Assessments Challenges Choices Decisions Planning Transitions

Make Your Career Change a Reality with the Career Change Planner

Are you feeling stuck in your current career? Do you dream of pursuing a new path, but have no idea where to start? If you answered yes to these questions, then the Career Change Planner may be just what you need to make your dreams a reality.

The Career Change Planner is a comprehensive guide designed to provide you with the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to successfully transition to a new career. But before we dive into the details of the planner, there are a few prerequisites that you must have under your belt.

First, you must read three eBooks by the author: Fear, Choices, and the Should I Paradigm. Second, you must complete the Compass assessments and print out your profile report or identify and record your passion, purpose, potential, and career goal statements. Links to these resources can be found in the resources section of the planner.

The Career Change Planner is not a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet. Instead, it provides you with a step-by-step guide on what you need to accomplish or plan out, with a description of how to do it and why it's necessary. It's about giving you the knowledge and understanding to accomplish the career change you desire, along with imparting some of the wisdom gained from personal experience and guiding others through the process.

The planner consists of several sections, each detailing a specific task you'll need to complete to make your career change a reality. Here's a quick overview of what you'll learn:

Assess - Discover who you are: This section guides you through the process of assessing who you are with the help of the Compass Career Assessment system. You'll learn a lot about yourself, but more importantly, you'll learn how to use that knowledge to make good decisions about your new career and any additional education or training you might need.

Research - Find a career you're passionate about: This section goes over how to use Career Compass to find a career you can be passionate about. The system will identify the required education and training you need for the occupation you're interested in, and the tools you can use to find job openings and even apply for them.

Decide - Decide to make the change and what career you will pursue: This is the most difficult part of the planning process, as the best occupation for you is probably something you know nothing about or have never worked at. The planner provides techniques to help you make this decision using the methods discussed in the three eBooks.

Prepare - Plan out the additional education required and where and how you can achieve it: The author has made four successful career transitions and shares personal experience and tools to help you navigate the waters of preparation.

Finances - Plan out how you will finance the career transition process: The author shares personal experience on how to handle the financial aspect of a career change, along with encouraging words to help you push through.

Resources - Avail yourself of the resources at your disposal: This section lists the resources available to you, both free and paid, to help make your career change a success.

In conclusion, the Career Change Planner is a valuable resource for anyone looking to make a career change. It provides a step-by-step guide that will help you navigate the waters of a career transition, along with personal experiences and tools to help you succeed. So what are you waiting for? Take the first step and start planning your career change today.

Difference between Assessments and Tests: Understanding Assessment Driven Career Coaching

When it comes to determining the best career path, many people turn to tests to assess their knowledge and skills. However, assessments offer a more comprehensive approach by evaluating personal attributes, such as strengths, talents, behaviors, and personality. In this post, we explore the difference between assessments and tests, and how assessment-driven career coaching can help you find a fulfilling career.

The Importance of Actionable Information

Assessments should not only provide information about personal attributes but actionable information about what occupations are best suited for an individual's strengths, talents, behaviors, and personality. Additionally, understanding your passion, purpose, potential, and career goal is crucial in identifying career options that align with your interests and motivations.

Career Compass: The Unequaled Leader

Comparing the most popular assessment systems in the market, Career Compass stands out for its comprehensive approach. Unlike other assessments that merely identify personal attributes, Career Compass also offers guidance on what to do with that information. It serves as a coaching system that identifies the right career path based on an individual's personal attributes, passion, purpose, and potential.

Potential, Purpose, and Passion Statements

Understanding the play between potential, purpose, and passion is crucial in achieving career success. Potential refers to an individual's toolkit for accomplishing their life goals, while purpose is a general statement about how to focus their life. Passion, on the other hand, is the fuel that motivates and inspires individuals to achieve their purpose. By aligning their potential, purpose, and passion, individuals can find fulfilling careers that align with their interests and motivations.

The Career Report and Personal Development Charts

Career Compass provides a career report that identifies all the occupations that align with an individual's personal attributes, passion, purpose, and potential. The report takes into account other factors such as personal orientation, dominant influence, role, and interests. Personal development charts, such as personal orientation, dominate area of influence, role, and interests, offer insights into what individuals should focus on in their career search.

The Interpretive Session

Interpretive sessions offer individuals an opportunity to understand how their personal attributes, passion, purpose, and potential align with their life roles, personal orientation, dominant area of influence, and career interests. These sessions can be done through an automated presentation or a one-on-one session with a career coach.

Mentoring Messages and Coaching Videos

Finally, Career Compass provides daily mentoring messages that encourage individuals to live up to their potential. The coaching videos offer insights into an individual's strengths, behaviors, personality, and temperament.

In conclusion, assessments offer a more comprehensive approach to determining the best career path for individuals. By understanding personal attributes, passion, purpose, and potential, individuals can find fulfilling careers that align with their interests and motivations. Career Compass stands out among assessment systems for its coaching approach, offering actionable information about what to do with an individual's personal attributes. Understanding the play between potential, purpose, and passion is crucial in achieving career success, and interpretive sessions can help individuals understand how these elements align with their life roles and career interests.

Career Choices: How to Use Career Compass and Other Tools for Your Research

Career choices can be overwhelming, especially if you're not sure where to start. Fortunately, there are tools available to help guide you in the right direction. One such tool is Career Compass, which has been developed over twenty years of dealing with clients looking to find a career that fits them. However, even if you don't use Career Compass, there are other resources you can use to help you make informed career choices.

Career Compass has a list of five hundred and fifty occupations listed as handbooks in the www.bls.gov site, plus many more. Your report will only list the occupations it finds are most suitable for you, but that doesn't mean you will like all of them or even be interested in them. It just means they are a good fit if you find you are interested in them.

One of the most important things to remember when using the career report is not to ignore something because it does not sound appealing on the surface. You cannot know enough about a career by just reading its title. The career that will fit you like a glove is most likely something you know very little, if anything, about.

The career report is grouped by the type of education normally associated with occupations listed within its group. The total scores for all the occupations are displayed along with the degree program section it is listed in. The degree program with the highest score is printed first. Occupations not requiring a bachelor’s degree are listed after the degree programs under associates degree, trade school, and high school.

It's important to note that not every good job requires a college education. The largest list of occupations, for example, show up under the high school grouping. While education is important, on-the-job training and mentoring are much more valuable to your employer than your official education. Furthering your education is always a worthy pursuit, but it is not always a requirement to work in an occupation that fits you like a glove.

The career report calculates every occupation in the system ranked by a weighted score. The weighted score considers how closely your strengths and talents, behaviors, personality and temperament fit the occupation. The score also takes into account your Personal Development Drivers including personal orientation, domain of influence, life role and personal interests.

There are six separate tools on the career report to help you research each occupation the system suggests would be a good fit for you. The tools include a day in the life video, the use of the www.bls.gov site, the use of the www.nces.ed.gov site, using the O*Net Summary, using the O*Net Jobs Bank, and the notes tool.

Remember, career choices are important, and using the right tools can help you make informed decisions. Whether you choose to use Career Compass or other tools, taking the time to research your options is critical to finding a career that fits you like a glove.

Why Skipping the Research Phase of a Career Transition is a Big Mistake

Starting a career transition can be daunting, especially when it comes to the research phase. Many people find this part of the process intimidating, but according to the author of Career Compass, skipping it is a big mistake. Here's why:

Firstly, the research phase is crucial for making informed decisions about your future. It's important to consider factors like finances, career choices, and continued education before making any major decisions. Without doing the necessary research, you may end up making a choice that doesn't align with your goals and desires.

Secondly, hard work is essential for achieving anything significant in life. If you want to succeed in your career transition, you need to put in the time and effort to research and plan accordingly. This means making sacrifices, such as giving up TV time or waking up earlier to work on your transition plan.

Thirdly, the author emphasizes the importance of having your finances in order before starting a career transition. This involves identifying all expenses, liquid assets, and potential sources of income. By doing so, you'll be able to make a plan for how to survive the transition process without liquidating all your assets.

Fourthly, the author recommends making time for your significant other and children during the transition process, as it can put relationships at risk. This means having open and honest discussions with loved ones ahead of time and managing your time carefully.

Finally, the author warns against putting off a career transition. There is never a perfect time to make a change, and the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. By starting the research and planning phase early, you can set yourself up for success and a more fulfilling career.

In conclusion, the research phase of a career transition is a crucial step that should not be skipped. It may seem overwhelming at first, but with the right tools and resources, it can be manageable and even enjoyable. By putting in the necessary work, you'll be able to make informed decisions about your future and set yourself up for a successful and fulfilling career.

Making Career Decisions: Questions to Ask Yourself

Career decisions are some of the most critical decisions that people make in their lives. Choosing the right career path is important because it can significantly impact your overall life satisfaction, financial stability, and personal growth. However, making career decisions can be challenging because there are so many factors to consider.

According to the author of "Career Compass: Navigating Your Career," individuals should make their own career decisions. Although other people can offer advice, the responsibility of making these decisions ultimately falls on the individual. Here are some things to consider when making career decisions:

What occupation am I going to pursue?

Choosing the right occupation is essential when considering a career change. Some people may decide to start their own business, buy a franchise, or make a lateral move in their current company. Before making any decisions, it's essential to ask yourself some questions:

Answering these questions can help you determine if you are suited to working within a structure or if you should consider starting your own business.

Should I just quit or should I prepare while I am still in my old job?

Preparing for a new career while still working can be an excellent way to make a smooth transition. However, it's important to consider some factors before making this decision:

Career transitions are not cheap, and it may take some time to get back to what you were making before. However, moving into a new career without experience is more about who you know than your resume.

Should I get the education I need while I am still employed or go at it full time?

Education is essential when transitioning to a new career. However, it's important to consider some factors before making this decision:

If you have a degree, continuing education in your new field may not matter much, unless, of course, you need technical training in something like engineering.

How do I finance it?

Financing a career change can be challenging. Some people may have the savings to finance their change, while others may need to consider borrowing money or downsizing their life:

It's essential to be creative when financing a career change. It may require sacrificing some luxuries to make it happen, such as downsizing your living situation or reducing expenses. However, it's important to prioritize your finances to ensure you have the financial stability to make a smooth transition.

Can I do it online, or do I need to be on-site somewhere? If so, where?

With the advancement of technology, many career fields offer online education and remote work opportunities. However, it's important to consider some factors before making this decision:

Building margin into your life can be challenging. It requires identifying low-priority tasks that can be eliminated, prioritizing your time, and delegating tasks to others.

How do I build margin into my life?

Building margin into your life is critical when making a career change. Here are some things to consider:

Building margin into your life requires answering these questions and acting on your decisions. It may be difficult, but the payoff is measured in happiness, both short-term and long-term.

Conclusion

Making career decisions can be challenging, but it's essential to ask yourself the right questions to make the best decision for your future. Consider your finances, education, and personal goals to determine the best career path for you. Remember that the responsibility of making career decisions falls on you, but seeking advice and guidance from others can help you make an informed decision.

Financing Your Career Transition: Traditional and Non-Traditional Sources

Changing careers can be an exciting and fulfilling journey, but it can also be daunting and financially challenging. One of the most frustrating aspects of a career change is dealing with finances and planning for the transition. However, it is crucial not to ignore this aspect and have at least a rough outline of how you will get through the process.

Before you start budgeting for your career transition, there are some things that need to be in place:

If you have not completed the above, do not try to complete a budget until you do. Once you have this information, you can start budgeting for your career transition. Keep in mind that everything costs more than you think it should, so plan accordingly.

A budget is as simple or as complex as you want to make it. It should have four major components:

  1. Total income and cash
  2. Total expenses
  3. What is left over at the end
  4. What you will use as fun money

It is suggested to search the internet for a budget template you feel comfortable with and use it.

There are some concrete ways to finance a career transition, such as savings, working part-time during the transition, and saving for the transition before quitting your job. There are also more creative ways to finance a career transition:

It is important to note that some of these non-traditional sources of income and cash may have tax implications and should be carefully considered. While a career transition can be financially challenging, it is important to remember that it is temporary and that with planning and determination, you can achieve your dream career.