“What could I possibly do that would add income to our family, and meaning and interest to my life?” These were the words of a woman MBA and former advertising executive doubting her options following a twelve- year break from the workplace to raise her three children.

After hundreds of conversations with women (and a few men) who came to see me when it was time to return to the workforce after raising a family, I have noticed common themes and mindsets within a host of varying circumstances.

No matter the extent of their formal education (high school diploma, college degree, or medical school), each person lacked self-confidence and questioned her value in and knowledge of the current marketplace.

In addition, they all had their own assumptions about how they’d ultimately fail, if out of pure luck, they happened to land a job.

It’s not that they were pessimists, habitually seeing the glass of life as half empty. Rather, they were skeptics who found it difficult to put a positive spin on their anticipated transition from the familiar world of hearth and home to the professional world they could vaguely remember.

If you are contemplating a transition from home to the workplace, you may have recognized yourself in some of the themes.  As a result, you may realize that you are not alone, nor are you without options.

I hope the following “should know” list will help shore up your resolve and restore some confidence:

1. You still have a brain that also works outside the home.
2. You have something to offer that some employer is seeking.
3. What you fear (about finding a job) is most likely based on false assumptions.
4. The skills you developed and used in raising your children and managing a family are transferrable to other settings.
5. You may need some professional development to get up to speed for some jobs (e.g. computers and information technology).
6. It’s okay to be unclear about what you want to do and to ask for help from an experienced professional when you need it.

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“I haven’t looked at my resume for at least 10 years”, a client told me recently. While another said she’d been working in an “industry bubble” for so long and now has no idea where her skills would apply if she ever decided to leave her field.

If either of these two common scenarios rings true for you, then you are unnecessarily limiting your career options as well as your sense of professional mobility.

Even if you have no plans to change jobs or careers for the time being, you’d be wise to act as though you did.

Job security is a thing of the past, so it’s best to think about and be ready for Plan B.

Here are steps you can take to stay current with your professional options and assert control over your own career development.

1.  Take stock of your career and the direction in which you’re headed.

The following questions might help you stay honest about your career:

• On most days, do you look forward to going to work?
• Do you feel consistently challenged, but in a way that feels manageable?
• Overall, does your work align with or adequately make room for your other life priorities?
• Are you interested in the topics/subject areas that your work encompasses?
• Do you feel that you are making a contribution in your work that is meaningful to you?

2.  Keep your professional documents current.

• Update your resume and Linkedin profile at least once a year.
• Stay current with best practices on your updates in terms of format, professional branding, ways to convey results and key areas of competency.

3.  Be aware of other fields and jobs where your competencies will transfer.

• Increase your knowledge of where else you are qualified to work by arranging professional meetings with colleagues (outside of your field) whose work interests you and who may use similar skills.
• Use your friends and colleague connections as well as your college alumni network as resources for these important meetings.

4.  Keep up with your professional development.

• Become an active member (by attending meetings and volunteering on a board committee) in at least one professional association relevant to your field of work. (If you want to make a change, join the association that reflects your future desire.)
• Join a Linkedin group affiliated with your profession and participate in group discussions.
• Write an article or blog to position yourself as an industry thought leader and resource.

If you invest time and attention on positioning yourself professionally as you might invest in buying a new car, you’ll likely feel satisfied with your result and have a reliable process for making a job or career change the next time around.

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by Scott Woodard, Career Coach, Heart At Work Associates

My father had three careers, but with the same organization.  He worked for the federal government–20 years in the military, another ten as a civilian.  In fact, one week after retiring from the Army, he went back to the same group at the same desk as a Department of Defense civilian employee.  When he retired from that position, he worked another three years as a Defense contractor.

About a year ago, Dad and I had a conversation about my work.  I explained that I worked with clients, many of whom were looking for their next career and that many of these folks were in their mid 40s to early 60s.

“Shouldn’t these guys be thinking of retirement?” asked my father.

“Dad, you’re 86 years old; hopefully I’ll live at least as long as you, as will many of my clients.  Most of them expect to work another 15 to 20 years.  How long have you been retired?”

Dad replied, “Geez, about 20 years.”

“That’s a career in itself,” I noted.  “How long was your father retired before he died?”

“Just 10 years.”

That conversation showed how, in three generations, the concept of careers and retirement has changed.  Both my grandfather and my father worked for one employer for their entire career.  My grandfather worked for The Phone Company – there was only one then – and lived on his pension for ten years after retirement.  My father enjoys two retirement pensions – with cost of living allowances – from the federal government.  Moreover, he receives pretty good medical benefits (as does my mom) as a retired military officer.

How many people currently working, regardless of their age, feel they can live on their retirement savings, social security and a pension for over 20 years?  Not many of us.  Most of us will experience three to four careers with more than one employer throughout our lifetime.  The model of our fathers’ and grandfathers’ careers (and retirements) doesn’t apply any longer.

We need a new model, and some of us are creating it as we go along.  Moreover, one model will not fit everyone.  So, in effect, we require new models that can work for people as they progress throughout their careers and lives.

In a report completed for the MetLife Mature Market Institute, entitled “Buddy Can You Spare a Job”, researchers noted that Boomers “may both need and want to work longer than previous generations, or longer than they may have anticipated.” The average age workers between 55 and 70 expect to retire is about 70; workers between 66 and 70 expect to retire at 76.  So as Boomers, we plan – or need – to work 10 to 15 years longer than our parents did.

How do we plan to remain productive in a rapidly changing economy?  How can our past experience provide value to employers?  How do we promote our value?

The MetLife report identifies five critical success tools for older job seekers that are great steps for workers of all ages to keep in mind:

1. Realistically assess the changing local employment markets in your region;
2. Translate past experience into future value for a potential employer;
3. Update your technology skills;
4. Keep your network of contacts fresh and active;
5. Manage your ambivalence about work.

My father and grandfather basically did the same thing throughout their careers.  They both had clearly defined career paths.  They knew what to expect next.  We don’t.

The old model of one career with a pension doesn’t apply any longer and we need a new one.  What’s your new career model?  How will you sustain productivity and value for employers?  The five factors outlined above provide a good start.

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The clue to your next career could be right under your nose—but you’re probably not looking in the right places.

Perhaps you’re hoping that your new career will jump out at you as you review postings on job search engines, company websites, job boards, or classified ads.

But, the fact is, that these job sources account for less than 12% of the ways people actually land positions. And, if it’s ideas for new career options you’re looking for, they are even less likely to present you with useful insights, given the abridged nature of job postings.

Instead of focusing on external clues by scanning the marketplace in hopes that something will catch your eye, begin with an internal focus to your career transition and notice what is capturing your attention and interest.

It stands to reason that the places, topics or causes that you care about and spend time following might be relevant to explore as a new career.

I’m basing this suggestion in part on the philosophy of the American mythologist and writer, Joseph Campbell, who coined the phrase “follow your bliss”.

Campbell explains his directive in this way: “If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are – if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time.”

Please don’t interpret this idea as a “turn your hobby into a job” strategy—which works for some, but more typically falls short, since most people don’t want to feel pressure or stress to “make something happen” from their hobby.

Rather, I’m suggesting that you take careful note of how you spend your time when you are not working. Or, what particular aspects of your job engage you, even if, as a whole, you’re not enamored by your position.

You may find revealing clues in the articles that draw you in when you have limited time to read, in the conversations you initiate or want to be a part of, in the courses you long to take, or the community needs or causes that pull at your heartstrings.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you consider an internal focus to your career transition:

1. What topics am I most curious about at this time in my life?
2. What do I find myself talking about that’s not related to my current job?
3. What subjects do I consistently notice or seek out to read in magazines and/ or newspapers?
4. Is there an aspect of my work that I wish I could spend more time on?
5. What community/world need am I drawn to and why?

If your response to any of these questions ignites a spark in you, take a step toward it. This step can involve a variety of possibilities: setting up a meeting with someone who is associated with this interest area; subscribing to a relevant journal; doing internet research on it; volunteering for a particular cause or talking with friends about how they see you in relation to the topic.

From my experience guiding people to satisfying careers, the most successful transitions combine a process of self-discovery, revelation and investigation.

Don’t overlook the internal part of your process in favor of what seems easier on the outside. You might be surprised and delighted by what you discover about yourself that may lead to a new career.

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Do you have a son or daughter graduating from college this year?  Are you wringing your hands about the job market and concerned about the “Don’t worry about it, I’ll find a job” attitude expressed by your soon-to-be graduate?

I know from experience that kids eventually come around to accepting, even asking for parents’ opinions, but it’s typically not until they have crossed the threshold and moved well into their 20’s. Until then, you may need to find stealth-like ways to pass on your sage advice.

What was true years ago still holds true today–many students put off thinking about the inevitable and avoid the job search that will test their ability to make it in the real world. It may be a combination of fear of the unknown to reluctance to leave friends and familiar surroundings that keeps these young adults in denial and disinterested in the array of resources available to them. (I know this from my years in career services in higher education before starting my own career counseling business.)

Without any direct experience of their own, students often dismiss career counseling, on campus recruiting, resume and interviewing workshops and tapping the alumni network as “not very useful” or “geared only to business majors”. Some make up any justification that will allow them to keep post graduation plans at bay for as long as possible.

Ignoring valuable resources is a real loss to current students.  Even though some colleges and universities offer services to alumni/ae, these services often come with a fee and they are rarely as comprehensive as those offered to matriculated students.

To serve the recent graduate, we’ve added an associate at Heart At Work. Amy Jaffe is an skilled career counselor with experience in career offices at colleges such as Bates. Perhaps because Amy’s not their parent, these students and recent grads seem to be open to what she has to say.  You can see her bio on our website.

Here are important tips for the college senior or recent college grad:

1. Visit the career services office at your college and set up an appointment with one of the career counselors.
2. If you have not identified a job or field to pursue after graduation, ask how they can help you achieve that goal.
3. Ask how you can conduct an alumni/ae search for a list of names of people who are working in the city and or job in which you are interested.
4. Develop a resume and create a great Linkedin profile.
5. Set up informational interviews. Meet with people in entry-level positions so you can determine if the job is a good fit for you. After you have a sense of the job and what is required, you might then contact alums in mid to senior level positions to ask their advice on securing a job in their field. Ask for feedback on your resume.
6. When you learn of an actual job, request a job description. Make sure your resume incorporates key words and covers the most important requirements from the description.
7. Keep a written record of your process (Excel is great for that) and make sure you send appropriate follow up correspondence or emails.
8. Be prepared when the offer finally comes. Do the research that will tell you the salary ranges in the job and marketplace in which you are looking. Learn how to negotiate for a better offer, if appropriate.
9. Celebrate your fist job!

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“I don’t know who I am if I’m not a caretaker.”

I heard that statement while I was waiting my turn at a medical office the other day.

I couldn’t help but listen as the person continued to share her story to the receptionist (like bartenders, receptionists often serve as our everyday therapists).

“Ever since my father died—I took a year off to care for him—I have been beside myself wondering how to spend my days. I mean, I need a purpose in my life and all I’ve ever done is take care of someone or something.”

She continued, appearing to have solved her dilemma as she spoke. “I’m thinking of going back to school. I need to learn how to do something else, then maybe I’ll discover a direction for the future.”

The woman appeared to be “of a certain age”—a time when perplexing and critical questions pop up and demand our attention because the status quo in our life is no longer working.

The career counselor in me really wanted to chime in and say: “Bravo! Going back to school seems like a great idea to learn a new skill or try on a different behavior that might change your life. “

I resisted the urge to affirm her idea since I wasn’t really part of her conversation; plus, the receptionist kept nodding in agreement which seemed to be all the woman needed in the way of encouragement.

In that brief, but captivating interlude, I was an accidental witness to life’s most perplexing questions:

• Who am I if I’m not doing what I’ve always done?
• What is my purpose at this time in my life?
• Who or what could help me discover another aspect of myself that might lead to a new direction?

These thought-provoking questions require time and thoughtful reflection—in spite of the sense of urgency that often accompanies them.

You may come to your right answers alone or in dialogue with a trusted friend or skilled professional. However you choose to explore these questions, you might consider the recommendations of the poet Rainer Maria Rilke to support your inquiry:

“…Live the questions now.
Perhaps you will gradually,
without noticing it,
Live along some distant day,
into the answers.”

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