, can often be a frightening situation f.

Unemployment Blues? . . . Dig Yourself Out With A Proven Strategy!<
> Look Well Into the Future When Career Planning

Although the initial stages of career planning are crucial to success, looking well into the future when career planning is essential if that success is going to be maintained. Careers change, the market changes, the economy changes. If you want to make sure that you remain a hot commodity in your career, you need to make sure that you can roll with the punches.

The best way to look into the future, you must start by looking into the past. What have been the trends of your industry? Where has its competition come from in the past? What companies have survived and which haven’t? Why?

Next, look at the current state of the new industry in which you hope to work and ask the same questions. Choose case studies in the form of major companies. Find out who the key players are in these companies and check out their career path. What did they do after school and entry level positions? Read business journals and check out industry forums online. Where is the current threat coming from? What are people saying about the future of the industry? How will that affect your ability to get a job in your chosen career and keep it five, ten, twenty years down the road?

Now, look at both of these groups of facts and consider your future. What areas will you need to acquire frequent updates on information and skills in order to maintain your position and move up? A certain amount of critical thinking is necessary to prepare yourself for the possible twists and turns of the market as it concerns your chosen career. By assessing the past, taking note of the present, and planning for the future, you will have a much higher chance of not only holding onto your new career but excelling at it as well.
Planning Your Career

One of the most important decisions we make in our lives involves our careers. More than just having a job, a career is a life choice, a journey that we choose for ourselves for gainful employment and fulfillment of our lives. For many people, planning a career begins right after high school when deciding on which college to attend and what courses to take. For others, career planning takes place a little later in life, perhaps after having settled a family and a home.

Planning your career is not too dissimilar to planning a dinner party. There are preparations that need to be made if your dinner party is to be a success. The same preparations need to be made for your career. Look at your career as if it were a ladder, you dont start at the top of the ladder instantly, you work your way up from the bottom or near bottom to get to where you want to be - at the top.

One of the first decisions you need to make is to decide on the career you wish to follow. Researching the career field prior to any further decision making is key. Find out what necessary steps you will need to take in the way of education, certification and experience to get to the pinnacle of your career.

Talking with professionals in the career field of your choice can help you find out and decide which path is best for you to take on your way to the career of your dreams.
Which Direction For My Career

There comes a time for most people when they ask themselves about which direction they should take for their career. For some, this question is asked before their career even begins, perhaps even before entering college.

In most cases, the sooner you can decide on the direction that you would like to take your career, the better. Forethought and planning can help make the decision making process easier earlier on in your career. The first thing you need to remember is that you will likely not start off at the top of the ladder, but rather that you will need to work your way up to your goal career position.

One of the primary considerations when deciding on the directionality of your career is education requirements. Are there special degrees or certificates that you will need to advance your career and where are they available? Time may be a factor, especially if you are already working in the career field of your choice. There may be options of night schools or correspondence courses to get the degrees and certificates necessary to advance your career.

By defining your goals as clearly as possible, armed with information, you can set a course for career fulfillment and find a time frame that will suit your needs and career advancement.

Deciding on the direction you would like to take your career in is not an easy decision to make, nor one you should make hastily. Take your time and clearly define where you want to be in one year, three years, five years and ten years. Research for information to help you understand what you will need to accomplish to meet these goals.

Unemployment is painful, especially if you’re ready and willing to get to work. Changing that situation quickly could depend on a proven job search strategy. Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t use it or misuse it. But, if you can master it, you can turn your time looking for a job into a matter of days.

First, you have to understand an important statistic. Studies have shown that only about 5 to 10 percent of all new jobs are posted in classified ads or on the internet. The other positions are filled by word of mouth!

So, whether you’re looking for a new job or making some other career change, the way you go about finding the majority of available jobs is to take advantage of “word of mouth.” And you do that through a proven job search strategy called “networking.”

Networking is a vital tool for gathering information, talking to the right people and locking up an opportunity that’s right for you.

Accessing other people, especially ones you already know is simple and straightforward. The only complication is our reluctance to ask other folks for a job. However, if you can put that notion aside and simply approach others for “advice,” you’ll be amazed at how helpful folks are willing to be to “advise” you.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of networking:

1. Have your ducks in a row. Know precisely what you are looking for that’s consistent with your talents and capabilities. And practice representing yourself out loud before you approach anyone.

2. Never ask anyone for a job or to find you a job. Always ask for advice. It puts you and your contact at ease. And they will feel much more comfortable opening doors for you if they don’t feel under pressure, and you don’t appear as desperate.

3. Prepare a contact bank. This is list of people you know who would be please to offer advice. Or they can introduce you to someone who can be helpful.

4. Be an assertive listener. Your task here is to acquire as much information and insight as possible. And then, when appropriate, you ask you contact to introduce you to other people who can advance your networking. Some of these introductions may mean direct access to a decision-maker who may have an opportunity for you.

Your unemployment blues can be quickly resolved when you master the skills of networking. Fortunately there is a fabulous job search system that can teach you the skills of networking and show you how to lock up a good job in a matter of days!

About the Author

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! http://www.fastest-job-search.com