A Plan to Escape the Cubicle

Lesson 3- Evaluate New Career Opportunities

Review of Lesson Two’s Final Thought

We wrapped-up Lesson 2 emphasizing that it is very important to gain a strong dose of reality with your existing career before idealizing another career path. If a dream job is not closely linked to what you are good at or comfortable doing on a daily basis, it is not a good fit, and you should not sacrifice your time and money to pursue it. The dream we have in our minds does not always match the reality of our lives, so it is extremely important to gain a strong dose of reality with your existing career before idealizing another career path.

I suggested that you stay where you are if at all possible. If your primary focus these days is your family and life outside of work, the less stressful position may be the better fit – even though it is not your dream job.

Try to be a better employee and coworker. Do all that you can to contribute to the organization’s success but, at the end of the day, if your current job is not where you should be, then follow the steps outlined in this course to put yourself in a position to make a change, the right change.

So You have decided to make a change

Dan Miller, the author of the book 48 Days to the Work You Love, stated in his book “Finding the life you love, and the work you love is a very individualized process – there is no one test, inventory or coaching process that will narrow down to one, and only one, right job fit for you.” Miller believes that every man and woman have unique skills and abilities that define us as individuals but many are frustrated because operating on our abilities alone is not enough. While our abilities result in high marks for job performance, our jobs do not give us meaning, fulfillment, and a true sense of accomplishment in what we do every day.

Miller goes on to say that “We tend to look at circumstances or opportunities first and then try to make our lives work around those. That is a recipe for frustration if not disaster. Our culture teaches us to plan your life around your work ­­ I encourage you to plan your work around the life you want.”

Where to Start

If you know, you do not like the career you have but you are not sure what to try next, make a list of the type of work that makes you happy. Take note of job factors that appeal to you, such as working outside, flexible hours or interaction with people. Next, take that list to your friends and family. Sometimes, an outside perspective can yield insights you never expected.

There are many online tools that can help you get a head start on choosing a new career path. We have included links to many of these options in the pages of this lesson and an additional list at the end of the lesson.

Another way to choose a career is to take a career questionnaire or test. These questionnaires are designed to help you determine which careers are a good match for your skills and your personality. For example, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is designed to help individuals measure their abilities and discover their interests, whether they are planning on joining the Military, going to school or finding a new career.

Narrowing Down the Career Options

Whether you are embarking on your first career out of school or looking to make a career change, the first step is to think carefully about what drives you. You might find it hard to get past thinking about “what pays the most” or “what is most secure,” especially in today’s economy. However, the truth is most employees rank job satisfaction above salary in ensuring they feel happy at work. So, unless you are in a situation where you have to take the first available job to make ends meet, it is important to focus on your primary interests and passions. This approach can open doors to careers that you might not have considered. Once you have that foundation, you can start fine tuning your search for the right career. You may be surprised at how you can fit your passions into a new career.

Exploring your career opportunities

• Focus on the things you love to do. What have you dreamed of doing in the past? What do you naturally enjoy doing? Jot down what comes to mind, no matter how improbable it seems.
• Look for clues everywhere. Take note of projects or topics that stir your compassion or excite your imagination. Reflect on stories of people you admire. Ask yourself why certain activities make you happy and pay attention to times when you are enjoying yourself.
• Be patient. Remember that your search may take some time, and you might have to go down a few different roads before finding the right career path. Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy and that bring you true satisfaction.
• Focus on the things you love to do. What have you dreamed of doing in the past? What do you naturally enjoy doing? Jot down what comes to mind, no matter how improbable it seems.
• Look for clues everywhere. Take note of projects or topics that stir your compassion or excite your imagination. Reflect on stories of people you admire. Ask yourself why certain activities make you happy and pay attention to times when you are enjoying yourself.
• Be patient. Remember that your search may take some time, and you might have to go down a few different roads before finding the right career path. Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy and that bring you true satisfaction.

CAREER-CHANGING TIPS

Maybe you are ready for a new challenge. Maybe you would like to make more money. Either way, changing careers is normal, and this advice can help you be successful no matter what career you choose:

• Determine If a Career Change Is Right for You
• Figure Out Which Career You Want
• Prepare Your Finances for a Career Change
• Train for Your New Career
• Break into Your New Career Field

Determine If a Career Change Is Right for You

Before you change careers, some soul searching is in order. You have to think about what you like and don’t like about your current job. For example, if your biggest problem at your current place of work is a temperamental boss, perhaps the solution is a new job in the same career field rather than a brand-new career.

Remember: Don’t dismiss a career change just because of your age. A younger person might think he or she should spend several years in the same career before making a change. An older person might not want to take the risk that a career change may require. What’s important, however, is whether or not your career is making the most of your talents.

Figure Out Which Career You Want

If you know you do not like the career you have, but you are not sure what to try next, make a list of the type of work that makes you happy. Take note of job factors that appeal to you, such as working outside, flexible hours or interaction with people. Next, take that list to your friends and family. Sometimes, an outside perspective can yield insights you never expected.

Another way to choose a career is to take a career questionnaire or test. These questionnaires are designed to help you determine which careers are a good match for your skills and your personality. For example, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is designed to help individuals measure their abilities and discover their interests, whether they are planning on joining the Military, going to school or finding a new career.

Sites:http://todaysmilitary.com/joining/asvab-test

Prepare Your Finances for a Career Change

Changing careers calls for an investment of time and money. Instead of quitting right away, calculate how much time and money you think you will need for training and living expenses while you are trying to break into your new career. If you think you might need to relocate, start saving for that as well. By setting aside money, you can reduce potential stress and focus on finding a career that excites you. These resources can help you get a ballpark figure for what you will need:

Personal Finance Calculators

Emergency Fund Worksheet

Moving Cost Calculator

Cost of Living Calculator

Train for Your New Career

You will need to set aside some time to gather the training and experience that will attract a potential employer within your new career field. The first step is to figure out how much training you need. For example, you may need to study a new language or learn some new computer skills. Buying some books or enrolling in a continuing education class may be all it takes to get going.

In some cases, you may need to enter a degree program to get the training you need. The following resources can help you decide which program is a good fit for your goals and can help you start planning:

• Search for four-year colleges
• Search for two-year colleges or trade schools
• Returning Students College Planning Timeline
• You may also want to think about joining the Military as a way to train for a new career. The Military provides multiple educational and training opportunities, such as certification programs. Through military service, you can also take advantage of tuition support programs and the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Learn more about college assistance through the Military.

More on the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Break into Your New Career Field

Once you have planned and trained, it is time to find a job in your new career. Create a résumé that highlights your training and experiences in your new field, and don’t forget to start networking. Make a set of business cards, let your friends know that you are looking for a new job and consider joining a professional association in your new field so you can learn more from your peers.

Résumé Builder

Checklist: Building a Career Network

Discovering new possibilities

Whether you are embarking on your first career out of school or looking to make a career change, the first step is to think carefully about what drives you. You might find it hard to get past thinking about “what pays the most” or “what is most secure,” especially in today’s economy. However, the truth is most employees rank job satisfaction above salary in ensuring they feel happy at work. So, unless you are in a situation where you have to take the first available job to make ends meet, it is important to focus on your primary interests and passions. This may open doors to careers that you might not have considered. Once you have that foundation, you can start fine tuning your search for the right career. You may be surprised at how you can fit your passions into a new career.

Exploring your career opportunities

Overcoming obstacles to career fulfillment

It is always challenging to consider a huge change in your life, and there may be many reasons why you think changing careers is not possible. Here are some common obstacles with tips on how to overcome them:

It is too much work to change careers. Where would I ever begin? Changing careers does require a substantial time investment. However, remember that it does not happen all at once. If you sit down and map out a rough plan of attack, breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones, it is a lot more manageable than you think. Moreover, if the payoff is a happier, more successful career, it is worth it.

I am too old to change careers. I need to stay where I am. If you have worked for some years, you may feel that you have put too much time and effort into your career to change midstream. Alternatively, you may be concerned about retirement and health benefits. However, the more you have worked, the more likely you are to have skills that can transfer to a new career. Even if you are close to receiving a pension or other benefits, you can start to plan now for a career transition after retirement.

I do not have enough skills to consider a new career. You may be unaware of the skills you have, or low self-esteem may lead you to underestimate your marketability. Either way, you probably have more skills than you think. Consider skills you have learned not only from your job but also from hobbies, volunteering, or other life experiences. Moreover, gaining skills is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You can volunteer once a week or take a night class to move forward, for example, without quitting your current job.

In this economy, I am lucky to have a job. I do not want to rock the boat. In today’s climate, it might feel like too much of a risk to consider changing careers. However, if you are unhappy in your current job, doing research on other options will only benefit you in the long run. You may discover a career with a more stable long-term outlook than your current career, for example. Moreover, you do not have to quit your current job until you are confident of your new career path.

Finding the right career tip 1: Identify occupations that match your interests

So how do you translate your interests into a new career? With a little research, you may be surprised at the careers that relate to many of the things you love to do.

Career tests

Different online tools can guide you through the process of self-discovery. Questions, quizzes, and personality assessments cannot tell you what your perfect career would be, but they can help you identify what’s important to you in a career, what you enjoy doing, and where you excel. One example, frequently used by universities and the U.S. government, is the RIASEC/Holland interest scale. It outlines six common personality types, such as investigative, social, or artistic, and enables you to browse sample careers based on the type of personality you most identify with. Find links to this and other online career tests in the Resources section below.

Researching specific careers

If you have narrowed down some specific jobs or careers, you can find a wealth of information online, from the description of positions to average salaries and estimated future growth. This will also help you figure out the practical priorities: How stable is the field you are considering? Are you comfortable with the amount of risk? Is the salary range acceptable to you? What about commute distances? Will you have to relocate for training or a new job? Will the new job affect your family?

Get support and information from others

While you can glean much information from research and quizzes, there’s no substitute for information from someone currently working in your chosen career. Talking to someone in the field gives you a real sense of what type of work you will be doing and if it meets your expectations. What’s more, you will start to build connections in your new career area, helping you land a job in the future. Does approaching others like this seem intimidating? It does not have to be. Networking and informational interviewing are important skills that can greatly further your career.

You may also consider career counseling or a job coach, especially if you are considering a major career shift. Sometimes impartial advice from others can open up possibilities you had not considered.

Tip 2: Evaluate your strengths and skills

Once you have a general idea of your career path, take some time to figure out what skills you have and what skills you need. Remember, you are not completely starting from scratch—you already have some skills to start. These skills are called transferable skills, and they can be applied to almost any field. Some examples include:

• management and leadership experience
• communication (both written and oral)
• research and program planning
• public speaking
• conflict resolution and mediation
• managing your time effectively
• computer literacy
• foreign language fluency

What are my transferable career skills?

To discover your transferable career skills, consider the following:

Don’t limit yourself to just your experiences at work. When you are thinking about your skills, consider all types of activities including volunteering, hobbies, and life experiences. For example, even if you do not have formal leadership or program planning experience, founding a book club or organizing a toy drive are ways that you have been putting these skills into practice.

List your accomplishments that might fit in. Don’t worry about formatting these skills for a resume at this point. You just want to start thinking about what skills you have. It can be a tremendous confidence booster to realize all of the skills you have developed.

Brainstorm with trusted friends, colleagues, or mentors. They may be able to identify transferable skills you have overlooked or help you better articulate these skills in the future.

Uncover more transferable skills by taking the online tests listed in the Resources section below.

Tip 3: Develop your skills and experience

If your chosen career requires skills or experience you lack, don’t despair. There are many ways to gain needed skills. While learning, you will also have an opportunity to find out whether or not you truly enjoy your chosen career and also make connections that could lead to your dream job.

How can I gain new career skills?

Utilize your current position. Look for on-the-job training or opportunities to do projects that develop new skills. See if your employer will pay part of your tuition costs.

Identify resources in the community. Find out about programs in your community. Community colleges or libraries often offer low-cost opportunities to strengthen skills such as computers, basic accounting, or how to start a business. Local Chambers of Commerce, Small Business Administrations, or state job development programs are also excellent resources.

Volunteer or work as an intern. Some career skills can be acquired by volunteering or doing an internship. Volunteering has the added benefit of getting you in contact with people in your chosen field.

Take classes. Some fields require specific education or skills, such as an educational degree or specific training. Don’t automatically rule out more education as impossible. Many fields have accelerated programs if you already have some education, or you may be able to do night classes or part-time schooling so that you can continue to work. Some companies even offer tuition reimbursements if you stay at the company after you finish your education.

Tip 4: Consider starting your own business

If you are getting worn down by a long commute or a difficult boss, the thought of working for yourself can be very appealing. Moreover, even in a slower economy, it is still possible to find your perfect niche. Depending on the specialty, some companies prefer to streamline their ranks and work with outside vendors. However, it is especially important to do your homework and understand the realities of business ownership before you jump in.

Make sure you are committed to and passionate about your business idea. You will be spending many long hours getting started, and it may take a while for your business to pay off.

Research is critical. Take some time to analyze your area of interest. Are you filling an unmet need? Especially if you are considering an online business, how likely is your area to be outsourced? What is your business plan, and who are your potential investors? Learn more in the Resources section below.

Expect limited or no earnings to start. Especially in the first few months, you are building your base and may have start-up costs that offset any profit initially. Make sure you have a plan on how to cope during this period.

Tip 5: Manage your career transition

Pace yourself and don’t take on too much at once. Career change does not happen overnight, and it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the steps to successfully change careers. However, you will get there with commitment and motivation. Break down large goals into smaller ones, and try to accomplish at least one small thing a day to keep the momentum going.

Ease slowly into your new career. Take time to network, volunteer, and even work part-time in your new field before committing fully. It will not only be an easier transition, but you will have time to ensure you are on the right path and make any necessary changes before working full-time in your new field.

Take care of yourself. You might be feeling so busy with the career transition that you barely have time to sleep or eat. However, managing stress, eating right, and taking time for sleep, exercise, and loved ones will ensure you have the stamina for the big changes ahead.

See Exhibit “A” for additional resources

Everybody has skills or things they do so well.

When it comes to getting a job, many employers look for two kinds of skills: soft skills and job skills.

Soft skills

Soft skills are also called people skills, or work-readiness skills. They are your personality, attitudes, and manners. They can also include how you present yourself. So the way you talk, the way you listen, the way you make eye contact, and even the way you dress are part of your soft skills.

• Employers look for soft skills when they hire employees when they decide whether to keep employees or promote them.
• Some soft skills are taught in school, but most you learn in everyday life. You might have these skills, or you might struggle with them. Either way, you can always get better at soft skills.
• To practice soft skills, talk to friends, family, or a counselor. Ask for feedback on how well you listen, make eye contact, express yourself. Are there areas you can improve? Practice with friends and family.
• Download the Skills Checklist to name your soft skills. You can use this list to prepare for filling out an application or interviewing for a job.

Job skills

Job skills are skills that help you do specific jobs. Examples are record keeping, cooking, cleaning, welding, computer programming, or teaching.

• People learn job skills at school, on the job, or from life experiences. You may already have some job skills. You may think you do not have any—but that is not true. Everybody has some skills that will help them at a job.
• Download this Skills Checklist to think about some job skills you may have.

Gain skills

You can gain skills throughout your life. Sometimes you learn skills on the job. Sometimes you learn them on your own or from friends or family. Sometimes you learn them in training or a school program. Find tips to help you learn basic skills for free or low cost, find a short-term training program, or enroll in college.

Ready to explore some career options?

There are lots of ways to learn about real life in different careers. You can:

• Learn some interesting, quick facts from the Occupation Profile. You can look up more than 800 different careers and watch video descriptions about each field. Start by entering a career you are interested in and your location.
• Talk with people who do work you are interested in, also known as informational interviewing. Ask about what they like and dislike about their career, and think about how it may fit you. Download this informational interview how-to guide.
• Ask if you can visit or job shadow at a job you might be interested in. Job shadowing means you follow a worker for a few hours or a day.
• Explore careers in the military. Look under the military tab there to learn about military education opportunities and benefits.

What is the best way to decide on a career?

To choose a career, you need to know facts about yourself, and about the careers, you think you would like. Put them together for your best career fit.

The chart below gives you good questions to ask about each career you are interested in—and where to find the information to answer them.

Where would you like to be in the next six months? In two years? What will help you achieve that? Setting goals are about deciding where you want to head, and planning the steps needed to get there.

Set SMART goals to move forward.

What are examples of goals?

• Get a job
• Open a bank account
• Apply for financial aid
• Apply to college or training program
• Enroll in a youth employment program
• Pass the high school equivalency tests
• Handle a health issue
• Develop leadership skills
• Find reliable childcare
• Get my criminal record expunged
• Earn a certificate to qualify for better jobs

How to set goals

You can use the SMART system to help you set goals.

Specific – What is a concrete step toward your goal? For example, “make an appointment with the school counselor to talk about my education and financial aid” instead of “figure out about school.”

Measurable – Ask yourself questions like: How much? How many? How will I know when I accomplish my goal? For instance, “Apply to 3 job postings this week.”

Attainable – Clear steps that give you enough time to reach them are more successful. Is the goal realistic? What needs to happen first? It should be a challenge, but also achievable.

Relevant – Does the goal matter to you? Will it get you where you want to go? Is this the right time? Setting goals that you do not care about, or that don’t fit you will not work.

Timely – Your goal should motivate you to take action, and happen in a defined period. When do you want to begin? When do you want to complete each step?

Tips to achieve your goal

• Write down the steps. Write down your goal and the steps to get there. Post this list where you will see it; it will help you remember and achieve each step.
• Reward yourself. Think of small rewards to give yourself for completing steps toward your goals. It will help you stay motivated!
• Have a goal partner. Find a friend, co-worker, a job coach, or someone else to check in with. Talk about how it is going, and do the same for your partner!

You can use any job to advance in your career.

Job or career?

A job is work to earn a paycheck. When one job ends, you get another one like it. You may learn new skills, increase your pay, or get promoted, but you may not. A career means that your work experience and training build up to greater opportunities.

Advancement is like a ladder

Think of your career as climbing a ladder. Each step is a job or training that gives you experience. At one, you pick up new skills. At another, you gain contacts, or more responsibility and pay. Every step adds value.

A career ladder is very clear in some fields. For instance, you can start as a Home Health Aide, take brief training and become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), earn a degree to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), then add more training and become a Registered Nurse (RN). Working at each level, you earn a higher salary and more responsibility.

In other fields, there may be many directions to choose from at each step. You may start out as a fast food worker, move to a job as a grocery store cashier for better hours, work as an office janitor to earn higher pay, be promoted to a janitor supervisor, then take training and become a software tester, all within five years!

Each occupation has a different path or ladder. Moreover, most entry-level jobs can lead to more than one type of upper-level job.

How can I advance up my career ladder?

Once you land your first job, moving up a career ladder is easier than you might think. There are two main ideas to keep in mind.

Bring your best to every job, whatever it may be.

• Learn your job well. You will quickly develop skills and experience to advance or to put on your application for your next job. Moreover, being good at your job is satisfying!
• Make a good impression. Be on time, speak positively, use good work habits. Your boss and coworkers may give you solid references for your next step.

Continue to build skills throughout your career.

• Take advantage of any opportunity to get training or learn new skills on the job. It is the single best way to advance to the next level.
• Observe successful people at your job and follow their example for working efficiently, how to dress, talk with others so that they will listen, etc.
• Enroll in training—whether it is college, a short-term training program or high school equivalency set you an education goal to work toward.

Long-term career goal example

Let’s say your dream is to become Director of Marketing for a professional sports team.

• You start by volunteering as an usher at the stadium.
• You apply to college to study marketing.
• During college, you work part time in the ticket office.
• After earning your degree, you get work as a marketing assistant.
• A couple years’ work experience qualifies you to become a marketing associate.
• With hard work and good work relationships, you are promoted to marketing manager.
• Finally, you have worked your way up the ladder to being the director of marketing.

Career Myths- Fact or Fiction?

Most people make assumptions about careers. Often, these assumptions are based on impressions they get from relatives and friends, from television shows, and from workers and jobs that they see in their daily lives.

Impressions are a good place to start when looking for a career because they help people to identify possibilities. However, at the same time, impressions can be misleading. They show only a small portion of reality, or worse: no reality at all. That is when career impressions become career myths.

People make all kinds of false assumptions—about an occupation’s working conditions, job duties, educational requirements, employment prospects, and more— because they have limited information. For example, many people think that there are no opportunities in the manufacturing trades, that all high-paying jobs require a college degree, and that most teachers earn below-average salaries. None of these myths is true. Moreover, believing myths like these limits career choices unnecessarily.

The chances are that you harbor myths and stereotypes about careers. Moreover, you might not even realize that you do. Some myths are easily dismissed; others interfere with your ability to develop career goals. (See the box, “Career myths that stop people cold,” on page 5.)

You can keep myths from derailing your career search by learning to confirm your beliefs or expose your misconceptions for what they are. Expand your options and uncover the truth about each career. Reality tools— including statistics, expert advice, and real-world experiences—can supply the facts.

Moving beyond myths: Expand your career options

Career myths can cause you to overlook many possibilities. Sometimes, people do not realize that a career exists; art majors might not be aware that they have an excellent background for industrial design or medical photography, for example. Other times, people exclude a known career based on false impressions. Librarians’ reputation for being quiet and studious, for example, belies the fast-paced, high-tech environment of modern libraries.

Don’t let myths get in the way when you are trying to pinpoint your ideal career. Instead, look beyond your first thoughts to expand and explore the possibilities.

Identify more possibilities

How can you keep misconceptions from limiting your options? For starters, seek guidance from objective sources to increase the number and type of occupations that you consider.

Assessment tests—offered online, in career guidance books, and in career centers—help you to identify potential careers, based on your answers to specific questions. Some tests measure how closely your answers match those of workers who are already in an occupation. Other tests match occupations to your personality type, skills, or interests. (See the “Getting help” section at the end of this article for links to online assessment resources.)

Even those tests can narrow career choices unnecessarily, however. Comprehensive guides, such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, profile many occupations of all types. Skimming these guides can jog interest in a career that you might not have considered.

Other career guides, books, and articles describe careers that relate to interest, skill, or hobbies—such as baking pastries, caring for pets, or programming computers. Reading these resources can help people learn about occupations and lesser-known specialties.

Investigate—don’t eliminate—options

When developing a list of possibilities, don’t dismiss occupations too quickly. Career counselors say that many people eliminate good choices before considering them. Moreover, usually, the reasons for doing so are based on what these people think they know about a career, instead of on what they know.

For example, students who are looking for high- paying work without going to college might overlook construction trades if they think that all of those jobs require physical strength. However, technology now allows machines, not muscles, to tackle heavy jobs—and besides, plenty of occupations (electrician, drafter, and cost estimator, to name a few) offer high pay without requiring significant physical exertion. Similarly, students who have an interest in acting often reject it as a career if they do not want to move to California, not realizing that about 60 percent of acting jobs are in other cities.

As examples like these shows, there might be ways to pursue a career even if part of that career seems unappealing. If you like enough parts of an occupation, don’t let one aspect of it dissuade you too quickly from exploring it further. Look into how the occupation varies in different work settings or different industries.

Getting to the truth

Getting to the truth of career myths requires that you find accurate information from reliable sources. In other words, you need to do a little sleuth work.

Look in more than one place to get an accurate picture of a career. Statistics about occupations and industries give facts about earnings, employment, and other numeric issues. Employment projections give insight into the future. Informational interviewing reveals the benefits, drawbacks, and job options in an occupation. Moreover, getting experience provides a hands-on understanding of what it is like to do a job.

Each of these methods yields myth-busting information, but each has limitations.

Career statistics

How much do fish and game wardens earn in Minnesota? How safe is it to be a nursing aide? How many flight attendants have a college degree? These and other questions are answered by survey data, which provide objective insight into occupations you are considering.

Statistics are the best place to look for concrete facts about workers’ earnings, average hours of work, education levels, and rates of on-the-job injuries, as well as the number of jobs in an area and the types of work settings that are available.

If you want to be a teacher but don’t relish the idea of managing a traditional classroom, for example, statistics will show that 22,000 elementary school teachers worked outside of schools in 2004; if you’re worried about their earnings, you’ll discover that 10 percent of elementary school teachers earned more than $67,930. Moreover, although most lawyers keep long hours, statistics show that more than 25 percent worked 40 or fewer hours a week in 2004.

Don’t be fooled. Statistics might not lie, but they can be misleading. The accuracy of surveys depends on how they were conducted. A survey that gathers information from a random group of people in a scientific way is more accurate than a Web-based survey that accepts answers from anyone who happens to respond. Also, consider the size of the sample—the more people surveyed, the more reliable the results. Surveys from the Federal Government tend to be larger and more scientific, and thus more accurate, than smaller, private surveys.

However, surveys are limited by their use of averages. They usually report average earnings or hours, for example, even though people earn or work more or less than the average.

How to find statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the most comprehensive source of career-related statistics. For earnings and employment information by occupation, industries, and geographic area, check the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics survey, online at www.bls.gov/oes. The National Compensation Survey (www.bls.gov/ncs) offers additional data about earnings by job complexity and responsibility level, but this survey covers fewer geographic areas and occupations.

For information about educational attainment, self-employment, and work hours, see the BLS Current Population Survey, online at www.bls.gov/cps. Moreover, for information about on-the-job injuries and fatalities, get data from the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program, online at www.bls.gov/iif.

Many other organizations publish career-related statistics. The National Association of Colleges and Employers, for example, gathers data on entry-level salaries of college graduates by major and industry. Professional associations conduct or sponsor surveys of the occupations or industries that they serve, but be sure to check their sample sizes.

Career projections

When choosing a career, many people want to know about its future prospects. Reliable career projections give an objective view of which occupations could offer the most job openings over time. For example, BLS projects more than 200,000 new jobs for accountants and auditors between 2002 and 2012.

However, myths abound about job prospects. Rumors of worker shortages, of occupations that are guaranteed to provide jobs, and of imminent job loss in an occupation can mislead people. Some people worry, for example, that all computer programming and telemarketing jobs will be outsourced abroad in the next few years. However, in reality, BLS projects that many new jobs in these occupations will be created for U.S. workers in the coming decade. Changes in employment usually are gradual and relatively small.

Don’t be fooled. Projections are estimates about the future. However, things change, often in unpredictable ways. Moreover, like career statistics, projections are only as good as the methods used to produce them. Pay attention to the source of projections, as well as to the years and locations for which they were developed.

Moreover, remember that future job openings are not the final word when it comes to opportunity: whether there are 50,000 or 500 projected job openings, all you need is one to start your career. The fewer openings there are, the harder it might be to find a job, but there are no guarantees for any job seeker. Even job openings for nurses, which are projected to be the most numerous, won’t simply fall out of the sky. The process of finding, and getting, a job is the same for everyone—regardless of the occupation’s projection.

How to find projections. Every two years, BLS develops nationally focused employment projections for a 10-year period; you can learn more about the Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections program online at www.bls.gov/emp. (For State occupational projections, see www.projectionscentral.com.) In addition to government-produced projections, many professional organizations produce shorter-term projections based on surveys of their members.

Informational interviewing

Talking to people about their work is one of the best ways to get accurate information about what a career is like. After all, who would know better about what it takes to do a job well or what a job’s benefits and drawbacks are than someone who’s already working in it?

Having conversations about work as part of a systematic search for information is called informational interviewing. The goal is to get the facts about an occupation.

Moreover, workers usually are eager to correct misconceptions about their occupations. Flight attendants serve snacks, but they can also describe how they have been trained to deal with emergency situations, and they can tell you what it is like to deal with unruly passengers or to cope with their unusual work schedules.

Use the informational interview as your chance to challenge any aspect of an occupation that you dislike—or, for that matter, find appealing. Ask about things you have heard, read, or assumed about an occupation or career field. A paramedic, for example, is in the best position to tell you if the job is as exciting as television shows make it seem.

Ask general questions, too, about what a typical day is like, what tasks the job involves, what the worker likes and dislikes about the job, and what skills and personality traits are assets. You might learn, for example, that scientists spend more time than you thought writing reports and grant proposals, that machinists use mathematics every day and that social workers often teach life-skills classes.

Don’t be fooled. One person’s experience is not universal. Whether a worker talks glowingly or disparagingly about his or her job, another worker in the same occupation almost surely disagrees. Jobs and workers vary. To use informational interviewing well, you will need to speak with more than one person and verify the perspectives with career articles, statistics, and other research.

How to interview for information. The best people to interview are those who already have a job in the occupation that you think you might want to have. Try to find workers, rather than upper-level managers and human resources specialists, to talk to directly. Look for interview subjects by contacting career centers, alumni groups, and professional associations, all of which might have lists of people who are willing to be interviewed. Contacting local employers and people you already know is another option.

To set up your interviews, make telephone calls or write letters, letting the workers know that you are looking for information—not a job. Do some research so that you can ask good questions, but be flexible in your approach.

Learn more about informational interviewing, including how to set up and prepare for an interview, by reading “Informational interviewing: Get the inside scoop on careers” in the summer 2002 Quarterly (online at https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2017/article/).

Getting experience

Arguably, the best way to get a feel for what a career would be like is to get work experience in it. A physical therapist learns through experience, for example, that pediatric clients require a different temperament and more one-on-one interaction than geriatric clients do. On-the-job experience helps engineers to discover whether the slow progress of laboratory research suits them better than the faster pace of product development.

Of course, it takes awhile to get solid, relevant experience, but internships, volunteer work, and entry- level jobs provide a start. Employers value the skills learned through experience. However, another benefit to employers is what experienced workers do not bring to the job: unfounded expectations. A worker who has experience in an occupation is less likely to be swayed by career myths that may surround it than someone who has no experience.

Don’t be fooled. Your experiences are the least likely to fool you. Base your career perceptions on these. In an internship or entry-level job, you will be starting at the bottom—but that is where most workers begin. Even if you do not start in the job you want, view these opportunities as a chance to get an inside track on the career you covet. Observe the people who are in the job you want. Listen. Learn. All experience can work in your favor.

How to get experience. Internships and entry-level jobs are two of the best ways to get hands-on exposure to potential careers. Internships provide short-term experiences and are available primarily to college students and recent graduates. Entry-level jobs are open to job seekers who meet the qualifications specified by the employer.

Both internships and entry-level jobs often are considered stepping stones to a permanent career. However, they need not be. Either one is a good test of what you do in a particular occupation—insights, hopes, and myths aside. You might pursue an internship with reservations, only to discover that those reservations were based on myth. Alternatively, you might enter a new job expecting to find a career and face reality convincing you to keep looking.

Getting help

As this article explains, the best way to bust career myths is to get the facts. Information in the Quarterly (www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm) covers a variety of career topics. One article related to the topic of career myths, “As seen on TV: Reality vs. fantasy in occupational portrayals on the small screen,” online at www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2003/fall/art01.pdf, explores how occupations are often different from how they are depicted on television. Another Quarterly article, “Matching yourself with the world of work: 2004,” online at www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2004/fall/art01.pdf, helps you to match your skills and interests with careers that might interest you.

For more information, for personal assistance, or to find a career counselor, visit a One-Stop Career Center. You can find a local One-Stop center and other services for which you might be eligible by calling toll-free, 1 (877) 348-0502 or TTY toll-free, 1 (877) 348-0501, or visiting online at www.servicelocator.org.

America’s Career InfoNet, online at www.acinet.org, lists free online assessment tests to help job seekers identify occupations that match their skills and interests. The O*NET (Occupational Information Network) skills search, like the InfoNet’s skills profiler, matches your interests to hundreds of occupations. Try it online at http://onetcenter.org/skills. O*NET provides detailed information about the skills required in hundreds of occupations via http://online.onetcenter.org.

Career myths that stop people cold

Some career myths are less about occupations than about the working world in general. Myths like these can derail a career search and sap motivation. Here are five common myths, and realities, about careers.

Myth: There is one perfect job for me.

Reality: There are many occupations—and many jobs—that you would enjoy.

Focusing on finding a single, perfect career is not only intimidating, but it is also limiting. If you are like most people, you will have several jobs and careers in your life, and each will have positive and negative aspects to it.

Furthermore, your job preferences are apt to change over time as you gain experience, skill, and self-knowledge. Keeping your options open is a position of strength, not weakness.

Myth: I will use all of my talents and abilities in this job.

Reality: No one job uses all of your talents.

Moreover, trying to find one that does will derail your job search. Learning a variety of tasks helps you to sharpen abilities that might not be needed in one job but could be invaluable in another. Especially at the start of your career, you should expect to spend time acquiring experience and skills.

This is one reality about careers that, career counselors say, many new graduates fail to grasp. Counselors remind jobseekers to be patient. New workers should expect to start in entry-level positions and be willing to do routine tasks as they gain experience.

Myth: My job has to match my college major or vocational training.

Reality: You need not restrict your job search to careers related to your degree or training.

Most jobs do not specify which college major is needed, even if they require that workers have a college degree. Many computer specialist positions, for example, are filled by workers whose degree is in a subject unrelated to computers. Vocational training is often more closely related to specific occupations. However, even this kind of training can open the door to a wider array of jobs than people think. Consider that electrical technicians are now repairing fuel cells, for example, or that veterinary technicians become pharmaceutical sales workers. Often, technical skills apply to many settings—and most workers learn the specifics of an occupation on the job.

Myth: No one will hire me because I lack experience, have low grades, have gaps in my work history, etc.

Reality: People overcome all kinds of challenges to find satisfying work.

Experts say that how you handle adversity is a good indicator of your ability to persevere. Need experience? Get it! Volunteer, work in a related occupation or focus on school projects that are relevant to your desired career. Are low grades the problem? Highlight other parts of your resume, and remember that grades usually matter only for that first job after graduation. Gaps in your work history? Overcome them with a well-designed resume that focuses on skills rather than chronology, and then get a little interviewing practice.

For most entry-level jobs, employers are looking for general attributes such as communication skills, interpersonal abilities, and enthusiasm. See “Getting back to work: Returning to the labor force after an absence” in the winter 2004-05 Quarterly, online at www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2004/ winter/art03.pdf, for specific advice about conquering difficulties related to your employability.

Myth: It is too late to change my career.

Reality: It is never too late to change careers.

Workers who change careers come from many backgrounds, age groups, and situations. There’s the doctor who decided she would rather be a chef, the retiree who enrolled in college to become an accountant, the construction worker who wanted a steadier income without moving to a warmer climate. For each of these workers, the desire for job satisfaction outweighed the desire for status quo.

To make the change easier, look at your past work and educations to see what skills relate to the job you want. Most jobs’ entry requirements are more flexible than people think. Gain needed skills with volunteer work, internships, or a class, and don’t be afraid to start at the bottom to get the career you want. If you are out of school and want expert advice, consider a local One-Stop Career Center or the counseling center at a nearby school. [Fall 2005, Occupational Outlook Quarterly]

Reinvention is a scary Business

“Changing careers may be the best thing that ever happened to you,” said Erik Folgate in an article he wrote for moneycrashers.com. “You will get a fresh lease on life. You will find that you have a little more hop in your step, and any moments of depression may start to fade away.” ^[1]

Making a job and career change can be scary and fraught with many obstacles- financial issues, a spouse that isn’t onboard with the change, and maybe the biggest obstacle is the fear of failure.

Life coach Caroline Adams Miller, author of Creating Your Best Life (Sterling, 2009) said in her book, “...successful career transitions do not happen by accident. Experts in the life-planning field say it is important to resist the urge to find a quick fix and to devote sufficient time and energy to doing your homework. Ask the hard questions, get help from friends and colleagues, and consult with career counselors, coaches, and financial planners for insight, guidance, and inspiration.”^[2]

Erik Folgate went on to say, “Make sure that you do not switch from one boring career to another. If you are going to take the plunge and switch careers, make sure it is a career that you are passionate about and have a desire to work at every day. So, what are you waiting for? You have no excuses now”.

Exhibit A

Related HelpGuide articles

• Job Networking Tips: How to Find a Job by Building Relationships
• Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits: Helping Others While Helping Yourself
• Interviewing Techniques and Tips: Putting Your Best Self Forward and Getting the Job

Resources and references

Finding job satisfaction

Creating Job Satisfaction – Learn how job satisfaction often stems from your attitude and expectations. (Mind Tools)

Job Satisfaction Survey – Self-assessment survey to find out how satisfied you are with your job. (Wellness Council of America)

Boring Jobs Can Lead to Burnout – Study that shows how boring, unfulfilling jobs can lead to burnout as much as frenetic, fast-paced ones. (BMC Psychiatry)

Overcoming obstacles to changing careers

6 Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Career Change – Interview with business and work coach Patricia DiVecchio discussing how to overcome the fear and worry associated with changing careers. (Forbes)

Career investigation resources

Career Guide – US News and World Report – Provides updated information on good careers based on future outlooks and job satisfaction, as well as future trends and jobs that may be overrated. (US News and World Report, commercial site)

Occupational Outlook Handbook – Provides information on different careers/occupations, including what workers do on the job, working conditions, training and education needed, earnings and job prospects. (US Department of Labor)

Job Hunters Bible – Gives web resources and advice from Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute? on finding the right job or career, including tests and advice, research, making contacts, finding a job, and creating a resume. (JobHuntersBible, commercial site)

Career tests

The Meyers Briggs Temperament Indicator II – Offers a short Meyers Briggs exam to assess your temperament. Answer all the questions for a four-letter personality indicator and an explanatory document. Registration required. (Advisor Team, commercial site)

Queendom – Offers a collection of tests and resources designed to help you along your path of self-discovery. (Queendom, commercial site)

Getting career skills: evaluating transferable skills

Transferable Skills (PDF) – Provides an overview of transferable skills most desirable for employers, and how you can apply your experiences to those areas. (USC Career Planning and Placement Center)

Transferable Skills List – Lists common transferable skills to help you market yourself to employers and identify any gaps where you might need more training and experience. (About Careers)

Career counseling, education and job placement support

Employment & Training Administration – Information about federal job training programs in the U.S. and a section of the site, Regions & States, lists state and local employment resources for all states and regions. (US Department of Labor)

In the UK, National Careers Service offers training and careers advice.

In Australia, The Job Guide offers occupational profiles and links to career guidance information.

In Canada, Education and Training offers information on grants and links to explore career options.

Jobs for the Future – Nonprofit organization that helps young people and undereducated adults in the U.S. get the training and education they need to get jobs. (Jobs for the Future)

Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits – Network of grassroots organizations that serve women and men who seek to join or reenter the workforce. (ACDN)

Tips for changing careers

Career Changers: Make the Job Market Care – Tips on changing your perspective on careers and how to reduce frustrations and anger during your job search. (Psychology Today)

The 10 step plan to career change – Provides a checklist of areas to review in changing careers, including special sections for seniors, women and minorities. (Quintessential Careers)

Other references

The U.S. Department of Labor. A proud partner of the network

Other materials were roughly adapted from the U.S. Department of Labor resources including numerous editions of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly published four times a year by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Dan Miller, 48 Days to the Work You Love, www.48Days.com

Exhibit A

Related HelpGuide articles

• Job Networking Tips: How to Find a Job by Building Relationships
• Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits: Helping Others While Helping Yourself
• Interviewing Techniques and Tips: Putting Your Best Self Forward and Getting the Job

Resources and references

Finding job satisfaction

Creating Job Satisfaction – Learn how job satisfaction often stems from your attitude and expectations. (Mind Tools)

Job Satisfaction Survey – Self-assessment survey to find out how satisfied you are with your job. (Wellness Council of America)

Boring Jobs Can Lead to Burnout – Study that shows how boring, unfulfilling jobs can lead to burnout as much as frenetic, fast-paced ones. (BMC Psychiatry)

Overcoming obstacles to changing careers

6 Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Career Change – Interview with business and work coach Patricia DiVecchio discussing how to overcome the fear and worry associated with changing careers. (Forbes)

Career investigation resources

Career Guide – US News and World Report – Provides updated information on good careers based on future outlooks and job satisfaction, as well as future trends and jobs that may be overrated. (US News and World Report, commercial site)

Occupational Outlook Handbook – Provides information on different careers/occupations, including what workers do on the job, working conditions, training and education needed, earnings and job prospects. (US Department of Labor)

Job Hunters Bible – Gives web resources and advice from Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute? on finding the right job or career, including tests and advice, research, making contacts, finding a job, and creating a resume. (JobHuntersBible, commercial site)

Career tests

The Meyers Briggs Temperament Indicator II – Offers a short Meyers Briggs exam to assess your temperament. Answer all the questions for a four-letter personality indicator and an explanatory document. Registration required. (Advisor Team, commercial site)

Queendom – Offers a collection of tests and resources designed to help you along your path of self-discovery. (Queendom, commercial site)

Getting career skills: evaluating transferable skills

Transferable Skills (PDF) – Provides an overview of transferable skills most desirable for employers, and how you can apply your experiences to those areas. (USC Career Planning and Placement Center)

Transferable Skills List – Lists common transferable skills to help you market yourself to employers and identify any gaps where you might need more training and experience. (About Careers)

Career counseling, education and job placement support

Employment & Training Administration – Information about federal job training programs in the U.S. and a section of the site, Regions & States, lists state and local employment resources for all states and regions. (US Department of Labor)

In the UK, National Careers Service offers training and careers advice.

In Australia, The Job Guide offers occupational profiles and links to career guidance information.

In Canada, Education and Training offers information on grants and links to explore career options.

Jobs for the Future – Nonprofit organization that helps young people and undereducated adults in the U.S. get the training and education they need to get jobs. (Jobs for the Future)

Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits – Network of grassroots organizations that serve women and men who seek to join or reenter the workforce. (ACDN)

Tips for changing careers

Career Changers: Make the Job Market Care – Tips on changing your perspective on careers and how to reduce frustrations and anger during your job search. (Psychology Today)

The 10 step plan to career change – Provides a checklist of areas to review in changing careers, including special sections for seniors, women and minorities. (Quintessential Careers)

Other references

The U.S. Department of Labor. A proud partner of the network

Other materials were roughly adapted from the U.S. Department of Labor resources including numerous editions of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly published four times a year by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Dan Miller, 48 Days to the Work You Love, www.48Days.com

Erik Folgate, Making the Transition from One Career to Another, www.moneycrashers.com

Caroline Adams Miller, Creating Your Best Life (Sterling, 2009)