In this clip, Brian Kurth, the author of the book “Test Drive your Dream Job“

These are the list of possible careers that Vacation Vocations can help you fulfill:

* Actor
* Alpaca Rancher
* Animal Therapist
* Animator & Digital Designer
* Animation TV Producer
* Architect
* Artist & Gallery Owner
* Artist & Studio Owner
* Artist
* Artistic Director - Theatre
* Arts Center Director
* Baker
* Baseball Announcer
* Baseball Radio Anouncer
* Baseball Team General Manager
* Bed & Breakfast Owner
* Bison Rancher
* Boat Captain
* Book Store Owner
* Brew Master
* Broadway Director
* Broadway Producer
* Cake Decorator
* Car Critic & Writer
* Catamaran Captain/Owner
* Caterer
* Cattle Rancher
* Cheese Maker
* Cheesemonger
* Cheese Retailer
* Chef
* Chocolatier
* Chocolatier & Pastry Chef
* Choreographer
* Clock Restorer
* Coffeehouse Owner
* Comedian
* Comedy Club Owner
* Composer
* Costume Designer
* Dance Studio Owner
* Dog Daycare Owner
* Dog Daycare Owner & Dog Trainer
* Dog Kennel Owner
* Dog Sled Trainer and Kennel Owner
* Dog Trainer
* Dude Rancher
* Ecology Tour Boat Captain
* Farmer
* Farmer and Dairy Owner
* Fashion Buyer/Retailer
* Fashion Designer
* Fashion Stylist
* Film Score Composer
* Fishing Guide
* Fishing Outfitter
* Florist
* Fly Fishing Outfitter
* Franchise Restuarant Owner
* Golf Instructor
* Golf Pro
* Guitar Maker
* Guitar Repairer
* Hair Stylist & Salon Owner
* Hobby Store Owner
* Home Inspector
* Horse Adoption Agency Director
* Horse Breeder
* Horse Trainer
* Horse Trainer and Rancher
* Hot Rod Manufacturer
* Hotel General Manager
* Ice Cream Retailer
* Illustrator
* Interior Designer
* Jewelry Designer
* Karate School Owner
* Kayak Outfitter
* Luthier
* Make-Up Artist
* Martial Arts School Owner
* Meteorologist
* Model
* Museum Curator
* Music Club/Cafe Owner
* Music Club Owner
* Music Composer
* Music Producer
* Music Publisher
* Music Therapist
* Natural Food Store Owner
* Not-for-Profit Director
* Pageant Producer
* Park Ranger
* Perfumer
* Photographer
* Pit Crew Member
* Potter & Gallery Owner
* Private Investigator
* Production Manager
* Professional Speaker
* Pro Wrestling Color Commentator
* Pro Wrestling Live Event Coordinator
* Pro Wrestling Personal Assistant (PA)
* Pro Wrestling Ring Announcer
* Pro Wrestling Ringside Manager
* Pro Wrestling Sponsorship & Promotions Coordinator
* Public Relations Firm Owner
* Raceway Manager
* Radio Personality
* Radio Sports Announcer
* Real Estate Broker
* Resort Owner
* Restaurant Critic
* Restaurateur
* RV Campground Owner
* Sailing Boat Captain
* Schooner Captain
* Self Publisher
* Shoe Designer
* Soapmaker & Retailer
* Songwriter
* Songwriter/Music Publisher
* Songwriter/Singer
* Spa Owner
* Sports Broadcaster
* Stained Glass Artist
* Sword Maker
* Symphony Composer
* Talent Agent
* Trucker
* TV Producer
* TV Production Designer
* Veterinarian
* Voice-Over Artist
* Voice-Over Producer
* Wedding Coordinator
* White Water Rafting Outfitter
* Wildlife Preservationist
* Wildlife Rehabilitator
* Wine Maker
* Wine Bar Owner & Retailer
* Wine Retailer
* Wine Sommelier
* Yoga Studio Owner

1. Addressing the resume to the wrong… company / person

So you think that this does not happen? This is the most common mistake: addressing the resume to the wrong person or even to the wrong company. This is a surefire way to hit the bin. Make sure to check the contact details before you send your resume out.

2. Proofread your resume before sending it out

Another very critical error is not proofreading your grammar and correct spelling of what you write. How to expect an employer to give a responsibility in his company to somebody who does not even care to write correctly something for himself?

3. Having a “crappy” objective statements

Many candidates lose their readers right in the beginning. Whenever we find a statement such as “looking for a challenging position to enable me to contribute to organizational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement” we just play office basketball with these resume as these statements are overused, general and do not focus on the major element: your employer.

4. Not adding value to your employer

Your objective must be “adding value to your employer”. Go through the web site, collect information about the company and the position you are applying for even before you send the resume and match your skills to what your future employer is really looking for.
One of the resource you will find extremely valuable to avoid such blunders and to learn how to make a resume is a book wrote by my friend Kevin Donlin who did not only compile the most effective tools to help you get hired but also make available a 30 minute audio recording called “How to Find a Great Job Fast”.

This audio book is on sale for $29.00 and he graciously allowed all my friend who want to learn how to make a resume and follow this link to listen to it for FREE online or to download it in MP3.

What if I had chosen a better major or studied harder in college?

What if I went back to school?

What if I took the plunge and started my own business?

What if I pursued a contract, temporary or part-time engagement?

What if I made the switch to a career where I could work at something I’m passionate about?

The good news is that it really isn’t as hard as you may think. By working for one year or 30, you have experience which can translate to other fields or professions. I always say you should never feel stuck in your current job, your industry or career path. The reality is that we will be working for a good portion of our lives and no one should have to endure ‘30 years to life’ in something they hate doing. What a horrible prospect.

I know a lot of people who’ve made big changes in their lives, and for the most part, they’re very happy they finally did it and wondered why they waited so long. So if you’ve been thinking about making a change, there’s no better time to step up to the plate and do it. The job market is still hot, good talent is hard to find and I bet you’ll find yourself in the driver’s seat (and a lot happier too).

Originally
from Spherion Career Blog - The Big Time

by Kip Havel

• Which qualities have I developed in myself?
• Which are the most important lessons I have learned?
• What have I done for others that I feel most happy about?
• How did I manage to stop underestimating myself?
• How did I manage to stop underestimating other people?
• How did I manage to stop pretending that I cannot do things?
• Which kind of powers and abilities did I discover in myself?
• Which kind of powers and abilities did I find in others?
• What can I do right now in order to be this person in five years?
• If it feels right, make a commitment to yourself to make this vision reality.

Part of what I love about this is that it’s not just who you want to be, but how you want to relate with the people around you.

–

Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst (sm)

Time for a career change? Launch it with…
The Occupational Adventure Guide:
A Travel Guide to the Career of Your Dreams

Originally
from The Occupational Adventure (sm)

by Curt Rosengren

on Apr 12, 2007, 12:48PM

You’ve been in your job for a few existence. You get a moderate wages and your payback are obliging. But you marvel if something’s gone. You try to tell manually you should be ecstatic you have such a good job, but some being you have to face how unecstatic you are at work.
To understand the next part of this article, you need to have a clear grasp of the material that has already been presented to you.
Are you settling? Are you making do in a job that very isn’t a very good fit for you?

Read this inventory of ten clues to establish how many of these statements reveal how you feel about your work.

1) You get depressed every time you think of untaken back to work after a weekend, a long weekend, or a rest.

The quicker Monday morning gets, the more a intellect of dread comes over you. You feel a pit in your stomach that you can’t flout. You desire there was something, something, you could do to sidestep untaken to work.

2) You splurge more time recovering from work than having fun.

After you cause work each day it takes you some hours to feel like manually again. You feel so drained all you can think about is sinking into your settee and zoning out in front of your television. You may have difficulty cooking a moderate meal for banquet because you are so shabby out from your tense day at work. Over time you complete you seldom have the energy to cranium out after work with links. Instead you rely on a beaker of violet, a container of ice cream, or a bowl of popcorn, and a DVD picture as your vent for fun.

3) You timepiece the watch all day long.

You look at the watch on your notebook, your sect headset, the border of your bureau. The time creeps by, gradually, so very gradually. How regularly do you restraint the time each hour? How manyly do you restraint the watch in the last two hours of your work day? When time moves so gradually it’s a good billplank you aren’t enjoying your work any more.

4) You splurge too greatly time restrainting your delicate dispatch somewhat than effective.

There are tons of behavior to entertain manually when you don’t feel like effective–restrainting your delicate dispatch, transport book post, surfing the web, scanning opportunities on your desired job plank. How greatly time do you splurge on non-work activities during a standard workday?

5) You take many mental shape being.

Some being you stir up and just know you can’t face a day at work. What do you do? Do you call in sick? plot a rest day? make a physician appointment? permit work early? Come up with something you penury to do for your children? An occasional mental shape day is a good approach to take charge of manually. If you find you are charming more and more mental shape being, you may want to take a look at why you aren’t ecstatic at work.

6) You have a rebillplankation letter drafted and waiting.

On very bad being, do you splurge time amendment your rebillplankation letter? Does it relieve some of your feelings of dread to assume how you’ll feel when you propose your letter or to picture how you’ll celebrate your new found openness? Do you have a time line for when you want to rebillplank? If you refuge’t done so already, I promote you to begin looking at your options so that you have something in the plant when you do propose your rebillplankation letter.

7) You criticize about your job to anybody who inventoryens.

Who knows you don’t like your job? A better suspect may be: Who doesn’t know? Do your nearby links know how frustrated you are at work? What about your burning family members? How about your coworkers and colleagues? Do you utter with your mustache styinventory, manicurist or chiropractor about how unecstatic you are? Are any of these people drained of trial you criticize about your work site? Do they desire you’d get on with your life already? somewhat than just uttering about what’s not effective for you, it may be time to do some delicate soul sharp to establish your next move.

8) You are bored juvenile at work.

The errands you do at work don’t engage you any more. You’ve been there, done that. You can do the work in your catnap…some being you feel like you are! While you try to get your work done, you fancy of having work that’s performing, meaningful, and engaging. You don’t know what that will be, but you faith something besides is out there that you can do.

9) You are consistently behind for work.

No subject how hard you try, you appear to show up behind for work. It’s like pulling teeth to get manually out of your house and into your car to get to work. You get distracted by the simplest errands at home, annoying to do just one more thing before you cranium into work. You may also find that you are viewing up behind for appointments, uniteings, and headset calls. Your drift to show up behind may also reveal in your failure to unite deadlines at work. though you may chalk your lethargy up to laziness or procrastination, I promote you to see it as a billplank that you don’t want to be liability what you feel you must do. Time to look at your options!

10) You faith to win the gamble to explain your life’s evils.

When all looks doubtful, it’s customary to look for a miracle to get manually out of the join you are in. For some it’s dayfancying about disarming the gamble so that they no longer penury a job to perform their pecuniary penurys. Others may fancy about what they’ll do when they recieve an inheritance, judgment a partner who is string financially, or disarming big at Vegas. what your fancy, it’s probable you are sharp for confirmation that your time in this job is imperfect.

If you cherish any of these billplanks in your own life, it’s time to make a commitment to manually to explore your work options. Don’t garbage the being of your life in a job you don’t like. Even if you can’t make a move nowadays, you can begin exploring your options nowadays. As presently as you picture what you want to do, the alleyway that will take you to your imminent work will become clearer and clearer.

song McClelland, PhD, is the cause of Your ideal Career For Dummies and the designer of the Career Clarity series, an online train that helps you find your fancy chargeer and make it frank. She?s helped thousands of people find a chargeer that?s a great fit both delicately and professionally. To accept a liberated duplicate of her ideal Career primer, outing: http://www.chargeerclaritytrain.com and demand the primer in the left navigation bar. The next time you have questions regarding this subject, you can refer back to this article as a handy guide.

Originally
from Job, work at home - YourJobZone

by Fairy_Long_Nose

on Mar 23, 2007, 12:33PM

I certainly agree with the notion that changing your career frequently is not a career mistake, especially if the move makes sense for you. For example, you find a job at another employer that will provide more opportunities to build your skills sets than your current employer, leading to better career opportunities in the future.

However, I’d argue that staying with one employer for a long period of time can also be the best non-move of your career. Let me qualify… if you have been working your same job for several years without advancement it is probably time to either speak up, or move on. But, if you receive steady increases in job title and salary, and have shaped your skills and developed a specialty, then there is no need to move on.

Through acquisitions and mergers, I have essentially worked for Spherion for more than 20 years, and I haven’t looked back. I started out as an entry level recruiter at a small boutique recruiting firm and continued to take on new positions within that organization. Then, we were acquired by Spherion and new opportunities to expand my career presented themselves. Today, I am a Senior Vice President and Group Executive of Professional Services, creating new strategy for our recruitment efforts on behalf of some of largest clients. I have managed to gain the same experience, title changes and salary increases that I may have achieved through ten different companies. Yes, there were growing pains, but at the end of the day, I have achieved my career goals and still feel confident in my status as a viable part of the company.

I am curious to hear how others have handled their career paths, and what tips can you offer as either an employee with longevity, or someone who has job hopped. What’s the longest you have ever stayed with an employer? Did it hurt or hinder your career?

Originally
from Spherion Career Blog - The Big Time

by Brendan Courtney

Another benefit is that being jobless forces you to reassess your job skills. Do you have the skills and experience to do the type of work you really want? If not, what will it take to get that level of skills and experience? What skills do you already posses that you’d like to build and improve upon? Once you have a list, get busy honing those skills to get where you want to be. There are many resources for additional training and support, something for every budget. It doesn’t hurt to ask about sources of training available in your area. A call to your local Job Service office can put you on the right track. And of course, read. At the library, a bookstore or on the Internet- there is a never-ending list of resources available in print. Somewhere there will be an information source to learn the skills you need.

The biggest benefit of unemployment may be the doors of opportunity that will open when you are free to make changes. Now is your chance to go after that dream job. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to own a business. Depending on the type of business, how much you have to invest of your own funds and the credit you qualify for, there is a world of options available to you as a new business start up. If you desire a high level of support, purchasing an existing business or franchise may be an option to look at. But be careful! Often owning a small business means trading in a boss for the equivalent of a job (since you still have to show up at the work place every day), only with longer hours, lower pay and a host of other expenses and headaches you didn’t have before. Since you’ll be working long hours, make sure you love what you do.

Maybe the thought has crossed your mind more than once that it would be nice not to rush off to work every morning. In that case, a home based business might be good for you. Statistics show that 50% of households in the U.S. have some sort of business operating out of the home. The tax advantages of owning a home business are often touted as a reason to get in the game. But there are more important benefits than saving dollars on taxes, such as flexible scheduling. Hours saved not commuting or being stuck in an office can be spent with family or pursuing other interests instead. There are no nights, weekends or holidays to work unless you choose to.

Having the freedom to choose your own paycheck is another benefit of any business you own, though perhaps more so with a home business due to the lower overhead of working from home. There is no storefront to maintain, few, if any, employees and forget the headaches that come with managing people. These are but a few of the benefits of working from home. Some types of home business even allow a person to earn recurring income, so that you can continue earning money whether you are working or not.

Maybe your job has not ended yet, but will soon. All better for you! By utilizing this time now to get going on your next income venture, you will be well on your way when the current stream of income stops. In today’s economic climate, even if your job seems secure, having the extra ‘insurance’ of other income doesn’t look too bad, either.

So, if you are newly unemployed, or about to be, try seeing this change as a source of inspiration, an opportunity to change your life for the better. Go after that dream job, or pursue one of the many other options available to you. What have you got to lose? Remember, fortune rewards the bold, so step out there and go for it! In a few months time, you may be heard to tell someone, “Lost your job? Good for you!”

About the Author

It doesn’t have to be that way. Successful career-changers take one step at a time. Learn a little…make a little progress. Learn a little more. Take a giant leap forward.

You control the process from beginning to end. When you’re energy is strong, act boldly; when you’re feeling less confident, slow down.   Learn all you can about the process of change…and educate yourself about the most common mistakes career-changers make, too. Here’s a list of the 10 biggest - and how to avoid them.

1. Not seriously focused. Career change is a big and amorphous creature. Like any major life event, it takes consistent focus. Don’t dabble! Jump in solidly with both feet. Schedule regular “career change” time into your calendar.

2. Poor support. Career change generally doesn’t result from just reading a book.  It requires a variety of resources and partnering with mentors who are both knowledgeable and objective. Create a “short list” of who could be most valuable to you.

3. Too few clues. To identify new work possibilities, you need a robust set of specific clues about your values, motivational preferences and skills. Start with about 20 - 25 values, passions, skills and preferences, and hone it down to 12 - 15 that resonate most for you.

4. Too much in your head. You can’t think your way into work you love - it requires moving into action - asking questions, seeking advice, networking, experimentation.

5. Waiting for the perfect time. There isn’t one, so take the first step now. Career change usually takes from one to three years. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll enjoy work that honors all of you - body, mind and spirit.

6. Living in hope. That things will change…magic will happen…someone will come along and fix it. NOT!. You control your destiny…one day at a time.

7. Doesn’t take the long view. Reluctant to re-train or take other steps to “wire” yourself for success. Career change is long-term. Bite it off in small chunks.

8. Accepts emotional pain as a way of life. Truly, it doesn’t have to work this way. Loving life isn’t just for weekends.

9. Fails to create financial reserves that can enable change. Try this out — see how much you can cut expenses and keep, virtually, your same lifestyle. I think you’ll surprise yourself.

10. Thinking you are too old. You are not — whatever your age. The average age of my client list is 45; the mean is 48; the oldest is 57; the youngest is 36.

Each day, you have a choice about how you want to live your life. Make it one that will give you all the peace and fulfillment that you deserve.
About the Author

Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national finance organization who re-invented her working life in 1999. Now, as a career fulfillment specialist, she guides unhappy corporate professionals into meaningful work — both inside an outside the corporate walls. For more about her approach or to receive 5 complimentary Career Change Lessons, visit www.purposefulwork.com

Finding it in a safe, smart way requires these six steps:

1. Soul Searching. Your journey begins with some intriguing self-examination. This step goes beyond looking at your work experience and skills. You also consider your values, interests, and personality preferences. This can be done informally through the use of specially-designed exercises or it can be done formally through professional assessment testing. Taken all together, the soul-search phase allows you to come up with a comprehensive personal profile that will help you develop future work possibilities.

2. Identifying Options. The key word here is “options”…not “answers”. In this step, you use your profiling “clues” from Step 1 to brain- and heart-storm as many possibilities for future work as possible. This is one of the most creative parts of the change process - and best done with one or more friends or colleagues who have a broad view of the business marketplace.   At about this point, it’s important to begin to create a compelling future vision for your work and life. The act of creating your vision is inspiring, and it can actually help to pull your career change journey forward.

3. Testing. Testing has three purposes. The obvious one is to avoid making a big mistake by jumping to a solution too fast. The not-so-obvious purposes are to network more deeply into an area that you think you might like to make a career of, and to learn as much as you can about it from an inside perspective rather than from afar. It is experimentation with a purpose - while you keep an open mind and heart.

4. Crafting Your Transition Plan.  Out of your testing comes a clear path - where you can set a specific new career goal and create the strategy and steps that will get you there. Your goal may be radically different work, the same work in a different environment or starting a new business or some combination of these three.

5. Implementation. During the Implementation phase - which can begin even before you leave your current employer — you begin to put pieces of your transition plan into action. You may begin a course of study, reduce your expenses, if warranted, and/or even make physical preparations such as relocation or building a home office. Of course, to minimize your personal and financial risk, you want to do as much as possible while you are still working.

6. Integration.  Seekers often think that once the shift is made, their career transition is complete. I think it’s more accurate to call it the “beginning of the end”. A physical transition into new work is one thing - but transitioning your “underneath” layers (like work patterns, assumptions) is another thing entirely.   Career change typically takes from one to three years. And the tendency is to just ‘jump in’ anywhere. It helps to have a big picture view and to know that there actually is real method to the madness!

About the Author

Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national finance organization who re-invented her working life in 1999. Now, as a career fulfillment specialist, she guides unhappy corporate professionals into meaningful work — both inside and outside the corporate walls. For more about her approach or to receive 5 complimentary career change lessons, visit www.purposefulwork.com/

I replied nicely to all his news, and on the itch, I said: “Call me when it’s a burn.”

Why this tough love response?

I meet scores of professionals who are unhappy with their work. In almost seven years, I’ve never seen an individual make a significant shift unless there is a burning desire to change. You must have a clear articulation of the personal gain you see for yourself at the end of the career-change rainbow - and this personal gain must be greater than the pain of staying in place. I didn’t want Dan to waste his time, energy, or for that matter, money.

So, how do you know if you’re feeling an itch or a burn? Itches are usually situational. A confrontation with a fellow worker…a poor performance review…a disagreement with your boss…environmental stress. Itches create lots of smoke, like “I can’t wait to get out of here.” or “This is it. I’m leaving.” But no focused action towards change.

And these “reaction” moments are often followed by patches where work is really okay - an interesting project in the works, shared good feelings. In other words, the motivation to change is externally driven. It waxes and wanes based on what is happening in one’s environment. All of us have career itches at one time or another.

Burns go much deeper. They are itches that don’t go away…they’ve been around for a long time (a year or more)…and they have wrenched your value system to the point that:

1. You can no longer compartmentalize work vs. life.
2. 2. You find it almost impossible (maybe even terrifying) to drag yourself out of bed on Monday mornings.
3. You go through the motions at work - your feelings are completely disconnected from your work activities.
4. Your energy hits the skids; you get sick a lot or have difficulty shaking a common cold.
5. You may feel hopeless or a little (or a lot) depressed.

It’s a significant difference, don’t you agree?

Itchers have a quite a few avenues for regaining their balance - setting firmer workplace boundaries, finding a fulfilling outlet outside of work, engaging in physical and emotional self-care that allows you to better shrug things off.

Burners - you can do these things, too, but it’s probably not your ultimate fix. A value system pulled apart is only mended when there is a re-alignment between body, mind and spirit. For burners, career change is not an option - it’s a requirement.

Take some time off to re-gain your energy and perspective. In this more relaxed state, figure out how to get some help. Your Employee Assistance Plan? Mentor or understanding colleague? Initially, don’t try to solve the entire problem - just map out a few next steps and give yourself a timetable. Your world will brighten simply as a result of putting yourself in choice and action.

About the Author

Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national finance organization who re-invented her working life in 1999. Now, as a career fulfillment specialist, she guides unhappy corporate professionals into meaningful work — both inside an outside the corporate walls. For more about her approach or to receive 5 complimentary Career Change Lessons, visit www.purposefulwork.com