Relocation for Mid-Life Career Change? Don’t call the moving van yet!

Mid-life career changers frequently consider relocation as part of their career planning. Sometimes they want to move to be closer to family and they wonder if they can find jobs in a new location. Or they’re experiencing layoffs, industry changes or just general boredom and they want to move to a new place.

Moving can give your career a boost if you plan ahead. In fact, if you are considering a major career change, moving makes a lot of sense. Often it’s easier to reinvent yourself when nobody remembers you, especially if you are making a major shift. For instance, friends who remember you as a buttoned-up corporate executive may have trouble viewing you as a laid-back life coach.

Unfortunately, many people decide to move before they are ready. They get out a map, choose a destination that sounds good on the Internet, and take off. Often they anticipate the biggest expense will be the moving van. In fact, your greatest expense will involve relocating or even moving back if you realize you’ve made a big mistake.

Learn more by downloading this ebook at http://www.RelocaitonStrategy.com

read comments (0)

Job Search Strategy: Resume Tips for the 21st Century

OK, these days you often need only a virtual resume. But for those special times when only a paper resume will do, here’s a really good set of guidelines.

There’s just one rule I’d question. Many experts say the one-page resume is outdated. As long as you have good, solid, result-oriened content, you can certainly include another page or even two pages.

Another rule I’d add is, “Show, don’t tell.” Instead of, “Good communication skills,” you can give examples of situations where those great skills produced results and contributed to the bottom line.

read comments (0)

Three weeks till the job starts

You just won the job – congratulations! You gave notice and quit your old job. Or maybe you have been looking for a long time and you finally landed the Big One. Yaay!!!

But your new job doesn’t start for another 3 weeks. What do you do?

First, be sure you have a written offer.

Don’t be insulted by this suggestion. Many seasoned professionals assume, “Organizations are honorable. They will keep their word.”

Usually that’s true. But I personally know 2 professionals — each with over 10 years experience — who experienced huge losses when a future employer failed to follow up on a verbal offer.

If you don’t have a written offer, you don’t have a job yet. Keep looking!

Second, if you are still working at your current job, continue to turn in good work. Two cautions:

Do not offer to return after you’ve left. If your skills are still needed, your company will pay you — or someone else — as a consultant.

And do not disclose the details of your new job, no matter how strongly you’re asked. Some employers actually say, “We need to know this for our recruiting.”

You are not responsible for their recruiting or for helping them determine market value. Worst case, simply say, “I have a written contract that forbids this disclosure” or just turn and walk away.

Third, if you are not working, recognize you have a mini-sabbatical. Make a plan to use the time effectively. You may be able to anticipate knowledge requirements for the new job, so you can hit the ground running. Or you can plan activities that will be satisfying to you — extra time for family, sports, reading, movies, and more. See my article on
planning a sabbatical.

And just as you don’t offer to help your past employer after you’ve left, don’t offer to help your future employer before you arrive. If they have pre-employment requests, they’ll come forward.

From beginning to end of your job, communicate non-verbally, “I work for you when I am on the payroll.” You’d never say those words aloud, but you need to send a signal.

What are your experiences? Add comments.

read comments (0)