Career Change Advice for Your 30s - Your Career Intel

Career Change Advice for Your 30s - Your Career IntelWith the average individual staying at each of his or her jobs for just 4.4 years, job-hopping is the new norm, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If youve hop-scotched through a few different jobs in the last decade but are not loving your chosen professional field, you may be considering a career change at 30. Thirty is the perfect time to start a new career youve amassed nearly a decade of valuable, post-college work experience and you may even have masters degree or MBA to complement this experience.As a Senior Partner, Ive helped many individuals make a career leap. I understand that a new career at 30 can be both an exciting and scary prospect, especially if your desired career path is potentially less lucrative or more competitive than your current field. Making the leap to a new career is never easy, but it is doable. Heres how to get startedDo some soul searching. If you are considering a career change at 30, sta rt by asking yourself if its your career that truly needs a change or simply your current professional situation. Are you ready for a new professional challenge or are you simply fed up with your current boss, frustrated by office politics or sick of your daily commute? Honest answers to these questions may save you from chasing an illusion.Turn up your networking game. Reach out to your LinkedIn contacts that work for a dream company or hold your dream job. Ask these contacts out to coffee or lunch. A short coffee chat could lead to a valuable mentor in your dream field and open the door to a whole new business network. Even if a company does not have an immediate opening, its important to be on their radar. If you do not currently have a strong network in your desired field, tap into your local college alumni network for a mentor.Be smart about the transition. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, do not leave your current job until you have a new one lined up. As an executi ve recruiter, I can attest that its much harder to get a job if you are not currently employed especially if your reason for current unemployment is because you simply didnt like your old job.Build your skill set. If your current job does not offer you the skills that you need for your dream job, volunteer for additional responsibilities, attend industry conferences, sign up for free webinars, and take online courses until youre up to speed. Not only will you gain valuable skills, but you also will be introduced to a whole new network in your desired field.Have you recently made a career change at 30? What advice helped you most during the transition process? I welcome your thoughts below.

3 Ways to Get Some Real R&R When You Cant Take a Vacation

3 Ways to Get Some Real R&R When You Cant Take a Vacation A recent survey from Expedia, aptly titled the Vacation Deprivation Report, showed that Americans are pretty terrible at taking PTO. According to the report, approximately 462 million vacation days will go unused in 2017 for reasons ranging from budget to work commitments. Yet, the benefits of vacations are well-documented taking time off can lead to improved productivity, stress reduction and even heart disease prevention.If youre one of the millions of people with a bank of unused vacation days, there are plenty of ways to decompress and recharge even if you dont have the financial means or the flexibility in your schedule to take an extravagant vacation. Here are three that you can do in the comfort of your own home for free any time you need a little R&R.1. Create an in-home spa day.Spas, amazing as they are, usually dont come cheap. But believe it or not, you have all the tools at your disposal to re-create that amazing zen spa experience in your own bathroom. Run a bubble bath and keep an extra towel handy to beistand your neck while youre in the tub. Light a candle with a calming scent like lavender or jasmine, both of which are known for their soothing effects. Try creating aDIY face mask to detoxify the skin while the rest of your body relaxes. Dim the lights and cue up a playlist with calming tunes (Spotify and Pandora have lots of options). And finally, put your phone on Do Not Disturb its impossible to truly relax when youre inundated with buzzes and dings signifying texts and emails are waiting. Close your eyes and imagine youre in a spa in an exotic destination of your choice, and repeat whenever you need to re-create that vacation experience.2. Meditate, meditate, meditate.When you picture meditation, do you think of a Buddhist monk sitting atop a peaceful mountaintop in a perfect lotus position, Om-ing for hours? Well, meditation can be way less intense--and a lot less time-consuming-- than that. Scientific benefits of meditationinclude stress reduction, anxiety relief and sleep improvement all elements that are often associated with vacations. If youre a beginner, starting with a just a few minutes of meditation per day can be hugely effective. Try an app like Meditation Studio, Calm, or Headspace and do a short meditation (five minutes or less). Pick a time of day, like when you first wake up, when you know you wont be distracted and will actually remember to do it. If youre digging it, stay with the shorter meditations for a while until you feel ready to upgrade to a longer session. Rinse, repeat and be relaxed.3. Challenge yourself to go tech-free for a day.The tiny computers we carry around with us also known as our phones can be helpful in many instances, but they can also be incredibly distracting and all-consuming. When youre in need of a mental break, try disconnecting for a set period of time maybe even a full day. Let loved ones know youre going off the grid so theyre aware they wont be able to get in touch with you, and put your phone on airplane mode or better yet, turn it off completely. Use your newfound tech freedom to read a book, go for a hike or even be a tourist in your own city anything youve been meaning to do but somehow havent been able to carve out the time to do so. The emails, calls and texts will all be there when you re-emerge from your tech hiatus, and youll be more relaxed when you re-engage.Finding time to recharge doesnt have to include a pricey trip. With these tips, you can easily squeeze some R&R into an evening or weekend without having to set foot outside your home.--Kaitlin Bitting is a public relations pro and a certified health passionateabout helping people find themotivationto create lasting, positive change in their lives, whether personal or professional. Learn more atkaitlinbitting.com.

Get the Scoop on Emailing a Resume and Cover Letter Before Youre Too Late

Get the Scoop on Emailing a Resume and titelbild Letter Before Youre Too Late Top Emailing a Resume and Cover Letter Choices It is possible to convert your documents to different formats online. A titelblatt letter is a document together with your resume that states and extra information regarding your abilities and experience. Your titelseite letter ought to be written using your very best language and grammar abilities. Each sample letter includes guidelines and tips to help you locate the proper words. How to Get Started with Emailing a Resume and Cover Letter? Letters often dont get read in any way, and yet they continue to be touted as important pieces to the document suite. Confirmation letters are largely employed by businesses to stay formal records and to steer clear of conflicts regarding transactions or agreements. The Importance of Emailing a Resume and Cover Letter A cold emaille is a very first impression, just enjoy the first couple of minutes of a work inte rview. Based on the position you may need to compose a cover letter to supply additional info on your experience, expertise, why youre applying for the job, and why you are a great fit for the position. When youve written your extraordinary cover letter providing mora info on your expertise and the way it is related to the job that youre applying for, its very important to format it correctly before sending it to any recruiters. The secret to a thriving referral cover letter is impressing the hiring manager from the beginning. Emailing a Resume and Cover Letter Features You should get your cover letter before the folks that are doing the hiring. Although its quick and simple to send an email, it doesnt indicate you ought to write anything under a thorough cover letter focused on why you are a great match for the job youre applying for. Naturally, the best method to acquire a job is through networking, so should you have connections at a certain location, its often best to sta rt there. If a job posting doesnt incorporate someones name, do some investigating to find out who the proper person is. After that, move to LinkedIn to see whether its possible to locate their email address. Your resume email needs to be short and sweet. The email you send is the very first thing they see so that it is very important to receive it right. In general, writing an email to a prospective employer is a fairly straightforward matter to do. The very first paragraph is vital, according to Ramsey. You can see the complete cover letter at the next link. You ought to be able to compose a convincing cover letter in a couple of brief paragraphs. If you opt to cut and paste your cover letter within the body of the email, it still ought to be professionally written and absolutely free of errors. To begin with, before you begin drafting your letter, be certain your email address is professional. Prevent any formatting in the resume email text If you would like your em ail to be read, it is highly advisable to remove all of the formatting. Even in the event that you craft the ideal email to send a resume, its still true that you require a killer cover letter.

Heres why introverts bypass on leadership opportunities at work

Heres why introverts bypass on leadership opportunities at workHeres why introverts bypass on leadership opportunities at workDoes your introversion hold you back from going for it at work sometimes? As it turns out, science may know why.A new study in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that introverts fail to emerge as leaders as often as extraverts because they engage in higher levels of forecasted negative affect and that these forecasts impede their emergent leadership potential.FollowLadders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard coveringHappiness,Productivity,Job Satisfaction,Neuroscience, andmoraIn other words, they tend to predict that group experiences will be harder for them than they might actually be, so they dont try to take control during informal leadership opportunities, according to a writeup in theThe British Psychological Society Research Digest.Putting things in simpler terms, the writeup breaks down what the researchers mean by em ergent leadership in the study, writing that its when someone takes charge in a team without a formal hierarchy.Here are some of the findings from the research, plus what you can do to feel more empowered as an office introvert.What the researchers foundThe researchers took a look athow much184 business students acted like leaders during an unstructured group task.According to the writeup, beforedoing the group activity(developed by NASA), participants described how they thought theyd fare. Then they assessed others leadership wertzuwachs afterward.Its clear that introverts can express their personal leadershipthrough things like personal branding, but in the study, they reportedly didnt demonstrate their leaderships skills as frequently as theextraverts during the activity - and also predicted it being more unpleasant beforehand.Although the research couldnt conclusively prove that introverts predictions prevented them from being leaders, the evidence seemed in line with his conce pt These two factors seemed to be related when fully accounting for any differences in participants negative expectations, introversion was no longer associated with less emergent leadership.It looks like introverts who experience this have an opportunity to change on their hands.Introverts may like taking control more than they expect toWe know that introverts have the power to get ahead and express themselves at work, but heres abedrngnisher possible way to do so.The research saysthat if introverts can develop strategies to more accurately forecast their enjoyment of behavior more conducive to emergent leadership, then it is possible that such individuals will be on a level playing field with extraverts in relevant social situations.Other researchshows that when introverts act extraverted, they like it more than they predicted.Heres how introverts can take the plunge at workYou dont always have to be the office wallflowerThink about why you youre tempted to opt outDo some hard thi nking about why, and youll figure out how to move forward.Stephanie Peterson, co-founder of free profile photo testing tool PhotoFeeler.com, offers her perspective on this in The Muse, writing that next time youre thinking of saying no to an opportunity under the guise of being an introvert, pause and think about the real reasons behind your decision. If its all dread or disinterest, then youre probably right to skip out. But if fear is suggesting you run away from something with clear potential to enrich your career, consider rising to the challenge.Speak up at the beginning of meetingsBeing an introvert doesnt mean you have no insight to offer.Readers Digest features advice from communications expert, author, and coach Kristi Hedges.It can benefit introverts to think ahead and have a plan. Challenge yourself to put your ideas on the table in the first few minutes, and at a minimum, get your voice in the room. The vibe of the meeting is set early, and by contributing then, youre es tablishing yourself as an active participant. As an added bonus, people may refer back to your comments and offer additional ways for you to get heard, she told the publication.Readers Digest goes on to suggest that if that doesnt work for you, start speakingthese calming phrases to yourself before meetings.Draw on your strengthsRey Castellanos, Founder and CEO of Feed Your wundsein and host of the podcast We Fail Forward (presented by the company), told Forbes about how introverts can do this.Introverts have a knack for going deep quickly, so you should leverage this strength to build deep lasting relationships with the people in your world. Learn to work smarter, not harder. Focus on what you are good at and build meaningful relationships everywhere you go, even if its only one at a time. We all crave deep and authentic connections, and introverts excel in this arena, he told the publication.Introverts, you have more power at work than you might think. After all, you do bring a lo t to the table.Heres why introverts bypass on leadership opportunities at workDoes your introversion hold you back from going for it at work sometimes? As it turns out, science may know why.A new study in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that introverts fail to emerge as leaders as often as extraverts because they engage in higher levels of forecasted negative affect and that these forecasts impede their emergent leadership potential.In other words, they tend to predict that group experiences will be harder for them than they might actually be, so they dont try to take control during informal leadership opportunities, according to a writeup in theThe British Psychological Society Research Digest.Putting things in simpler terms, the writeup breaks down what the researchers mean by emergent leadership in the study, writing that its when someone takes charge in a team without a formal hierarchy.Here are some of the findings from the research, plus what you can d o to feel more empowered as an office introvert.What the researchers foundThe researchers took a look athow much184 business students acted like leaders during an unstructured group task.According to the writeup, beforedoing the group activity(developed by NASA), participants described how they thought theyd fare. Then they assessed others leadership performance afterward.Its clear that introverts can express their personal leadershipthrough things like personal branding, but in the study, they reportedly didnt demonstrate their leaderships skills as frequently as theextraverts during the activity - and also predicted it being more unpleasant beforehand.Although the research couldnt conclusively prove that introverts predictions prevented them from being leaders, the evidence seemed in line with his concept These two factors seemed to be related when fully accounting for any differences in participants negative expectations, introversion was no longer associated with less emergent leadership.It looks like introverts who experience this have an opportunity to change on their hands.Introverts may like taking control more than they expect toWe know that introverts have the power to get ahead and express themselves at work, but heres another possible way to do so.The research saysthat if introverts can develop strategies to more accurately forecast their enjoyment of behavior more conducive to emergent leadership, then it is possible that such individuals will be on a level playing field with extraverts in relevant social situations.Other researchshows that when introverts act extraverted, they like it more than they predicted.Heres how introverts can take the plunge at workYou dont always have to be the office wallflowerThink about why you youre tempted to opt outDo some hard thinking about why, and youll figure out how to move forward.Stephanie Peterson, co-founder of free profile photo testing tool PhotoFeeler.com, offers her perspective on this in The Muse, w riting that next time youre thinking of saying no to an opportunity under the guise of being an introvert, pause and think about the real reasons behind your decision. If its all dread or disinterest, then youre probably right to skip out. But if fear is suggesting you run away from something with clear potential to enrich your career, consider rising to the challenge.Speak up at the beginning of meetingsBeing an introvert doesnt mean you have no insight to offer.Readers Digest features advice from communications expert, author, and coach Kristi Hedges.It can benefit introverts to think ahead and have a plan. Challenge yourself to put your ideas on the table in the first few minutes, and at a minimum, get your voice in the room. The vibe of the meeting is set early, and by contributing then, youre establishing yourself as an active participant. As an added bonus, people may refer back to your comments and offer additional ways for you to get heard, she told the publication.Readers D igest goes on to suggest that if that doesnt work for you, start speakingthese calming phrases to yourself before meetings.Draw on your strengthsRey Castellanos, Founder and CEO of Feed Your Wolf and host of the podcast We Fail Forward (presented by the company), told Forbes about how introverts can do this.Introverts have a knack for going deep quickly, so you should leverage this strength to build deep lasting relationships with the people in your world. Learn to work smarter, not harder. Focus on what you are good at and build meaningful relationships everywhere you go, even if its only one at a time. We all crave deep and authentic connections, and introverts excel in this arena, he told the publication.Introverts, you have more power at work than you might think. After all, you do bring a lot to the table.

3 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search

3 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search3 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job SearchGive your job search a good scrubbing this spring.Can you believe that spring is here? Many of us use this season as an excuse to clean out our closets and give our homes a good scrubbing from top to bottom. Its also the perfect time to take a look at our job-search tactics and give them a thorough cleaning.If youve been reading my column for a while, you should be familiar with a concept of harnessing the power of three. As a job seeker, there are three main ways to pursue job leads both hidden and published. I recommend applying and following up to zugnglich listings utilizing your network of personal and professional contacts and engaging with recruiters.By sprucing up your job-search strategy, you can increase the number of relevant job leads in your pipeline. Use the following tips to get your job search in tip-top shape and help you harness even more job leads this season.Unclutter your resumeIf you h avent reviewed your resume in a while, nows the time to give it a good polish. Rearrangethe information to showcase your most relevant experience and qualifications. If you find yourselfhoardingextraneous information, its time totrim the fat.Edit your resume so its no more than two pages andclear offany experience beyond the past ten-to-fifteen years.Replenish your networkUse this season as an excuse todust offyour address book andtake stockof your network.Nows the time to repair friendships with those youve lost touch with, and weed out those who are unsupportive of your goals. Plant the seeds for new connections by joining relevant professional associations or other industry-specific groups. Meeting new people in your industry will only increase your chances of landing the right job, sooner.Remember that not every networking opportunity will be a face-to-face affair. Break out your smartphone to keep networking while on the go.Clean up your online presenceOut with the old, in with the newIts time to give your online presence a face-lift. Set up Google Alerts for your name to actively monitor your brand, andclean outorupdateany outdated profiles. Increase the security settings on any personal accounts you dont want to associate with your professional brand. This will ensure that employers find the same professional online that they met face-to-face or read in your application.

Refresh Your Wardrobe for Your Job Search

Refresh Your Wardrobe for Your Job SearchRefresh Your Wardrobe for Your Job SearchNow that you have found ideal job listings and submitted your resume and targeted cover letter to each listing, it is time to think about the next stage of the job search process the interview. To make a strong first impression on the employer, you need to be dressed appropriately for your job interview. Today, you will use the following tips to select the perfect interview outfit. Job Interview Attire Tips Select the Right ColorsThe right colors can help convey your confidence, professionalism and your ability to fit into an organizations environment. The goal is for the employer not to remember your attire, but instead, to remember your skills and qualifications. Neutral solid colors help keep the focus on you rather than your outfit. Navy, gray, black, brown and black are typically the best colors for an interview. A small pop of color is appropriate, such as a pale blue blouse under a dark suit, or a red tie. However, limit the brightly colored item to one small piece. Select Solids Over PatternsTo keep the employers attention on you, not your clothes, you should also choose solid colors over patterns. Small patterns, like thin pinstripes or a checkered shirt, are fine. However, you want to select a pattern that is small enough that it looks like a solid from across the room. Keep It SimpleKeep your outfit simple a blouse and pants, a suit and tie, a dress suit or khakis and a button-down shirt. Do not add too many accessories. You might wear a scarf or one piece of jewelry, but any more than that can be distracting to the employer. You also want to keep your makeup and perfume simple and limited (no distracting smells). Know the Office CultureDespite all of these tips, you should always choose an outfit that fits in with the companys culture. In a more conservative office, you should definitely stick to a suit or dress in solid, neutral colors. However, in a more casual office (such as a startup), you might be able to wear a bit more color, or pants and a button-down shirt instead of a suit. Before your interview, research the companys work environment to get an idea of the type of outfit you should wear. However, if you have any doubts about what you should wear, dress on the more conservative side to be safe. Be ReadyMake koranvers you have an interview outfit well before your interview. Try on the outfit at least a week ahead of time, so you have time to make any adjustments to the fit. Lay out your outfit the night before, and make sure everything is clean and wrinkle-free. This will help you to avoid any last-minute panic about your outfit. You can read more tips on what to wear to an interview, including interview attire for men and women, androgynous attire and other job interview outfit ideas.

5 communities that will help you build a strong network

5 communities that will help you build a strong network5 communities that will help you build a strong networkThe term follower is often used to designate the members of a community, as if it is an entirely passive role. But a more specific description would be joiner. To join is to be one among equals who want to make something togetherbei.Going to meets include entrepreneurs, web designers, film-makers, venture capitalists, and librarians. Practice is not limited to paid professional activities it applies as well to anyone who wants to take part in a common interest or hobby, like French speakers or marathon runners.The most efficient way to find others who have such mutual interests is through an online keyword search.2. ProximityThis is a group based on being of or in a certain place. During my recent relocation to hauptstadt von frankreich, I learned of a website called Message Paris. Members paid a nominal subscription fee to find others in the city and get quick and easy acces s to such information as how to choose a school or how to deal with foreign taxes.Later, I found another website called Mes Bonnes Copines (my good girlfriends), which connects people to one another to other various kinds of helpful services, such as swapping babysitting services. I also used geolocation on Twitter, focused on Paris and even on my particular arrondissement, which led me to information about upcoming events, local news, and people I might find interesting, for example, who won the best boulangerie contest near me.These resources helped me to navigate a new city and make contact with others who were doing the same, using the parameters of territory and geo searches.3. PassionA community of passion is driven by a shared interest in a particular subject, but differs slightly from one based on practice. Lets say youre a parrot lover, as my friend Arikia Millikan is. Her journal - shes a writer, so her notebook will likely be in plain sight - has loads of parrot-related content, so whenever friends see it, they cant help but notice and say, Wow, you must really like parrots.Even though most of them have never seen her actually interact with a parrot, they send her all the parrot videos and paraphernalia they find. Arikia also shares antianimal abuse petitions on her social media pages, so people come to understand that the topic matters to her. A combination of digital tools has helped link her to others like her who share this passion. This same method can be used for dog lovers, motorcycle enthusiasts, pottery makers, art collectors, skiers, and so on. Searching based on passion is content driven.4. ProvidenceProvident communities are the product of seemingly random connections - the serendipity of meeting just that right person whom you later went on to found a company with, or high school buddies who introduce you to your future funders on Kickstarter.This process is actually not as random as it appears. For example, entrepreneur advocate Tere za Nemessanyi was not a known expert when she first dived into that world. She started by first soaking up ideas from blogs written by venture capitalists but then noticed that lots of interesting ideas were actually published in comments sections. She began to leave her own comments, which led her to greater personal clarity and led others to discover her.She then created a blog on her own domain, tweeting actively to support it, which after three years led to her building her own company. As she attended conferences promoting her business, she found people already knew of her from her comments and so were interested in talking with her. After she left her own start-up, she got a job at Microsoft, helping the company to build strategic relationships with start-ups and entrepreneurs.Providence is, by definition, random. But there is clearly a strategy to leverage it, which is to figure out where you can be to create opportunities for serendipity, like conferences or blogs where the topic or attendee self-selection process creates a fruitful context.5. PurposePurposeful communities are those that share a vision of the world as it could be. Identifying people based on their interest in a specific goal or challenge is the hardest way to align with a community because they are not typically found in one spot, or by keyword searches. Even those who appear to be alike enough to have shared purpose wont always have that alignment.Unlike practices areas, purpose-oriented communities dont always have known bentzer groups and are, more often than not, not geography dependent. Because these groups are issues based, finding people with common purpose means finding those who share a commitment to a cause, and that involves a more sophisticated method of signaling and seeking.This taxonomy of communities is a framework you can use to think through whom you need to find and how best to reach them. If you were, for example, looking for fellow parents trying to change an after -school program, you could find them based on the practice of child-focused after-school programs and also based on proximity. If you were looking for people who were interested in biosciences and entrepreneurship, youd look for a mix of practice areas so you could find the subset of the groups that met this combined criteria.Its not meant to be definitive as much as a place to begin, so feel free to mix and match strategies that work based on your particular needs.FromTHE POWER OF ONLYNESS Make Your jagdbeute Ideas Mighty Enough to Dent the Worldby Nilofer Merchant, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright Nilofer Merchant, 2017.