What's In The Recovery Plan For Me?

With all of the negative media surrounding the economy in what is being titled as the worst since the great depression and large job-loss increases in financial, manufacturing and service sector roles the question that increasingly arises as a career coach is, “With so many industries crumbling, which are roles are growing for the future?”

Three million jobs are expected to grow in the next 18 months according to the Presidential address on the Economic Recovery Plan. A few of the growth target areas are listed below:

Education
Jobs that fix classrooms, in fact 10,000 schools for over 5 million students will be in high demand. Teaching assignments specifically in math and science will also be a focus to keep our nation competitive. Tripling the number of fellowships in science is good news for those that have a calling to teach and great news to those willing to turn in their time in business for chalkboards and notebooks. Many colleges and universities have programs offering fast track of other degrees to teaching certification programs.

Healthcare
With technology in healthcare administration being one of the last things to upgrade the medical arena, roles in medical administration and billing will be a wanted skill to help curb the outlandish costs of health care in our nation. While computerizing our health records in the five years is aggressive, programs offered at local community colleges will be a hot ticket in the next 18 moths as we move forward to have real-time data in the medical arena.

Information Technology
The President, our first that has been deemed as an “Internet Leader” has committed to expanding the web to reach all areas of the US, and expand the information superhighway. This translates into web design, hardware, software and broadband management jobs. Again, classes at vocational schools and community colleges will be packed with folks looking to turn a new chapter in their lives.

Energy
Doubling our capacity for renewable energy in solar, wind and bio-fuels will take-up a considerable amount of the new growth for our country. This translates into a degree in anything associated with “green management” or energy to be a good role both domestically and internationally. In fact, one of the pledges is to have75% of all federal buildings more energy efficient in the next few years.

Construction Management and Civil Engineering
Creating jobs that will fix or repair our roads, bridges and highways are anticipated to be a big focus to help the nation react to the job-loss increases. In addition the President plans to build a new electricity grid for the US. New mass transit options for the nations large cities. This shows jobs in construction and civil engineering to be stable for the future.

While all of these goals are based on the federal governments pledge to stimulate the economy, most will be in the private sector and therefore stimulation of the small and mid-sized employers helping our country be stronger and more prosperous. This is good news for our economy and those looking to change or expand their current career in any of these listed assignments.

Contact one of our career coaches today to conduct your complimentary career assessment session at http://www.career-forward.com/.

I think I am going to quit...Really?

Receiving a call from a friend about quitting his high-paying sales job during the week of what was anticipated to be a continuation of the United States job loss rate increasing seemed at first blush, surreal to me as a career coach. In fact, my initial response to him was “I assume you don’t get the paper or news in your hometown?” However, after discussing what led to his decision I agreed with his assessment…sometimes (regardless of the Macroeconomics) you have to stand-up for something.

What led to his decision is something, I fear as a career coach, many more of us will experience as the belts get tightened in many companies. A series of broken promises, reduced earnings despite stellar performance, and conversations that fall on deaf ears can leave many of us thinking, “This isn’t what I signed up for!” The other side, and the thing some cutthroat organizations are counting on, is feeding that fear through intimidation with a response of “Too bad. Where are they going to go?”

The reality of this exchange can be full of fear. But if handled correctly, it can also serve as fuel to surge for a great job search.

First and foremost, never compromise your morals or values out of fear. It has become commonplace to hear about organizations violating ethical standards and sometimes even common sense and the LAW, all in the name of profits and appearance. No job or assignment is worth tarnishing your reputation. In fact, I venture to say that regardless of your role, you will be tainted with a negative cloud if you sit by when you should have stood up. Would you hire someone that worked for Bernie Madoff’s accounting department?

Second, if it appears you need to change, prepare yourself financially ASAP. The six months reserve we are all conditioned to believe we should have probably wasn’t enough for those of us affected by the stock market lately, but there are many things we can do to prepare for a change. Cut out the latte’s, no more HBO, and buy a new tie instead of a new suit. These all serve as great starting points for examining your discretionary spend…let’s set the example for the federal government!

Finally, focus on ramping up your job search as quickly and with as much enthusiasm as you can, in spite of the negative environment. The truth is…many companies ARE hiring; just look at the most recent issue of Fortune’s 100 Top Employers. Ramp up your search efforts by fine tuning your resume or CV, frame and reframe your accomplishments, define your career path, get ‘LinkedIn’ and put your game-face on Facebook…just a few things you can do to kick your search into high gear.

In the end, changing jobs is almost never easy. But if the time is right for you, there is no time like the present! Contact one of our career coaches today for your complimentary and confidential career assessment – http://www.career-forward.com/.

Should I Go Back To School?

Not many of us get an opportunity to have a “do-over” in life, and if you recently lost your job it probably doesn’t feel that way right now. While the reality of the jobless market is anticipated to get a little gloomier tomorrow, many see the current economy as an opportunity to return to school and focus on new skills or trades.

Today’s Wall Street Journal article “The Jobless Go Back to School and, They Hope, Work” is a shining example of what some are doing in the face of a downturn. Highlighting the distinction between blue and white collar jobs and what some career coaching professionals use as a playbook for the “Hidden Job Market” the Department of Labor lists the top-rated job categories for 2006-2016. To make it even better for Ohioans, the Department of Job and Family Services has listed the top 50 high wage occupations for Ohio ( http://ohiolmi.com/proj/Projections/Ohio/Buckeye50.pdf ). If necessity is truly the mother of invention, then the fact that 45 of the top 50 paying jobs in Ohio require a college degree then the return to school as a possible choice for your future well-being should be a strong option. To make this decision in an educated fashion…no pun intended…take time to evaluate your current skill-set, your vision of what the perfect job will look like and what brings you personal satisfaction.

Keep in mind if you chose the route of entering the workforce before college, it may seem awkward to hit the books after you “grew-up”. However, the reality of entering school after some seasoning in the real-world can often be very helpful. If you would like some assistance in mapping your career choice, contact one of our coaches at http://www.career-forward.com/.