no topic today garnering more air time and public debate than healthcare. Listen carefully to the dialogue and you’ll hear conversations about a healthy new focus on wellness and preventative care. If a lot of clinical work is not appealing to you, but you love the concept of helping people live healthier lives, consider becoming a Personal Trainer. It is definitely a way to enter the increasingly important healthcare industry.

Projected Need for Personal Trainers
The US Department of Labor projects that the need for Personal Trainers will grow much faster than average over the next several years. As the self-help industry grows, more people are turning to independent professionals like Personal Chefs and Life Coaches to help them keep their lives on track. Personal Trainers will have the same ability to support individuals, families and organizations create and maintain healthy habits.

Evolution in the Occupation
In an interview with WebMD, Fred Klinge, chairman of Health and Registry Board at the American College of Sports Medicine spoke of how the scope of personal fitness trainers had broadened. "It's not just about weight lifting and cardio work anymore…it's more about assistance in developing a healthy and fit lifestyle."

Chance to Start a Business
Self employment is an increasingly attractive option in this tough economy as people look for ways to “recession proof” their careers and create multiple streams of income. If you are already committed to your own personal fitness routine but would love to motivate and support others to reach their goals, consider working towards a new career as a Personal Trainer.

As with all career decisions, due diligence is required. Start your research by exploring personal training programs like the one at Bryan College, offering flexible, online classes which can lead to a certificate in about 60 weeks.

Handling Rejection in the Job Search

I wanted to write about the 9.8% unemployment rate, but didn't want to say all the negative and scary things we already all know. So I decided to share again something from one of my fellow career bloggers - Working Girl - who always has a funny insightful way to handle things.

Here are the first 5 things in her list of 20 ways to handle rejection in the job search.

1. Pout. Go into a room by yourself, feel miserable, and cry (keep this activity to under 20 minutes). BullsEye thinks in this economy..24 hours is fair...

2. Treat yourself. A massage, an evening out, a new pair of earrings. Only stuff you can afford. BullsEye thinks if you can't afford any of these, buy a scented candle...

3. Throw a fit. Allow yourself a lovely little tantrum. In private. Beat up some pillows or sofa cushions. Let ‘em have it. BullsEye reminds you to not hurt yourself in the process...

4. Get yerself some love. Talk it out with a close understanding friend, family member, or loved one. Let them comfort you. BullsEye agrees! This can work wonders.

5. Vent. Write it out in your journal, on your blog. If you’re a songwriter, write a song. If you’re a poet, write a poem. If you’re a painter, paint a painting. BullsEye wants to remind you not to vent too much on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or MySpace. You don't want to destroy your online persona with too much online ranting!

There are 15 more quick points from Karen at Working Girl to help you manage rejection in the job search! Read them here and share with others who might need to smile or laugh today!

You will have to imagine the BullsEye thoughts for the others....

Five Reasons Not To Change Your Career

I read this article today and thought Graham Hart, had a good perspective on some of the career myths that guide our decisions as we ponder changing careers. He sarcastically titles the piece, "Five Reasons Not to Change Your Career."

Reason 1: I am too old for a career change!
The article reminds us that Ray Kroc didn’t start McDonalds until he was 52 years old and Henry Ford was in his forties when he started Ford Motor Company. The fact is there is still projected a significant global talent shortage over the next few years and so there may still be opportunities.

Reason 2: No time to study!
Changing careers definitely takes additional training - sometimes! In many cases this one is about motivation rather than time. In other words once the decision is made, people find the time - especially since education is increasingly accessible online.

Reason 3: I'd change; but I don't know to what!
As Graham says, this is one of those circular arguments that hold us back. The kind of argument we play over and over in our minds - 'I would change careers, but I don't know what to change to and as soon as I find out, I will make the change." Here is the issue, most people do not take the time, take the steps or use the tools to find out. Tools like career assessments such as the Skills Profiler mentioned, career coaches, mentors and research can help.

Reason 4: I am stuck because there is nothing else I can do!
The tools I suggested before in the previous answer - career assessments, career coaches, mentors and research - are all ways to help you discover where else you could be great.

Reason 5: I can't afford to change!
This is a tough one! Sometimes you have to think about whether or not the stress of being in the wrong job or career is tolerable. In other words - for your next career move, think about how you would feel if you were stuck in that role for a long time in a recession. In other words, can you outlast the recession in your existing role, especially when you don't know how long the recession will last.

Additional career article - Are These Career Myths Holding you Back?

Graham Hart is an Executive Coach and runs BestCareer-4You.com

Do More than Read Job Titles! Look for clues..

I was having a conversation recently with a job seeker who had concluded that there were just no jobs out there for her. It was a little surprising since she is actually in a field that has quite a few opportunities, despite the bad economy.

After a few minutes, I realized that she was so fixated on the last job title she held, she really wasn't looking for broader possibilities and reading job descriptions carefully enough. In fact, she was actually discarding possible job opportunities because the job title in the job description was not familiar to her.

I think that many job seekers might actually be in the same boat as my friend.

Many people get attached to their job titles and their current job descriptions, they may actually be overlooking the actual day-to-day assignments involved in a particular job - especially if the job description has evolved over time.

Online job boards today, do a pretty incredible job of making it easy for people to find job opportunities just by using keywords. Employers used to be able to search for resumes using keywords and now every job board gives similar capabilities to job seekers.

However, job seekers should keep in mind though that although keywords can help us really narrow the scope quickly, reading the job descriptions carefully is still a good idea. As we read the job description, think about the skills, behaviors and experiences that are transferable from one industry to the next and one job to the next.

Keep in mind that favorite anecdote that I share all the time (don't remember where I read it, but really think it is true) - Roughly 80% of the people who get hired only have about 60% of what the job description listed.

What does that mean for the job seeker?

It means that although the job description is a great guide for what you will ultimately do on the job, it is only a partial guide to what the employer might be willing to hire right now.

So, as you read job descriptions, try to read and think between the lines. Think about the "success behaviors" behind the job titles and the job descriptions. Plan to showcase these in your resume and demonstrate them in the interview. Do not sabotage your own job search strategy and limit your options by stopping at the job title in the job description.

Want to tell your career or job search story? Come over to BullsEyeCareerBlogs and add your comments!

Time to Reconnect and Network

If you are actively executing a job search strategy or just thinking about making a career change or switching jobs, it might be time to rekindle and rejuvenate some of your contacts otherwise known as "networking".

Set aside some soon to reconnect with an old boss, a former colleague or fellow professional you may have met at a conference.

Many successful professionals use their planners, PDA's or online calendar software to actually schedule time to reconnect with others every few months. It is important to keep in mind that networking actually begins way before you are in the market for a new job or new career and so constant communication is important.

Another networking tip is to keep in mind is that a good professional relationship is really a two way street.

It's not just about what others can offer you, but what you can do to help them. As Dr. Ivan Misner says in his book, Masters of Networking - "Givers Gain"