Category Archives: Career & Jobs

Career Portfolios – What it is and How it Can Help Land Jobs

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A career portfolio provides prospective employers with a tangible sample of accomplishments acquired across an individual’s employment life. Presenting a well prepared portfolio during an interview enhances a job candidate’s professionalism, and provides evidence of stated achievements.

Education

Educational items included in a career portfolio must support the job seeker’s candidacy for a given position. Include such items as awards, diplomas, transcripts, and internships, to name a few. Be prepared prior to the interview, and have all documents compiled neatly.

Professional Activities

Joining networking groups or professional associations outside of work can compliment employment skills. The individual should focus on including information about the organizations he or she is currently participating in, and any leadership positions held.

Work-Related Activities

Including work-related information in the career portfolio is the most important element. Make sure the resume is well-designed and the references provided are up to date. Job seekers should include copies of any professional licenses and certifications in this section of the portfolio.

Volunteer or Community Activities

Job seekers who regularly volunteer or engage in the community, set themselves apart from a large portion of their job market competition. When offering service to any organization, always ask for a reference. Data to be included in the career portfolio include such items as certificates of participation, photos of community events involved in, and special merits received.

Benefits

There are three main benefits to creating and using a career portfolio. First of all, it allows the individual to assess his or her career goals, and make adjustments as necessary. Secondly, the portfolio is the most effective means to display skills, abilities and aptitudes, in a visual manner. Third, the career portfolio serves as a record of the individual’s personal and professional accomplishments.

Creating an On-Line Career Portfolio

All of the information to be included in a traditional career portfolio can be uploaded to your personal domain, and made in to an on-line portfolio. To get this process started, choose whether or not the task will be handled by a professional, or whether to take the “do-it-yourself” approach. The next step is to purchase a domain name, and find a reputable hosting service. Finally, it’s time to upload all of your documents, pictures, and information, to be fully accessible by prospective employers and any other colleagues you choose to give access to.

Careers After 50: The Value of a Temp Job!

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Careers after 50: developing appropriate experience to qualify for a planned career.

You’ve researched and studied a variety of proposed new careers. After speaking to others working in the field you’ve narrowed your list down to one or two possible new careers. However, you’ve found both require specific experience that you need to acquire.

Other qualifications for a new career after 50, for example, can be learned through self-study, distance learning, formal education and working with mentors. However, now you have the dilemma of getting the necessary experience to qualify for new career.

Let’s suggest a way to put you in a position to successfully compete for job in the new changed career. You might want to consider working for a temp agency, to get some desired experience or to discover if the suggested career is right for you.

Ask around for referrals to the right temp agency. Some temp agencies are specialists only working with specific careers and industries.

Re-draft your resume to put your best foot forward depending on the career and job. For each career you might want to restrict only signing up with two or three temp agencies. As you progress and learn more about specific temp agencies you can adjust your focus so you are only working with the best agency relative to the planned career.

Make it a point to see the temp agency recruiter, have a face-to-face interview and learn all you can about their services. Don’t forget this is a job interview and you want to show the recruiter how you would present yourself to a prospective employer.

Find out in advance if you are required to show specific technical skills at the temp interview and spend some time brushing up on the required skills prior to the interview.

Do some research regarding prospective wages you might expect. You’ll probably be asked what wage range you would accept. Also, you should learn what possible benefits might be available.

Many times temp assignments can last six months or longer. Be sure to tell the temp agency the length of assignment you would accept.

If the temp job is in a career you wish to qualify for, you may leverage yourself into being offered a full- time position. Or you gain enough relevant experience to qualify for a full-time career with another employer.

Don’t expect that you’ll be immediately moved into a desired temp position. Continue to contact the temp agency, at least once a week, to let them know you’re available for placement.

So the value to you using a temp agency in qualifying for a new career after 50 is: (1) Gaining required work experience, (2) Possibly being offered a job in the desired new career, (3) Bringing in some income while you prepare to change careers, or (4) Finding out the new career is not for you so you can research additional opportunities.