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The Fast Career Change Planner

Almost everyone will experience a career change at some point during their lives. Whether they are changes that happen based on your internal desires or the marketplace mayhem, you will be way ahead of the majority if you start to plan now. Don’t take for granted since you’ve been with the company for a long time that you will not have to go through changes in market forces. Many of those who assumed do not have jobs now or work dead-end jobs they took in order to survive. Even if you are incredibly happy with your current job, you may still see a career change in your future.

average person has two or three career changes during their lifetime. If you think that the career you started out it may not be forever, it is a smart idea to take action in your career changes. If you are prepared for the eventual possibility of a layoff, an unexpected illness, a corporate takeover, a company bankruptcy, or other potential disruptions of your current career, you can make the transition more comfortable for yourself.

Keep together items like your five-year plan, updated resumes, cover letters, business cards, your network and an emergency fund ready in the event of a job crash. By doing the research ahead of time on possible career choices that work with your skills, you have the option during a career change to find employment in your area of expertise or try to transition into another field using the same skills or those that you acquired while you were in your job.

You should put together several copies of your resume. One should be in Word format and have all the format the majority of resumes contain. One should also be electronic and be used for online submissions. It’s also wise to have a functional resume instead of a traditional one, if you have many years of experience that may make you seem dated instead of fresh. This way you can group your skills by job experience rather than dates, making you appear younger at least on paper.

Along with your professional network and other things you do to be ready for a career change, you will find that having an emergency fund is one of the smartest decisions you can make. You will have to pay your bills while you make the change from one job to another. You will have to cover transportation costs to interviews and continue to portray a professional image, while having no income in many cases.

You will also want to build a professional network. Start to put together a network of professional contacts outside the company as well as on the inside. You never know where your next job opportunity will come from, but it will probably be from an individual who knows someone trying to fill a position. Knowing the right people will create opportunities when they are necessary. Remember, being prepared ahead of time helps you not only go forward in your career but also helps reduce the stresses involved in career change.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Arthur Manford Chambers III is a career planner and writer who enjoys sharing tips on career change and offers extensive free career guides, and a free career change "special report". Plus you can download the author's new career handbook on his website www.career-recruitment.com

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