Jobs Plan for the Long-term Unemployed--Step 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 12, 2011 --

If you have been off work more than a few weeks, ask yourself this question: "What career would I pursue were it impossible for me to fail? Such is the suggestion of Roy Richards, noted author, speaker and founder of Middle Age Renewal Training. He goes on to explain, "In fact, once you define and are hired for that one-in-a-million job ideally suited to your talent and personality, one that will pay you to have fun, you will prosper both financially and emotionally." No matter how long a person of middle age has been looking for work, the secret is to pause then re-launch job search as a positive, self-enriching adventure, not as a stressful, panic-filled emegency. The key to success is to draft a detailed position description for an ideal next job. The process works like this: Step 1 ---At the top of a blank page, list job title and a general description of your next employer and targeted industry or nature of operation. Step 2 ---List primary job responsibilities and common daily functions you would perform. Step 3 ---List required vocational skills and educational prerequisites. Step 4 ---Identify the position to whom you would report (this could be "no one" if your goal is self-employment or owning your own business) and who, if anybody, would report to you. Step 5 ---Estimate annual compensation you would expect to earn performing your ideal next job. Suppose you have a difficult time imagining your "perfect" next job? Here are six questions to ask yourself: 1. How do I like to spend my free time when nobody tells me what to do? 2. What were my childhood dreams and who were my heroes? 3. Of all the people I know, who has the best job? 4. What career profiles make my heart jump whenever they are described? 5. What vocations do friends and loved ones most often tell me I should consider? 6 Where do aptitude and interest tests indicate I would excel? (If you haven't taken these, why not now?) Once a target position is defined, your next task is to consistently visualize yourself in living color performing the job of your dreams. Do you really wish to do this over the next ten to twenty years? Will you have room to grow? Once you solidly internalize your career choice, you will be well prepared to market yourself to potential employers. An obvious next question: "Who will hire me?" Richards agrees there are no easy answers but goes on to offer reassurance: "Job candidates like you who think, behave and communicate like a qualified incumbent will be miles ahead of the competition. You will be that one person out of a hundred who appears best suited for hire. Forget about negative comments from your newspaper, the Internet or TV...this is all about belief in your self and in your ability to contribute value to others." OK, so you decide you want to be a physician but you are 50 years old and have never been to med school. You still have options. In his next release, Richards promises to talk about potential trade-offs and options to launch one's very own "job locater" personal marketing campaign. For a comprehensive summary of midlife job seach suggestions or to preview the book A Mid-Life Challenge--Wake Up! , visit the web site: www.middleagerenewal.

finding work at 50     ideal next job     jobs plan     middle age job search     midlife crisis     write your own job description