Lost at the starting gateHI everyone, I paid for Monster's resume service but I haven't made much progress with it because I'm not sure what I should target as a new career. I'm in my mid-40's and I've been a solid employee but I don't have a steadily progressing career track. I've done some of this and some of that. The main things I've been spent my working life doing are sales (computers, wine) and a lot of restaurant experience as a bartender and currently, a server. I have lots of interests. I always have. I'm smart, I'm a good writer and communicator. I have interests in politics, music, old cars and sports. But I don't know what to do with myself. Or I find things that I'm interested in doing but I just don't have the background to get into them. Things that I wish I had gotten into years ago. Plus, I need to make more money than is typically offered to an entry-level employee. Anyway, I'm not trying to be too pessimistic because I do believe that I'm very capable and can do anything that holds my interest. I can be a real asset to a company. So what do I do next? A career counselor? I'd be willing to pay good money for one if I felt like I came out with a list of jobs that I know I could do and that I'd enjoy. And that's what I need before I can go any further with my resume. Any advice would be appreciated. Regards, John
I hear you. Sometimes, it makes sense to reframe what a career means. In my presentations, I show two slides. The first, a bunch of ladders reaching up to a blue sky. The second, a pile of pebbles. The meaning of the first is obvious. The purpose of the second is to suggest that a collection of work experiences, when they utilize your strengths and gifts is a perfectly acceptable career. It is your life. You choose. If you have goals. Great. More money. Great. So, the trick is how can you leverage what you've done. You have to take ownership of your work decisions and history, get the most from it, and figure out how you can apply it. So, on the resume front, if you give the writer very specific outcomes that you created for each of your jobs. Sales performance. Service awards. Projects you initiated. Process improvements. Innovate marketing. Whatever applies. But be specific. And extrapolate from that core, transferable skills like....
Do this, and you have a good working document. Get on to Monster and other sites and do job searches. But not with a view to applying. Make it a research project. Cut and paste jobs that seem a) Interesting, exciting, intriguing b) Probable - meaning you have a realistic chance of selling yourself into the role c) or, are 1 or 2 steps from where you are now. Then, what is the gap between now and then. Filling that gap becomes your priority. There is Money in sales. It just depends in what market you operate in. Ian Christie Career Changers Coach
Thanks for your advice. You've given me a good way to look at the issue. | |
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