Career Mapping For A Smooth Journey

By: Tony Jacowski

You can dream of being a Vice President, but you may not know how to reach that position. If you don't have a career map, then eventually you may end up being in the same position as before.

Career mapping can be highly beneficial at any stage of your career. Whether you are entering the workplace for the first time or you are a veteran of the rat race, career mapping can prove to be one an invaluable tool - particularly if you are thinking of switching careers.

A career map is a two-piece document that actually summarizes a person's career strategy. In short, it is like a road map that will guide you throughout your work life. You should refer to your road map when you want to reach a destination; similarly, you should use your career map when you want to go ahead in your career. A career map is particularly handy when you experience job loss through downsizing or layoffs - when you have a career map, you won't have to panic, because your strategy will already be in place.

Career mapping can help you go about achieving your goals with purpose and clarity, whether that is advancing in your current career or searching for a new one.

Overview

This point clarifies what it is that you would like to accomplish in the future - in as short as one year or as long as five - and gives you the route that you need to take to get there. There are times when you may have to change the map suddenly when you find a lucrative job opening or when you realize that you have taken a wrong turn in your career - so it pays to be flexible.

Marketing Plan

If you are presently working long hours and not making the kind of money that you want, it could be a matter of insufficient focus. Decide which aspect of your profession is the most valuable, and develop a plan to market your knowledge, skills and experience to get a position that's right for you.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Maximize your strengths through experience and reduce your weakness through education. If you are stuck, then you can consult a career coach or counselor.

Plan of Action

Once you know your goals, then you need to identify how you will get there. You can do this by talking to experts or getting help from a mentor. Similarly, you should seek advice from people in similar positions that are already successful.

Financial Plan

Analyze why you want to change your career and direct your strengths to influence your finances. Look at your present position and then set a pattern to monitor your progress.

If you want to change your career for the better, then it pays to have a plan. Having a career map is one of the best tools for getting you where you need to go.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Being Self Employed Is Not For Everyone

By: Bruce Lipski

Do you know how hard it is to be self employed? Do you have what it takes? There are many advantages to being self employed such as being your own boss and having the ability to set your own hours but overall being self employed is not easy. There are many downsides that people might overlook when they are contemplating making a career job decision. If you decide to become truly self employed it means that:

1) You will have to pay 100% of your own health care and sometimes it is even hard to find companies that are willing to give you health care. If you are lucky enough to find affordable health care, then you will have to send them a check (or have it automatically withdrawn from your checking account) every month to pay for it. You won't have the luxury of a paycheck for it to be magically deducted from.

2) You will have to pay your own taxes every quarter. This is often overlooked. If everyone had to get out their own checkbook and write a check to the IRS every month there would be a lot fewer fiscal liberals in the world. Writing a check to the IRS is one heck of a lot more eye opening than having it deducted from your paycheck.

3) You will have to be able to save enough to pay your taxes every quarter. You had better be able to have some self control because those checks you get from your clients or wherever are not all yours. Some of it belongs to the government and you better not need their share for the rent. The government doesn't care about your rent, food, or that XBox you want - they want their share and you better have it for them.

4) You better be able to keep very detailed records. In order to pay your taxes you are going to have to be able to figure out how much you owe. That means you need to keep daily records of everything and be able to prove your income if you ever get audited.

5) You will need to figure out how to do your taxes or find someone trustworthy who does. The more money you make in life the more complicated your taxes become. That is a fact. I do my own taxes but then I am lucky and have spent the time to learn how. Without that, I would have to pay to have it done which is another expense if you are successful in life.

6) You will have to have saved up enough money to get started. It is hard to transition from a regular job to being self employed. That day when you make the switch and realize you are totally on your own is a scary one. There is no more safety net of that regular paycheck coming in. You will need to be darn sure you have enough money to keep you going for 6 months to a year just in case things don't work out quite like you planned.

7) Depending on what you do, you may be alone all day. There may be no water coolers and co workers if you are self employed. If you are a social person, you might want to have a regular job where you can leave the house everyday and be out in the world amongst people.

8) You will need to be inwardly driven and a "self starter". Wow, I hate those two words as they are on almost every job posting you will ever see. But in this case they are valid. Some people need a boss to look over them, give them work, and push them. If you are one of these people, you will never be able to be self employed.

I'm sure there are a lot more than this but these are some of the important ones and you will face most of these challenges right in the beginning. I have been successfully self employed for ten years now but it has not always been easy. Can you do it too? Do you really want to?

www.floweradvisor.com

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

10 Steps To Use Workplace Conflict To Your Advantage

Is there such a thing as a good fight? The willingness to embrace conflict and turn a bad fight into a good one is a hallmark of a great leader. And if you want to learn, there are steps you can take to help turn negative conflicts into creative opportunities.

1) Don't Despair, Prepare!

First, and most importantly, know that sometimes it's best to walk away from conflict. Know your 'exit point' -- the point at which it makes more sense to walk away from a conflict than it does to work to manage the issue. There are times that it will be your best option.

Everyone has their own style of dealing with conflict. Understand the different styles, identify yours and the styles of your team. Learn to appreciate the diverse styles of others, assume leadership when conflicts arise, and value the creative spark that conflicts can kindle.

Ciri-ciri karyawan yang memiliki mentalitas anak-anak

Ciri-ciri karyawan yang memiliki mentalitas anak-anak :
" Selalu menuntut, tetapi sedikit berbuat
" Selalu menyalahkan lingkungan kondisi, tetapi tidak penah intropeksi
" Selalu menuntut syarat terlebih dahulu, baru bersedia mau melakukan sesuatu
" Menginginkan sukses yang cepat, tetapi tidak mau menjalankan prosesnya
" Tidak pernah mau belajar dari kesalahan lalu

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

7 Ways A More Aggressive Job Search Produces Better Results

By: Leslie Kearney

Is your job search producing lackluster results at best? Don't settle for a job search that just creeps along! Instead, consider taking a more aggressive approach to take fuller advantage of high performing tactics.

You need to know that an aggressive job search techniques are unconventional, often radical, and always strategic. And they work! They outperform traditional job search strategies in 7 key ways:

(1) Make your aggressive tactics proactive: If you have been in the job market very long this is the way it is typically done. Traditionally you submit your resume and cover letter, then passively sit back and wait for a call. Hopefully to an interview. But in an aggressive job search, you set the pace for your campaign through weekly networking calls or emails. These should include weekly follow-up contacts with hiring managers that you have sent your email and cover letter to. These will include both posted or anticipated job openings. By making 10 - 15 such calls each week, you can increase the pace of your results. And affect your search exponentially.

(2) Target your aggressive job search tactics: If you spend all your time only seeking online job postings, then you're missing out on all kinds of highly targeted job leads. Instead focus on specific industries, employers, geographic areas, and position types to help you magnify the number of interviews and job offers you receive. Don't make the mistake of applying for everything you see. ­Doing that may make you feel productive, but such a shot-gun approach to job searching ultimately fails to help you secure the position you desire. For several years I was in sales and the companies I worked for pushed cold calling. I hate cold calling because it is unproductive. So I focused in applying the above techniques to sales. They worked. I was always way ahead of my peers who spent their time cold calling.

(3) Aggressive job search tactics are consistent: If you sit back and wait for the interesting jobs to show up on job boards and in ads, you are guaranteeing failure or at best prolonging the agony of job searching.

If you submit 8-10 resumes in some weeks, say, and only 1-2 in others, then you are setting yourself up for failure. However by leveraging an aggressive job search will enable you to consistently submit 25 or more resumes per week, which in turn will produce a regular series of job interviews. And a series of interviews boosts your odds of receiving one or more job offers. That’s the plan after all, isn’t it?

(4) Aggressive job search tactics are customized: No matter how you figure, a job search is something of a numbers game just as it is in the sales scenario I mentioned above. The philosophy behind traditional job search tactics of blasting your resume to hundreds of employers all at once, is a job is a job, is a job. But that leaves no room for you to target specific industry segments or position types. A more aggressive job search technique will stress your individuality by weaving your personality and career-related values into your resume, cover letter, and interview responses that boosts the odds that hiring managers looking for someone like you will actually find you. If you read through the articles on our website ResumeHelpBlog.com you will find that is our basic philosophy because all jobs are not created equal.

(5) Aggressive job search tactics are free or low-cost: If you took advantage of all the job search offers available on the Internet, you could easily spend hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars, and still see little to no positive results. The good news, though, is that by using an aggressive job search technique by their very nature either free or extremely low-cost. Many HR consulting firms who work with job seekers will often stress that they give you hundreds of hiring employer names to contact (that's how they justify their high fees). Did you know that you can access that same information on the Internet for free? You will be surprised at what you can find on the Internet, or maybe not surprised at all.

(6) An aggressive job search tactic will restore balance to your life: Many things in life output and effort, yet overlook the power of automation. Searching for a job is no different. By taking advantage of automated functions in your pc's software and on online job search tools, you could save time every week. Life is too short, to spend all your time hunting down job leads. Enhance the quality of your life by automating your job search in every way possible.

(7) And finally aggressive job search tactics will penetrate the Hidden Job Market: One of the greatest weaknesses of traditional job search methods is that they focus on the Visible Job Market, or those jobs that are both currently available and known outside the hiring organization. A major company where my daughter works hires that way and pays a bonus for referrals. My daughter has helped several friends find work with this firm and in the process has pocketed several hundred dollars in bonuses. Almost three quarters of all jobs are never advertised in the Visible Job Market. Most companies would prefer to promote from within or hire from a referral of a trusted employee. So what does a smart job seeker do? They tell everyone they know that they are available. You have to ­leverage the power of the aggressive job search tactics to penetrate the Hidden Job Market as much as possible.

You don't have to wait for a hot economy to land the job you really want. By taking advantage of as many aggressive job search tactics as possible, you will dramatically shorten your job search while boosting the interviews and offers you land.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Get A Well Paying Job After The Cdl Training Program

By: Kris Koonar

If you love to travel all around the country by road, do not mind driving for long hours at a stretch and would like to earn some serious money, then truck driving is the best option for you. To get a well paying trucking job, however, you need to acquire your Commercial Driving License [CDL]. Here are some tips on how to get a well paying job after a CDL training program.

Join a driving school that not only promises quality training but also actually provides it. Avoid, for example, driving schools that promise to make you an excellent truck driver in 2 weeks. The driving course should be a minimum of at least 3 weeks in order for you to learn not only the basics but also the finer nuances of driving. Before you join any school, ensure that you will get at least 50 hours hands on truck driving. The Professional Truck Driver Institute [PTDI] requires that students have at least 44 hours of actual truck driving experience. Some schools mislead students by claiming that you could get up to 80 hours behind the wheel.

Confirm the term 'behind the wheel' since it might imply that you might be sitting in reality behind with four other students while the 5th student is driving the truck. If you can afford slightly higher fees, then join a school that offers a one-student-per-instructor training. This will allow you to absorb all the required knowledge without other students to disturb you. If your driving school has a tie-up with several freight companies or other corporations that require drives on a regular basis then that would greatly increase the chances of landing a job as soon as you get your CDL. Remember that in case you want to drive trucks with hazardous chemicals, then you will need special HAZMAT training. If you plan to drive trucks with double or triple trailers, then you will also need training in handling such trucks.

Your driving school should also have a placement department that can quickly hook you up with the right company, once you have finished your course. Many companies might not hire freshers, and you might have to join at a lower pay scale and prove your mettle within six months to a year in order to move to a higher scale. If you do not have the required money to join a driving school, then many companies offer to train you for "free". Remember that you will be bound to work in that particular company for around two years in order to pay for your "free" training and in case you want to leave your job before two years, then the cost of the "free" training will be adjusted in your salary. So remember, nothing in life is "free"! If you have completed your training through a reputed accredited driving school then you should not have any problem in securing a well paying job.

It is therefore imperative that you attend a driving school that imparts not only theoretical knowledge but actually teaches you how to drive under various road and weather conditions. This will ensure your safety and even keep others safe when you are on the road. Due to the high demand for truck drivers, you can easily get a well paying job once you have successfully completed your CDL training program.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Ways To Know When A New Career Change Is Good For You

By: James Copper

Have you been feeling frustrated at work lately and think that a new career change is just what you need? Or is it that boredom has crept into your daily routine? Well if you are thinking of getting yourself not just a new job, but also an entirely new career, then you need to think about these questions very seriously. You don't need to bounce out of bed everyday with this feeling of excitement and eagerness to get to work. All jobs like all marriages are exhilarating in the beginning and then slowly become mundane. If this is what's bothering you then you can rectify the situation through innovation and restructuring. However, if you feel that your present career is not intellectually stimulating enough, and you have interests and talent in other areas, then a job change is really what you need. But before you take the leap, here are four questions you need to ask yourself.

Do I Have The New Skill Sets

In order to make an easy transition, you need to consider whether you have the qualifications or at least the skills required in the new vocation. Considering that there are many who have joined in much before you, where do you stand among them? If you find something lacking in your abilities, go and seek training to compensate for it. You could do this while you are still at your old job via evening classes or online courses.

Do I Have Adequate Financial Resources?

By making a new career change you will be taking a risk that may or may not give you the expected returns. In the likelihood of a setback in your trajectory, you need to ensure that you have adequate financial support. In light of the recent recession you need to be guaranteed that your family and your debts are covered while you take your leap of faith. But this is not to say that you should not seek change if you don't have the money. In such a case however you do need to be prepared for all eventualities and the fact that you might suffer from the stress of strained finances.

What Kind Of Routine Am I Comfortable With?

Before making a career change you need to assess the alterations to your routine that your new career will entail. If you are a parent with a family to look after, or someone who enjoys a busy social life, then taking this into consideration will hold you in good stead. Not being able to have time for friends and family is one of the leading causes of dissatisfaction at work. And since you are already seeking some change in your life, you definitely need to take this into account. Working from home, or on weekends, flexi-time, leave entitlement should also be carefully thought of.

Do I Want To Be The Employer Or Employee?

Some people are built to work for others while some prefer to run their own enterprise - which is not to say that one is inferior to the other. Both are different types of people and you may also oscillate between the two throughout your career. For a number of reasons you might also prefer to freelance and work from the comfort of your home. This gives you your independence while allowing you to work on projects that stimulate you. But each of these have their pros and cons which you need to consider carefully while toying with the idea of a career change.

Once you have answered these questions satisfactorily, you will have developed at least some amount of clarity as to what you are willing to compromise on. Since considering the economy and the market at the moment won't be an adequate yardstick, it would probably be beneficial to also speak to the professionals in the field. By interacting with both the currently employed and the unemployed ones, you will be able to set up for yourself the worst-case scenarios. In the end it is only adequate ground work and introspection that will help you determine whether the new career change will be beneficial to you financially and professionally.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy