Category Archives: Career Change
← Older postsAre Your Friends and Family Crushing Your Career Dreams?
Does this tale of job-search conflict sounds familiar? John, the father, wanted his son to join the family construction business. Mike, the son, wanted to take a risk with a startup in the organic food sector. John’s lectures on the sensible, secure choice would trigger Mike, provoking an argument. John was toxic to Mike’s career independence. Pick your battles. And your allies. Some family and friends can be assets to our career transition. Others can be … Read more »
How to Choose Your Career (Or Change It)
Roman Krznaric’s “How to Find Fulfilling Work (School of Life)” Says Act, Reflect, Repeat These are not happy days for many American workers. Job satisfaction in the United States among those lucky enough to be employed stands at 45%, the lowest level since record keeping began two decades ago. How did so many people land in jobs or opt to stay in positions that make them unhappy? Roman Krznaric says that much of the problem … Read more »
How to Overcome Anxiety, Worry, and Fear in a Job Search
Looking for work takes much time and effort, but once you’ve spent a part of your day networking and applying for jobs, you may still have hours left to fill. With all that dead time, it’s common for anxiety and worry to take over. And all that worry is no good! Feelings of fear and anxiety can have a constricting effect on the brain, shutting down the ability to feel optimistic and creative. In fact, … Read more »
What to do BEFORE You Send Your Resume to a Portland Employer
It’s tempting to dive right into the application process, but I recommend you build a solid foundation first before you send a resume to an employer or anywhere else. This will make you more organized, focused, and successful in getting what you want. I’ve followed the four steps below in my own job search in Portland and they have have helped me maintain my momentum and avoid the dreaded burnout I described in my first … Read more »
Can a Gap Year Help Your Job Hunt?
Ah, the question every college senior dreads but can’t avoid: What are you going to do after graduation? With only a month or so to go before commencement day, many students are still scrambling for an answer. Finally, I have my plan in place: I’ll be spending a year teaching English in South Korea before seeking permanent employment. Such hiatuses from one’s academic or career path have been referred to as “gap” years, but I … Read more »
What to Say and How to Say it When You’re Looking for Work
“100 Conversations for Career Success” Shows How to Communicate about a Job Search We all recognize that knowing what to say and do in the workplace takes practice. Whether you start with a part-time job in high school or in a full-time position after graduation by working every day you soon master the basics of how to talk to coworkers, build relationships with colleagues, and achieve professional success. Job-hunting, however, is not something you do … Read more »
Don’t Do These 4 Things When Looking for Work in Portland
I graduated from the University of Oregon with a packed resume in 2011, including five internships, and figured all my career dreams would fall into place with ease. But after sending out resumes and cover letters for six months, I landed only two phone interviews. My positive spirit was slowly crushed and as the weeks and months passed, I realized my dream job simply wasn’t coming to fruition. For most of 2012, I was a … Read more »
How to Make a Tough Career Choice
Hands down, picking my post-college graduate path has been my most difficult life decision so far. I thought I was making it easier on myself by not putting all my eggs in one basket nor counting my chickens before they hatched (what’s with all the aviary idioms?). Don’t misunderstand, I do recommend cultivating multiple options—but that doesn’t mean you’ll have a dilemma-free future. I applied to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and to the Japan … Read more »
5 Tips for How to Hire a Resume Writer
Have you had multiple interviews and no job offers? How about over 10 years of work experience you’re trying to cram into a one-page resume? Maybe it’s time to consult a professional. Hiring a career service provider is a personal decision and while I’m not advocating that it’s for everyone, it can help when you feel stuck. Resume writers, career coaches, career management coaches, and life coaches all charge a fee for their services but … Read more »
How to Deal with a Bad Reference
Marty was losing sleep. She’d done well in her job interview for a catalog proofreader position, but she was anxious about her references. She couldn’t stop imagining her ex-boss answering the reference call; “Marty? As a copyeditor? She’s thorough, but slow. Really s-l-o-w.” If you’re nervous about a recent employer’s reference, relax. You’re among good company. Sometimes, our past positions aren’t a good fit for us. Right now, you need a strategy for damage control. … Read more »
