Get ahead of the competition and prepare yourself for your career change opportunity.
In you career after 50 career plan how is your plan doing? Has the slowdown in the economy put your career plan on hold? Have things changed in your career that doors to opportunities have closed?
Now may be the time to jump-start your after 50 career plan. If you get to the point that you change careers you’ll be ready to make the move on your terms and not have to accept second best because you lack some critical training or experience.
Here are four key ideas to jump-start your current career plan or keep your current career plan on track:
1. Get and Stay Current on Cutting Edge Skills: Education and learning can take many forms. From listening to the latest book of leadership on your commute to attending seminars and workshops-all are important to stay on the cutting edge.
Perhaps it is learning a new software application from a skilled IT friend or co-worker or attending a program sponsored by a career related group. Sometimes it’s taking an evening or weekend class at a local college. It’s all important to building your career plan and working toward your career change goals.
2. Achievements Count: Are you keeping a record of your achievements? Perhaps a letter of thanks from a customer or the head of another department or a written thank you from the chairman on the results of project you headed; all are important.
This file will be the bones of any resume you may write. Accomplishments count in any career move. This is what the prospective employer is looking for. Be prepared to be up the challenge.
3. Networking is the Juice to Jump Starting Your Career Plan: Don’t overlook the value of networking. Whenever possible help others in their job searches.
Join a career related group or association. Help out on committees and other assignments. Keep a record of who you meet, and keep in touch. Join LinkedIn and other social networking sites. They can be valuable in hooking up with like-minded individuals and in your ongoing career research.
4. Build Career Related Experience: In any career change work related experience can be a qualifying factor. However, if you have a full-time job in another career how do you build up this required experience?
First, it could be related work you do as a volunteer for a non-profit or career related association. Perhaps, it could be part-time work or work you contract for through contacts in your network. Or maybe you transition to an entry-level position in your chosen new career with an accelerated career path.
Another method others have used for good effect is to add to their education, as mentioned previously, to beef up their resume and qualify for the new position.
Use these four ideas to move ahead of your competition. While they keep their heads down and hope the roof won’t fall in on them, you’ll be looking to the future. Your skills will be increasing, your network of possible help will be expanding, your accomplishments will be listed and growing and you’ll be moving to building the required levels of newly related experience-overall a winning combination.