The economy is rough nowadays, and with mass lay-offs and plenty of discouragement, its a good idea to look for career advice to change your focus to something you can be passionate about. The difference between a job and a career is that the first option is labor oriented and usually does not have much advancement involved, and the second option is passion oriented, allowing you to advance and grow using skills that you have learned through some kind of formal or technical education. If you do not know what direction to go into, seeking an advice is an excellent first step to organizing your goals while helping you head down a path that will encourage and motivate you to succeed.

As you begin your quest for a career, you may not have an idea about what kind you should be pursuing. An easy way to determine what direction to take, and the first bit of advice to edge you forward, is to think about what you have always loved to do with your time. There are activities that you take part in because you enjoy them as hobbies, and activities that you take part in because you could see yourself doing them to make money seriously. Those activities that you could see yourself turning into a career should be your first stepping stone to paving the road to success for yourself.

The second point of advice for is to consider going back to school or taking some kind of training to help enhance your skills. You may not be equipped with the necessary skills and education to begin your future plans right away, and finding a job without the right skills will be nearly impossible. It is best to research what colleges and institutions you can attend that will allow you to get a degree, certification or license in the field that you are interested in. Choose a college or program that you will enjoy going to in a location that makes you excited to be there. This will help to motivate you to continue on with your studies.

The final point of career advice is to learn how to negotiate your salary so that you can live a lifestyle that is enjoyable. Research the high, average and low incomes for your career so that you know what kind of base salary to expect with your experience and skill set. The skills you have obtained my be high end skills that allow you to select a salary that compliments what you have learned. Be confident when you negotiate your salary, but not cocky. It is always better to be humble than to come off as obnoxious or snobby, so keep your attitude in check and enjoy making the money that reflects what you are worth.

Author: Uma A Ilango
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

With the recession about to hit us and job losses on the increase, you need to employ some creative job search techniques if you want to get hired.

The truth is that most people are taught the wrong way to find a job and so they end up using the least effective job search methods available. This makes life tough at the best of times, but a lot more difficult at times of economic uncertainty.

So, if you want to find a job when the government is telling you we are on the verge of recession, at a time when people are losing their savings and their jobs and having their homes repossessed, you need to find some efficient job search techniques.

So, how do you go about finding a job? If you are like most people, you search online and you look in the local press or specialist journals. Then you send in an application form or a rsum or CV with a cover letter and you wait for a reply. If you are particularly industrious, you may send out hundreds of these applications and still not get an interview.

Experts agree that these methods, whilst being the techniques most frequently taught and most frequently used, are in fact, the least effective, accounting for a very low percentage of success, somewhere in the range of 5-14%.

So, you could get a job using these methods, but if the success rate is so low, you need some more ideas.

One of the most effective job search strategies is building a network of contacts. You’ve heard the theory that there are only six degrees of separation between everyone on the planet and whether that is true or not, the more people who know you are looking for work, the greater the chance of meeting someone who is interested in hiring you.

Creating a network does take a bit of time and effort, but it will pay off. You can start with friends and family and use professional networking sites on the internet. You can also contact professional colleagues and people you have worked with in the past.

Don’t be put off by the fact that you don’t think that anyone in your immediate circle is likely to know anyone who might give you a job. Everyone that you know has their own circle of friends and acquaintances.

Go about building your network in a professional manner. Look at it as a job in itself and spend time developing it every day. Be sure that you have a good generic resume or CV typed up, which can be targeted to a specific job very quickly or used as a general introduction.

If you are employed at the moment but afraid that you may lose your job in the current crisis, start building your network right away. Even if you do avoid being laid off, your network will be a valuable resource for the future.

Author: Waller Jamison
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace