CareerWomen.com Offers Five Tips for Job Change Readiness
PORTLAND, Ore. - March 9, 2004 - A recent survey conducted by CareerWomen.com reported the top five reasons women are changing jobs. While the number one reason cited was family obligations, women also move on to new positions for new opportunities, higher earning potential, relocation or because of job burn out.
"Career change doesn't mean that your first choice was a bad one. Every job should be considered an experience and a stepping stone to something else," said JillXan Donnelly, president, CareerWomen.com. "People change and evolve over the course of their lives and it is unrealistic to expect that one career, or one job, will always be satisfying. We've created CareerWomen.com to provide the resources that help women prepare for and embrace their life-long career opportunities."
CareerWomen.com polled site visitors and found that 64% of women who responded had made a change mid-way through their career. In response, CareerWomen.com offers five tips for job change readiness:
- Review, update and re-write your resume every year
Having a current resume on hand will allow you to quickly respond to opportunities as they present themselves. Consider creating several resumes for a variety of career directions that can be posted in an online database for easy retrieval and sending.
- Look inside as well as outside
Consider an internal job change if your current position is not meeting your career expectations. Leaving your current employer may not always be the best decision, especially during high unemployment phases. One survey respondent suggests, "be flexible, look for opportunity and constantly broaden your horizons."
- Consider challenge and service as criteria
When evaluating new career opportunities, women report being inspired by challenge and service in addition to compensation. Investigate how a new position will allow opportunities for additional career challenges as well as possibilities to better serve customers, community or the corporation.
- Find mentors - one from Mars and another from Venus
Advice from the right mentor can help you locate and manage opportunities. Our viewers report that a male mentor can coach negotiating skills as well as offer networking and advancement opportunities, while a female mentor can offer informal fellowship, guidance within the corporation, motivation and encouragement.
- Plan for a smooth transition
If you do find a new position, make the transition seamless for your current employer. Clean up messes, offer to train your replacement, be available for questions after your departure and thank your current employer for the experience. Leaving on a positive note will only enhance your future career options.
Additional resources to enhance your professional development and advance your career can be found at www.CareerWomen.com including career development tools, career and employment news, professional associations and employment opportunities across the US with some of the best women-friendly companies.
About CareerWomen.com
CareerWomen.com is the leading online career center by and for women. Tailored to the needs of today's working women, CareerWomen.com provides easy access to top employers and recruiters who are actively looking to recruit women. Since 1997, CareerWomen.com has helped thousands of women find jobs in their chosen career. For more information, visit www.CareerWomen.com.
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Lisa MacKenzie
lisam@mackenzie-marketing.com
503-225-0725
Copyright© 2004 CareerWomen.com/The Career Exposure Network
