Going Offline Temporarily

I am moving from Blogger to a new site, so I will be offline for a little while.

Should You Pay for Job Listings?

I’ve invested a considerable amount of time looking at online job boards and recently wrote about my favorite.  Websites with job listings are almost overwhelmingly free, but you may stumble across one or two sites subscription sites and wonder if spending the money will provide you an advantage. Since everyone has a unique situation, I hesitate to say you should or should not purchase a subscription to a paid site, but I have a few tips to help you decide.

• Fortunately, the Internet allows anyone and everyone to be a reviewer, meaning there’s lot of information to help you make a decision. During my last few months teaching, I came across TheLadders.com, which claimed to have exclusive access to higher-paying jobs for mid-career professionals.  It also offered a résumé critiquing service, included with a paid subscription.  Even though I’d been writing résumés as a side business for a while, I was tempted to have my own résumé critiqued. I thought it would be good to have another professional perspective on my work. But I decided to do a little research before spending the money, and the time was worth it because hardly anyone had anything good to say about their critiques. In 2013, the site became the subject of a class action lawsuit, which you can read about here. Unearthing this information took me less than five minutes, prevented aggravation and saved money. 
• A subscription site should offer more than just job listings. For example, LinkedIn users have to pay to access many of the site’s features, but paying for a subscription also allows you to communicate with other and network online. If you don’t want to pay, there are still plenty of free resources to help you along the path to a new career. Last week I wrote about LinkedIn and why you should create your profile even if you’re not ready to actively look for a new job. 

• Telecommuting and work-from-home jobs appeal to many. Niche sites focusing on these positions might be worth the cost because scams abound in work-from-home positions. FlexJobs.com screens all jobs and only posts legitimate positions, taking a lot of the worry from the equation. The site does not provide you with work, but it does list openings and offers additional resources like skills testing. You are paying for peace of mind, in my opinion, because you are assured that you’re applying to legitimate jobs. Currently, subscriptions begin at $14.95 a month, but searching for “flexjobs promo code” will likely lead you to a code that knocks a few dollars off the cost. I came across SAVE30, which may or may not still be in effect.

Your first choice should always be to utilize free sites. But as I pointed out, there may be an occasion where it’s worth it to invest in a short subscription. Consider it an investment in yourself, which will hopefully pay off in the form of a great new career.

Disclosure: I have no financial relationship with any sites I write about and I have not been asked to promote them. They are simply good-quality sites I like and want to share. If and when I receive compensation of any sort to write about a site I will update accordingly. All product links to Amazon are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you purchase the item.

Why You Need to Join LinkedIn (If You Haven't Already)

Creating a LinkedIn profile is an important step in the career-changing process. You probably have some valid concerns about alerting your colleagues to your plans, whether it’s in person or through social media. But it’s possible to create a profile and begin researching new fields without feeling like you’ve rented a billboard to advertise your intentions.

LinkedIn has grown substantially in recent years; the majority of people on the site are not necessarily looking for jobs. They join because it gives them a place to showcase their professional expertise and share that expertise with other people in their field. You may find several current colleagues are already on the site.

I must confess that I’m not making the most of LinkedIn, but I’m trying to incorporate more visits into my routine.  Joining groups and following companies in careers fields of interest to you can provide you with helpful information and contacts. You should pay close attention to privacy settings, since those will allow you to use the site freely. When you create your profile, you should keep in mind that you can edit it at any time, so if you aren’t ready to fully execute your career change, it can reflect your current skills and responsibilities.

I’ll be sharing additional tips from my own experience as I go along. In the meantime, here are some additional resources that I found useful:

• This Huffington Post article has great information about using LinkedIn discreetly, describing how you can use the site to research new fields, and later network and find a new position.

• Here’s a great post on using LinkedIn to find volunteer opportunities. If you’re planning to go from teaching to the non-profit world, gaining volunteer experience can help you learn about the field while building new skills.

• There are some good tips in this article, though visually it’s not very well organized and the writing is choppy. But if you can overlook those elements, you will find basic information on setting up your profile. The article also suggests a professional photo, which I don’t think is absolutely necessary.  A good photo of you (not you and your cat, or your dog, or your hamster) should suffice.

• Here’s a checklist from the HarvardExtensionHub. It’s organized based on the profile section, and links to additional information if you need it.

• Finally, LinkedIn has its own blog, which is also a great resource, especially once you’ve completed your profile and have gained some proficiency with the site.

I do have one tip to share in closing. Write the sections of your Background profile (which will include the Summary, Experience and Projects) in a word processing document. Having a backup copy will be useful. Also, always think of your profile as a draft, and be looking for ways to improve it. Though I don’t go on the site as often as I should, I almost always make a small improvement or two to my profile when I’m there.

The Good News About Unemployment Statistics

It’s almost impossible to avoid the news about unemployment statistics. The numbers are disheartening for everyone, not just people who are hoping to change careers. However, taking a closer look may generate some optimism for teachers who are looking for new careers.  Teachers can’t begin teaching without a bachelor’s degree, so those who choose to enter a new field are at an advantage over those who don’t have a degree. According to this article from June 2013, the unemployment rate for people with bachelor’s degrees hovered around 4 percent, while the unemployment rate for those with only a high school diploma came in just above 7 percent.

More recent statistics continue to support the advantage of having a degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released this chart last month, which also revealed a lower unemployment rate for those with a college education.

This news doesn’t change the fact that transitioning to a new career is challenging and often stressful. But if you’re serious about getting into a new field, having a degree should increase your confidence. Knowing how to market yourself and play up the skills you developed in the classroom will help you stand out among the competition. I’m going to continue to share pointers on how to make yourself stand out, where to look for jobs, and how to get ready for interviews. 

Three Job Hunting DO’s for Teachers

While the Internet has simplified many aspects of job hunting, it’s also made the process more sophisticated and complex. The continued evolution of social media adds both opportunities and challenges as you navigate the career-change maze. Here are a few more tips to help you along.

• DO look at your social media profiles, and create a LinkedIn profile if you don’t already have one. A 2012 survey conducted by HR.BLR.com showed that 92% of employers are using social media to recruit potential employees, with LinkedIn ranking as the most popular choice. Though my last post strongly advised against broadcasting your plans, I do feel you can set up a LinkedIn profile without arousing suspicions. Creating a strong profile gives you a chance to showcase your skills and your work history. You should also take a look at your Facebook and Twitter accounts, if you have them, and make sure there is nothing questionable there.

• DO begin preparing for interviews. This might seem premature and overly optimistic, but you really don’t know how quickly you’ll get called once you begin sending out your résumé. I was completely unprepared when I went to my first interview for a teaching position. My first batch of résumés was barely in the mail when one of the districts contacted me, leaving me hardly any time to prepare. I hadn’t expected to get called so quickly, and my elation got the better of me. The interview was disastrous, though I did learn from it. Next week I’ll address strategies for preparing for a job interview. In the meantime, here’s a helpful post from Lifehacker with a printable checklist.

• DO use your network and friends and family outside of school. Even though social media has made it possible to network with people you may never meet in person, you shouldn’t overlook the people in your life. The distance between them and your work colleagues should be enough that you should feel safe sharing your plans. And you never know what may transpire. Employees often become aware of potential openings at their companies before those openings are posted online. You may find yourself in the right place at the right time, simply by letting your friends and relatives know that you’re looking for a new career.   

Next week I’ll also go into more detail about using LinkedIn, and how it can help you find your next job.

Three Job-Hunting Don'ts for Teachers

We’re a month into 2014. Most American school years end between mid-May and late June. So if you’re serious about moving on to a new career before the 2014-2015 school year, you need to begin looking. Since this blog is still fairly new and evolving, it may not have all the information you need to help you, but here’s a quick cheat sheet with three things you should NOT do. 

• Don’t broadcast your plans at work. This applies to anyone in any profession, really, but the nature of our job is different. Many schools and districts begin planning and preparing for the next school year several months in advance and have things solidified by the summer so you may be asked very soon about next year. If you tell your principal or supervisor now (or if you tell someone indiscreet who blabs it all over) you may find yourself with an assignment you don’t want.

• Don’t forget to line up references in advance. When I began looking for a new job, I was thrown off guard the first time I was asked for references because my prior search had been years ago.  Keeping quiet about your plans will make this a challenge, since you should not let your supervisors know you’re leaving. In my experience, most employers will ask for three so lining up four is ideal. If you volunteer, are involved in a church, or are in touch with a former boss, reach out to them and ask for their support. Make sure to get their most recent contact information, including phone number and e-mail. You can also think about ditching the “References Available Upon Request” line from the bottom of your résumé and listing the names and contact info for your references. I have done this on few client résumés. Even if a potential employer asks you to list references on a separate application, having the info handy on your résumé will simplify the process.

• Don’t schedule interviews during school. This, too, may prove to be a challenge, but it’s important to go about business as usual. Even though you’re hoping to leave teaching, you want to honor your commitment to your students and leave on good terms. Going to a job interview is stressful enough and you need to present your best self. I always found that trying to leave school early was never uncomplicated even when it was for a legitimate reason, like needing to pick up my sick child. When you land an interview, you want to be able to leave adequate travel time. You also probably don’t want to show up at school in interview clothes, so try to identify a place where you can change your clothes if you can’t make it home.

Teachers are great at being prepared. Look at your job search as another area of your life where preparation and planning will serve you well. Keep an eye out for three things you should absolutely DO as you look for your next career. And if you’re feeling anxious about the economy and the jobs outlook, I’ll also be providing information on that topic as well.

Weekend Reading, In Brief

Even though the weekend is nearly over, I thought I’d post this article. I stumbled across it while working on another project, but I found it share-worthy. You may know in your heart and your gut that you need to move on to a new career, but sometimes it helps to get a little input from an expert. This article provides some solid reasons for seeking a career change, and it may help you if you’re seeking to clarify your decision.