Career Advice

Career Change After 40 - How to Market Your Experience

2011-09-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

Making a career change over 40 isn't any easier than it was in your 20s or 30s. Whether your decision is based on your desire to finally pursue your dreams or a need to find a new career path due to an ever-shrinking market or faltering industry, making a career change in mid-life can leave even the most confident job seekers asking themselves, "How do I find a new career?"

Before you start sending out resumes, you must first take the time to make a plan for your next career - assessing your skills (including those that may be transferable in your new field) and really plotting a new trajectory for yourself.

Do a Little Job Research

Just the idea of starting over can be both scary and exciting. But don't let the fear be paralyzing, or keep you from making a change. It can also be rather easy to get carried away by the dazzle and romance of new possibilities. The best way to keep your wits about you during this time of uncertainty is by arming yourself with information. A career change can often mean, not only a new position or role but, most times, a whole new industry. Before making a move you need to investigate the realities of both the role and the industry you hope to start your new career in.

* Employ the help of a Career or Life Coach to guide you in making and executing your plan for a new career path.

* Start by exploring your career possibilities, picking those that interest you most and researching them online or through your local library.

* Next speak with people in your intended industry or those who hold the position you desire. Ask them if you could informally interview them about their career to discuss the realities of what it takes to work in their field and what it's like.

* Attend professional meetings and industry or trade association conferences. The goal of these organizations is to support the development and advancement of people in that particular field or industry, they would likely be able to give you invaluable information or point you towards a mentor.

* Once you've narrowed down your job possibilities, assess your current skill set to see what experience you already have that could serve you well for that position and what skills you would need to develop. Is there a sizeable gap in your knowledge and skills? If so, you'll need to ask yourself, "would the time and money you'd need to invest be worth the investment to bridge these gaps?"

Using these multiple methods to assess your career potential will help you minimize risk and remain realistic about what it will take to make a smooth transition to your new career.

Take your New Career for a Test Drive

You've done your research and assessed your skills but how will you know for sure that your new career will be a good fit for you or not? The only way to know for sure is to actually do the job, which means it's time to put your new career choice to the test.

Look for part-time opportunities, job shadowing with a mentor, open internships or apprenticeships, or work as a contractor. These no-strings-attached jobs can provide the perfect opportunity to explore your target career, learning the industry standards and expectations, meeting people and trying out your specific skills and experience, without making a long term commitment. These experiments can be done before you've given up your current position. Once you found something that feels like a good fit, you can begin to move forward with your transition, with the peace of mind that you are making a choice that will serve you well. As you begin your transition, here are some things you can do to ensure your future success:

Lastly Re-brand yourself - Ageless

Part of your new career transition is reinventing yourself and consequently, who you are and what you do as a brand. To create a new professional identify or re-brand yourself and develop your reputation in a new industry or field you'll need to define what your new brand stands for and communicate these effectively through resumes, social networks like LinkedIn and business cards. Then develop a plan to market yourself. Taking the time to think this through before creating a resume or portfolio tailored for your new career will allow you to build credibility quickly in your new field.

Branding, Resume and Interview Tips

* Skip language that points to your age like "energetic," "youthful," "seasoned" or "veteran" and instead focus on your knowledge of current trends and state of the art developments in your industry.

* Limit your resume to one page or the last 15 years of applicable experience

* Focus on your results instead of the number of years of experience

* Skip graduation dates - they're irrelevant and show your age

* Highlight recent certifications, trainings or newly developed skills

* Downplay titles, especially those that showcase a senior management position and may end up disqualifying you for an entry level position in your new career.

* Be specific about your experience not in years but rather by using concrete numbers to speak about your accomplishments in company efficiency, growth or revenue.

* Highlight your flexibility and ability to adapt to changes and industry breakthroughs.

3 Things You Didn't Know About Physical Therapists

2011-08-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Physical therapists are commonly mistaken as masseuses and this may be because the job of a PT involves massaging the patient. However, being a PT delves more than just the typical tasks of a masseuse. And not only does the work of a masseuse different from a PT but the benefits of being a professional PT far outweigh those of a masseuse. Here are 3 things you didn't know about physical therapy.

Keep in mind that a PT is schooled for a good number of years while a masseuse is only trained for a few months and then they can now knead and pound to give relief to tired and stressed out muscles. Physical therapy is a science. It does not give instant relief of tired and cramped up muscles instead it finds the root cause of the pain and cures it.

Being a PT gives you the opportunity to help people be cured from joint, muscle spasm and body pains. The reason why many people are so into PT is that they know that every penny they pay for the physical therapist is worth every dime. PT utilizes techniques that have been backed by scientific studies which have been proven to heal all sorts of specific ailments. The result of which is a lasting cure that would eventually relieve people from physical pain. It involves massaging the patient so as to improve the blood circulation within the patient's body thus improving his health also. One of the most common disease that needs the help of a professional PT is arthritis or joint pain, this can be resolved by helping the patient execute some light exercises. One of the reasons why people suffer from arthritis is due to old age, genes and the other is lifestyle.

You see being a physical therapist does not only pertain to earning a hefty amount of money but it also means being able to help other people. Sometimes life is not just all about the green bucks instead it also encourages us to reach out to other people.

Not all jobs open the door of opportunity to help other people. And this is what makes the physical therapy job a wonderful career for everyone. Another great thing about being a PT is that the job opportunity is endless and it provides everyone a number of opportunities both locally and internationally.

Every professional Pt knows that the freedom of being able to work anytime they want is possible. For people who hate working in a 8-5 schedule, being a PT is the right career for you! This is because physical therapists can negotiate with their patients the time and day of therapy session. So, there is no need for you to work on time that you are not comfortable. Of course, there will also be emergencies when there is a need for you to work on certain holidays but you can always let somebody take over your place if you are not happy with it.

Tips on Passing the CPIM Certification Exams

2011-08-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

There are five modules total in the CPIM certification; each one requiring its own examination. There are plenty of courses available online which may guide the student more quickly through the material. You can also purchase a guide with sample questions through the APICS website. You will be taking the exam at a computer-based testing center. All of the questions are multi-option. There are 105 questions in the Basics of Supply Chain Management module. The rest of the modules have 75 questions. By doing your preparation on actually taking the exam, you're in better shape walking into the examination center than the unsuspecting, unprepared layperson. It should also help you when you study and when you are managing your time during the test.

How to Answer the Questions

The multiple-choice questions on the CPIM will have four choices. About one-third of the questions are dual-level multiple-choice questions. For example, a question that offers you 3 choices (A-C) and then mixes on those choices (D, all of the above, and E, A & B) are referred to as dual-level questioning. These questions are thrown into higher level exams to reduce and discourage guessing strategies. You may have read that the most common answer in multiple choice tends to be "C". Do not count on that being the case with the CPIM. The test is random, as you'd anticipate, and any of the answers can appear correct given the context in which they're presented. It is important to realize how to read and answer multiple-choice questions for the CPIM, but you still have to know the material.

General Suggestions

On the modules with 75 questions, you will have more than two minutes per question to answer. You should know that many people finish the exam with plenty of time to spare, so don't worry about your time. You can go through the test and answer the questions you know the answer to right away. Mark the ones that may have you baffled and come back to them later; the key is maintaining momentum. You are able to go back and check your work on the test before completing it. If time's permitting read through each question and re-verify your decision behind the answer. Remember, you are not penalized for wrong answers, but you are penalized for answers that are left blank. Depending on the module, you may need to use pencil and paper to do computational work. We advocate saving these for last so you don't inadvertently use up your time doing hand calculations.

Police Training Courses - Preparing Yourself for a Police Career

2011-08-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

As police officer opportunities become more competitive, police training courses likewise become more vital. Fortunately, the ever-increasing access to quality police training courses, both online and on campus, has made the completion of vital police training courses easier than ever.

As an overview, consider these educative options as your introduction to an array of valuable police training courses.

Vocational Diplomas

It's a good idea to begin with an online search for vocational schools that provide police training courses. Many present classes online, others in a more conventional setting. In either case, although a vocational diploma should not be considered as a replacement for a college degree in criminal justice, it does provide a sound introduction to law enforcement. As an added benefit, the diploma serves as strong foundation for students who are eventually attend a police academy, or for those who are not certain if they want to invest in a criminal justice degree.
Typically, vocational schools separate their programs into segments or modules. The curriculum will most probably begin with an introduction to criminal justice system and all of its parts, such as the court system and juvenile justice as examples.

Subsequent segments will concentrate on evidence collection and analysis, gathering and identifying evidence, safe-guarding a crime scene, techniques for interviewing and interrogation, or basic investigative skills. Ultimately, the sessions will become more advanced, and will address criminal law, constitutional law, the protection of rights, and criminal prosecution, to name a few.

The intent of these vocational police training courses is to provide students with a familiarity of the criminal justice system. In this regard, the curriculum does an excellent job and offers a solid foundation for further advanced studies, either prior to or after admission to a police agency.

It should be noted that the vocational diploma is far more affordable than a degree. Tuition can start as low as $1000 for a whole course.

Associate or Bachelor Degrees

The most advanced police training courses are those offered as a part of a university degree in criminal justice. In fact, countless police departments do require a degree as a condition of employment, however not necessarily a criminal justice degree.

Regardless, a college degree of any type is a significant asset for all police candidates. With respect to individuals who are committed to a criminal justice degree, the good news is that both web and traditional academic institutions offer a wide variety of options.

Like all college degrees, both the associate and bachelor's programs in criminal justice require a combination of elective classes as well as core classes. Electives commonly consist of mathematics and sciences, foreign language, or social studies, among others. In addition, both associate and bachelor criminal justice degree programs offer a variety of core courses where classes specific to the major are offered. In all cases, the classes and the prerequisites shall be determined by the individual academic institutions, and by the specific focus of the degree.

While the associate degree is not definitive as the bachelor's degree, the associate degree does provide a strong introduction to the criminal justice system. Opening core course will likely contain a study of the overall criminal justice system.

Additionally, similar to the bachelor programs, the associate programs will focus on subjects such as crime scene investigations, or corrections, or other sorts of career specific police training courses. All credits received during the course of the associate's degree can be applied to a bachelor's degree.

Bachelor's degrees in criminal justice provide a more advanced course of study when compared to the associate degree programs. Again, specializations will differ depending on the institution. Bachelor level police training courses, bachelor's classes are very likely to delve into more advanced aspects of criminal law, constitutional law, physical evidence analysis, classification of crimes, police procedures, or domestic violence and juvenile justice issues. Even more specialized police training courses will focus in part on organized criminal pursuits, gang violence, drug investigations, or community policing.

How to Start Off A Career As A Paralegal

2011-07-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Paralegals are commonly known as legal assistants. Although they can carry out the same jobs as lawyers, they are not allowed to perform duties and responsibilities that are within the scope of practice of law. Therefore, they are not authorized to provide legal advice to clients. They are also interdicted to practice law without obtaining a license. Most of the job duties of a paralegal will involve preparing paperwork for trials and hearings, conducting research to assist lawyers they are working with, drafting legal documents and writing reports. This profession requires completing an examination for the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or a paralegal certification given by the National Association of Legal Assistants.

Paralegal profession is ideal for anyone who wishes to have a career in the field of law but does not want to become a lawyer. Essentially, a paralegal is a starting point to test if this is the right field for an individual.

Different ways to become a paralegal

To become a paralegal, you can start working in any field that involves administrative duties. From there, you can transfer into the position of legal assistant.

Some lawyers can send few of their employees in order for them to obtain paralegal degrees and undergo trainings needed so they can perform job duties of a paralegal. While other individuals take initiatives and acquire necessary skills and experience to become a paralegal.

Furthermore, many individuals attained their paralegal position through promotion in their current workplace. However, this avenue will not always guarantee that you can assuredly become a paralegal.

How to become a paralegal according to the professional standards?

To guarantee that you can perform job duties of a paralegal, you need to earn required paralegal degrees.

Another way to become a paralegal is to complete a paralegal certification examination. This certificate will increase your chances to be qualified in an entry-level paralegal job. Moreover, a paralegal certificate offers good foundation for aspiring paralegals. While you are earning this certificate, you are also learning the basics of legal research and analysis, legal ethics and other skills required to become an effective paralegal.

How to obtain paralegal certificate or degrees?

Certificate programs for paralegals are being offered in various places. You can enroll at junior colleges, in a 4-year university, or vocational schools. With the advancement of technology, paralegal certificates can also be gained through online paralegal programs.

If you are enrolled in college or university, you may inquire at your school if they offer paralegal studies. In this way, you can take a couple of courses to gain some knowledge about the job duties of a paralegal. As you study its responsibilities, you can resolve whether this profession is the right one for you.

Things to Remember on Your FIRST JOB!

2011-07-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Graduation time is around and a lot of my young friends are preparing for their placements and their first foray into the big corporate world! Most of my students wrote to me last week sending their queries on various things like resume, interviews etc. on number of points to make sure that they secure their dream job offer. However some of them surprised me by asking me if I had any advices for their first day at work! And so here I am, with important pointers for your first day at work on your first job. (I wish I had known all of these when I went for mine.)

1. First Impression
So you have nailed the interview and secured the job! Excellent! Of course you did great and that is the reason you were hired. Your employers are going to remember that forever! Right? No, wrong! It is not necessary that you will be directly working with the people who interviewed you. So, you do have to start afresh on your first day - meeting seniors, colleagues and subordinates. Remember to leave a great first impression as it will make the going forward easier. (Read my article on SPARK FORMULA for winning first impressions)

2. Know the 'unsaid' & 'unwritten' rules
It is important to familiarize yourself with the working culture of your company. The dress code, the lunch sessions, the code of conduct etc. The sooner you know this, the easier it will be for you to settle down and feel a part of the team. There are bigger things to learn and move ahead with, so make sure you get the basics right.

3. Colleagues, not friends!
Always, always remember that you are at work for your work and not to form great friendships. Your colleagues are your colleagues and not your pals, at least in the beginning. Now, here is the point. I am not asking you to be anti-social. But, being friendly is not same as being friends. We need to realize that there is a fine line between the two. You can't share your personal problems. gossips, or embarrassing moments with your colleagues. There is a certain amount of distance and decorum to be maintained at work. And this takes us to our next point.

4. What not to talk with your colleagues
There are certain things which are best left secrets at work place. The top contenders for this list would be your salary information, your personal ailments, your love life, complaints at work, issues with other colleagues or seniors and most importantly, gossip about any one! Talking about any of these would be a perfect way to destroy your professional image.

5. Write it down!
If ever there is a situation where you are supposed to take an important call at work or carry out a critical task, make sure to confirm it with your seniors in writing. This will be extremely useful for future communication regarding that matter.

6. Find a mentor
Find someone who is more experienced than you are, someone you can trust and someone you are comfortable talking to. Having a mentor will help you take a second opinion on important things and give you another perspective to matters.

7. Networking
Networking at work place is a very important and misunderstood phenomenon. Having a good personal network is as essential as being good at your work. Knowing your colleagues and seniors and having cordial relationships with them will always be helpful going forward.

8. Emotional Quotient
This is a very important point to be remembered by everyone new to workplace dynamics. It is very essential to control your emotions at work. Okay, so you had a bad day and things did not work out the way you wanted to. But you can not vent it out on your co-workers or fly off the handle. It is not at all okay to shout, swear or cry at work. Take a few moments away from the situation to calm yourself down.

9. Stay away from personal emails, phone calls, tasks and networking sites
With a lot of popular personal networking sites on the block with thousands of contacts to manage and socialize with, it can be tempting to keep checking your emails, messages and posts from time to time. However, try to refrain from letting the world know what you are doing or vice-versa during work hours. It will take a lot of your time off work, only increasing the load and decreasing the quality.

10. Art of saying 'No'
It is difficult to emphasize enough, the importance of this point. Saying no when required will not only help you manage your time better, but also help you maintain your work ethics. There will definitely be situations where you will need to be a little diplomatic and refuse the request you are presented with. There can be a number of ways to do this, but be sure to be polite and courteous all the while.

11. Learn as much as you can
Be enthusiastic at your new job and try and learn as much as you can. Ask questions to your seniors and colleagues who have been around for a while. Pick up new skills. Take advantage of any training or workshop which is conducted at work place. It will definitely help you in the long run. It is not sufficient to do, only what you are supposed to do. Learning and knowing more will help you take initiatives which will be key in determining your success in that role.

12. All work and no play
A big mistake which a lot of young professionals commit, is that they forget that work is one part of their life, it is not their life. Often they end up spending most or a lot of their time at office or working from home, which leaves very little time for their personal life. Remember that it is good to be diligent, but not good to be workaholic. Take time to read your favourite book or catch up with friends. You have just began your professional career, you do not want to drain out soon!

Paralegal Career Information: Is Certification Needed to Become a Paralegal?

2011-07-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

Behind those skillful lawyers are a group of individuals called paralegals or legal assistants. Paralegal is defined as a profession employed by a lawyer, governmental agency, law office or another entity that performs legal work. Although legal assistants may act as a lawyer, they are not allowed to represent as lawyers to the public or to present cases in open courts. Essentially, they work under the supervision of a lawyer, who is the officer of the court. Certification is not mandatory in the US. But, in order to obtain more job opportunities, anyone who wishes to become a paralegal needs to undergo paralegal training or take on further courses.

Mandatory Certification

As mentioned earlier, paralegals are not required to obtain a certification of paralegals. However, mandatory certification is being advocated these days. It is a catch-22 situation. The reason for this is to provide a distinction between real paralegals and merely legal secretaries. In addition to that, mandatory certification helps boost the standard of paralegals today.

If you want to become a paralegal, you have to be proactive and should decide to go ahead of the others by taking paralegal courses from accredited schools. You may also be able to learn online by doing online degrees to further help your career and increase your knowledge about this highly exciting and lucrative profession.

Paralegal accredited schools

One of the ways to obtain a certification is to attend a 2-year community college. However, if you are currently enrolled in a 4-year university, your school might be offering legal assistant courses. But your school should be certified by the American Bar Association (ABA).

Paralegal courses from any of the paralegal accredited schools will assist you in learning about the many facets of law. These courses will include sociology, litigation, marketing, different types of law, dispute resolution and professional and legal ethics.

Once you have finished paralegal courses, you can obtain further training through an internship program in a local lawyer's office. This is to help you hone your skills to become a certified legal assistant.

After you have completed your internship program, you should pass a final exam that allows you to receive a certification. When you will become a certified paralegal, you may take additional courses and other certifications provided by the National Federation of Paralegals Association.

Qualifications to practice as a paralegal

To become a legal assistant, you should be able to satisfy the following minimum requirements:

- 2-year in-house training

- 3 years experience in the paralegal field

- Passed the examination of the Certification Legal Assistant conducted by the National Association of Legal Assistants

- Completed courses or education from paralegal accredited schools

Most popular paralegal educational programs

- Bachelor degree programs to become a legal assistant. You will need to complete over 120 sessions related to paralegal studies. Completing this program entitles you to receive a bachelor's degree.

- Certificate programs are given after you have completed paralegal-related bachelor's degree programs.

- Master's degree program aims to further your knowledge about paralegal studies.

Paralegal certification may not be mandatory to help you become a paralegal. However, if you wish to grab more job opportunities in the paralegal world, you need to acquire certification and undergo paralegal training. In addition to that, you should also meet the minimum requirements to become a paralegal and earn paralegal education.

Finding a Job the Safe Way

2011-07-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

With a lot of job centre vacancies available, jobseekers have a lot of opportunities to find employment. There are so many job listings and advertisements found online and it is important to find out if the company behind the listing is legitimate or not. Scam job posts can be found almost everywhere. You can find these ads along with other job centre vacancies online, in the classified ads or on posters put up in the streets mixed up with advertisements for legitimate job openings. One must know the tell-tale signs of an ad that's designed to lure people into losing money instead of earning it.

Signs of a Scam

In a lot of cases, employers prefer to keep their identities anonymous when posting job centre vacancies in newspapers or on the internet. Not seeing the name on the company's job postings does not necessarily ring any alarm bells, so one must be extra vigilant in determining if the job opening is real or not. First, look at the contact numbers to call. Most HR phone numbers and hotlines are regular phone numbers or toll-free numbers. If you need to pay a lot of money for a phone call to recruiter, chances are you're not calling in to ask for a job interview schedule. Some ads also promise instant income or a high paying salary for minimal amount of work.

Though some of them are legitimate jobs, it may be false advertising and you might not get the job you expected. Some scammers place legitimate looking advertisements to lure people in. You can tell if you are being scammed when you are talking to the recruiter and they ask for information that is not necessary for the job, such as bank account and passport numbers, as well as other financial and personal information. Another sign you need to look out for is if you are asked to pay a placement fee or any other type of fee, especially for work overseas. You should never have to pay upfront fees for any form of assistance by a recruitment firm. They make their money through fees paid by employers and not the applicants.