A Few Words on Networking

The other night I gave a class on career assessment; I thought I’d tell you some of the things that I shared with the class participants on figuring out what you want to do. I realize that today, many people can’t be choosy and for now will take whatever job comes along just to pay the bills. I also know that there are others who are unhappy with their current careers and yearn for something more. So what do you do?
1. Take a few career assessments. Don’t just take one and think that the results are carved in stone. Take a few and then decide if they make sense. I have several free assessments on my website, Blackbird Learning Associates.

2. Weed out the career options that make absolutely no sense. If you are 62 years old and the assessment suggests you pursue a medical degree, think about what that will mean in terms of money, time and career opportunities. Ask yourself if there are other ways that you can seek out career opportunities in this area but in a different role.

3. Get feedback. Discuss career options with friends, family members and perhaps former co-workers. Is it something that they can see you doing and enjoying?

4. Visit a professional group or LinkedIn group and get some feedback on the role. Ask questions. Network.

5. Consider money, training, time and family considerations and make your decision. There are a number of other steps including assessing your skills, interests and values.

If you see a pattern in your skill set strengths and interests, perhaps it might be worth your while to consider investigating a certain career direction.