Do you feel overwhelmed when you think about changing industries? After all, with long workweeks, job-performance demands and trying to have a personal life too it’s a wonder any professionals find the time to strategically reposition themselves for a more fulfilling opportunity.
However I have coached many professionals who have successfully done just that! And I know firsthand what works and how you can easily begin to point yourself in a different direction that brings about the positive change you have been dreaming of. Here are four steps you can take …

 I’ve read a ton of books on job hunting as part of my work these past years and I forced myself to pick the three top ones you should have to optimize your job hunt.  You can take a look at the set of books I’ve already reviewed at Career Jockey’s Book Review topic but the ones I’ve listed below are the ones you need on your bookshelf.
Book #1 – What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles
I wrote my What Color Is Your Parachute …

You think it’s tough to find a job now?
It’s been tougher.
Like in the Great Depression of the 1930s, for example.
Try to imagine a world without Twitter or Facebook, when the unemployment rate ranged from 14.3% to 24.9% (1931 to 1938).
Would you be interested in learning two ways to find that worked back then — and still work now?
Here they are …
1) Appeal to the self-interest of the employer
In the book, “Pick Your Job And Land It!” published in 1938, the authors, S.W. and M.G. Edlund, share the story of one …

I ran into this great article from The Positivity Blog.  It includes a ton of Mark Twains best quotes and organizes them into nine self improvement tips I wanted to share with all of you. 
Job hunting can be about as unmotivating as it gets.  It’s like getting a punch in the gut and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get better anytime soon.  I hope this can be of help to you. 
Hope this helps.

I thought I’d share with you this article written by Bill Leonard of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).  There’s a lot of news about the extention of unemployment benefits to the jobless, but seems like there’s a lot of confusion on the specifics.
If any of you readers have specific experience with what’s going on and your experience on applying for the payments retroactively, please chime in so the rest of us can benefit from your experience.

(I know this is a bit off topic for CareerJockey, but I just published my recorded reflection on the Sunday’s Catholic Mass readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  (Those are the readings for August 1st, 2010.)  You can find the program at http://www.PurelyCatholic.com where you can listen on your computer or download it to your IPOD as a podcast. 
Reading the Sunday Mass scriptures ahead of time and reflecting on them has been a great spiritual practice for me.  My goal is to promote this to others wanting to grow in their Catholic faith.

I launched another site recently at http://www.PurelyCatholic.com.  There I publish a weekly audio program called “My Take on the Sunday Readings” where I read the upcoming Sunday Mass scriptures and give a short reflection on them. 
I know this is a bit off topic for Career Jockey, but if you are of the Roman Catholic or related slant and are out of work, this could be a way to help you stay  motivatived and spiritual uplifted.
Hope this helps.

 Looking for a job?
Raise your hand if you love networking.
I thought so.
And why don’t you get a thrill out of talking to friends and family about your job search?
For many folks, it’s a problem of how to start. There’s really no way to ask, “Know anyone who’s hiring?” without feeling awkward.
To fix that, here are two ways to open your next networking conversation that are proven to produce job leads — and won’t make you feel self-conscious .
1) Use Me as an Excuse to Call
Over the past year, I’ve quietly …

Setting boundaries is the single most common issue my clients deal with in their personal and professional lives. Why do women find them so difficult to put in place? And what can you do if a lack of boundaries is standing between you and the career success you desire?
What are Boundaries?
Whether you’re working in the corporate world or running your own business, you need to develop and continually exercise strong boundaries. Boundaries are the environment within which you operate – mentally, emotionally and physically. They separate you from other people.
Think …

I’ve been following Anne Naylor in the Huffington Post and she comes up with some really good personal motivational posts.  This week I’m just pointing your in her direction without much of my own writing because she’s got some good advice that does just fine without my commentary.
I guess you could say, I’ve moved my ego out of the way and admitted she does it just fine.  No help from me required.
Click here to read Anne’s article.

A couple of years ago, I wrote an article about delegation. I enjoy managing my business and delegating out any and all tasks that I can. Instead, I focus my time and energy doing high value activities that result in the best return for me – both in terms of my personal happiness and profits.
 
Productivity and time management are some of my favorite subjects and areas around which I frequently coach my clients. The other day, I read an article about managing email. The author pointed out 5 actions we …

I recently reviewed several hundred emails from job seekers across the country. As you might imagine, many things are bugging many job seekers in this economy.
But I boiled their frustrations down to four common ones.
Here they are, with suggested solutions. Which of them apply to you?
Frustration #1: “I submit my resume for a posted job and never hear back
from employers. Did they even read my resume?”
Solution: Here are three ways to make sure your resume is received and read.
1) Call the employer after applying.
Obviously, you can’t do this if you’re …

I watched the World Cup final Sunday  in a small restaurant called Los Gallegos with good friends and family.  You can probably guess which colors we were sporting.  It was a tough and evenly matched final.  What a thrill it was to land on the winning side.
As I rested that evening listening to the sportscaster banter back and forth over the game, I couldn’t help but reflect on the massive difference a few seconds made on the game’s outcome.  It took España several seconds in front of the goal and one Andrea Iniesta kick …

I started reading “The Walk” by Richard Paul Evans on the recommendation of a blogger Monique Catoggio.  (Very cool! She’s the only other blogger I’ve met face-to-face.  Click here  to see her Being Enpointe blog post on The Walk.)
A few lines out of it’s prologue really  struck me.  The main character Alan Christoffersen  a widower says:
It’s better to be loved by one person who knows your soul than millions who don’t even know your phone number.  I have loved and have been loved as deeply as a man can hope for, …

I’m releasing this one today, but keep in mind that its a reflection on the July 18th Sunday readings.  Sorry I missed the July 11th.  Even podcasters like to take off for the July 4th weekend.
I’ve come a long way since the last time episode of the program.  I’ve included a teaser at the beginning of the program with an intro music piece and another one at the closing.  I recorded this one solo mainily because of how difficult it can be scheduling time with other people.
Since I am getting closer …

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