This is the grand-daddy of career myths, the belief that you can’t have a “practical” career doing something that you were passionate about. It has to be one or the other.

This myth is rooted in fear. Fear that we have to sacrifice our happiness to make a living. Don’t buy the myth that you can’t earn a living by doing what you love.

When I first started coaching, I heard from plenty of people that it would be very difficult to make a living doing this work. I just decided to find coaches who were successful, and to learn from them (simple, eh?).

If you find yourself buying into this myth, consider this question – As you look back on your life, what will you regret more? Following your passion or following your fears?

Career Myth #2: It’s a tough job market/economy

Even when the newspapers and other news sources say that unemployment numbers remain steady, that job growth is at a standstill, or that we’re experiencing slow economic recovery, not to mention downsizing and outsourcing, don’t believe it.

It’s a myth because it doesn’t reflect the whole story, the fact that that it’s a different job market today. It’s a changing economy. How we transition from job-to-job is different. Hiring practices have shifted. So the job market has changed, but that doesn’t necessarily make it tougher. What makes it tougher is that we’ve been slower to change. We’ve held on to old practices and old behaviors. That’s not to say that old ways still don’t work, but they’re just not as effective.

So I challenge you to just believe that it’s a perfect job market for you to find work. I’ve had my college students try this, just for a week, and, more times than not, several of them find job leads or make important connections during the week.

Career Myth #3: Changing careers is risky

What’s riskier than leaving what you know to pursue the unknown? Changing careers means leaving behind a piece of your identity – your “I’m a lawyer” response to the “what-do-you-do?” question. It might mean admitting to yourself that you made a mistake with an initial career choice. Or it might mean acknowledging that you’re unsure of what’s next. And smart people always know what’s next, right?

Nope. Successful career changers often don’t have a plan. In Working Identity: How Successful Career Changers Turn Fantasy into Reality by Herminia Ibarra, she provided evidence that waiting until you have a plan is actually riskier than just doing and experimenting.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is riskier than not changing careers if you’re longing to do so. Here’s why: The longing won’t go away. It will always be there, under the surface, waiting for you to do something about it.

Career Myth #4: Always have a back-up plan

Sometimes having a back-up plan is the smart and prudent course of action. Back-up plans are so grown-up and responsible. But what happens when you’re standing with one foot in and one foot out? In my experience, we usually close the door and retreat. We are reluctant to commit to ourselves, and we end up denying ourselves the satisfaction of playing full-out, getting dirty and sweaty. We end up with feelings of regret and the nagging “What if?” question.

Back-up plans diffuse our energy. Diffused energy equals diffused results. Give all that you’ve got to your dream/passion/risk and you’ve got a better chance of being successful.

Career Myth #5: There’s a perfect job out there for everyone

How long have you been searching for yours? You just know, deep inside, that there’s an ideal job that’s perfect for you out there. It matches your personality, skills, and interests to a tee. And it pays well. If only you could figure it out. If only you knew what it was.

Is there a perfect job out there for you? No. And here’s the good news – there are more jobs than you can imagine that would be “perfect” for you. Chances are you’ve even come very, very close to a few of those perfect jobs already. So what happened? And how do you recognize one of these so-called “perfect jobs”?

Ever see the perfect gift for someone, but it was months till his or her birthday? Then when you go to find the item later, you can’t. Another lost opportunity and you, once again, berate yourself for not buying it when you first saw it.

So maybe you’ve run into a perfect job in the past, but because of the timing, you passed by the opportunity. Or maybe you were so focused on something else, that you missed an obvious clue. Instead of dwelling on the past, which you can’t change, vow to keep your eyes open and to look beyond the obvious.

Career Myth #6: Asking “What’s the best thing for me to do?” is the right question

This is one of the most common questions asked when considering a career change or a career move. It seems like a logical analysis – weigh the pros and cons and evaluate the balance.

Do not ask yourself this question!! It rarely leads you to the answers you’re seeking. It will lead you to feeling overwhelmed with options (sound familiar?), or feeling like you have to choose what’s practical over what seems to be impractical.

The question that will lead you to answers is simple (but not easy!!) It is “What do I really want to do?” This is a very different question than “what’s best?”

Career Myth #7: If you don’t like your job, you’re probably in the wrong career

Cause and effect, right? One way to tell if you’re in the right career is whether or not you like your job. If you’re dissatisfied with your job, it’s probably a sign that you need to re-examine your whole career choice. This is frequently what I hear from new clients who have decided to work with a career coach. They know something isn’t right because they don’t like their jobs. Their natural assumption is that their dissatisfaction is a symptom of a larger underlying issue – their career choice.

This is an example of false logic. Not liking your job might be telling you you’re in the wrong job. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in the wrong career. It doesn’t even mean you’re in the wrong job. You could just be working for the wrong person or the wrong company. It takes a skillful approach to discern the source of discontent, and I think it’s very hard to do it on your own (shameless plug for career coaches here!)

Career Myth #8: Everyone needs a mission statement

Do you know what your mission is? Mission statements are supposed to guide us, keep us on track, and help us move forward. But what if you don’t have one? Does that mean you’re destined to never fulfill your potential career-wise?

A client who was a successful professional contacted me because she was at a career crossroads. She felt that if only she could find her mission in life, she would know which career path to take.

She had a clear goal for coaching – find her mission! Instead, the most amazing thing happened. She decided that she didn’t need a mission. She chose to trust that she was already fulfilling her mission statement, even though she didn’t know what it was. After the client shifted her focus from finding her mission to living her life, an amazing opportunity came her way and she pursued it.

Here’s a little tip: If your mission statement is elusive, stop chasing it. Be still and let it find you. And in the meantime, keep living your life and see what happens.

Career Myth #9: Expect a career epiphany

When you see a link to “Find Your Dream Job,” do you immediately click on it to see what’s there? Do you look at every “Top Ten Career” list out there to see if anything catches your interest? Do you know your MBTI type? If you do, you might be falling prey to the career epiphany myth.

I’d love, love, love it if most of my clients had a career epiphany that indicated to them, in crystal-clear terms, their next step. Instead, I see career “unfoldings” or a journey of discovery much more regularly. That is, being willing to not ignore the obvious, the pokes, the prods, and listen carefully to the whisper within. Yep, forget harp music and angels, for most of us, the career epiphany is a quiet whisper.

Career Myth #10: Ignoring your career dissatisfaction will make it go away

Oh, if only this worked in the long run!! Granted, it does work at first. When you find yourself beginning to question your career, you’ll find it’s rather easy to push the thoughts aside and pretend they aren’t there. You know what I’m talking about: the “what ifs” and the list of regrets.

Over time, the random thoughts become nagging thoughts. You spend more and more time daydreaming about options. You build your list of reasons to ignore your growing career dissatisfaction:

• You’re too old.
• You don’t want to take a pay cut.
• You don’t want to go back to school.
• You missed your opportunity 5, 10, 15 years ago.

With clients in this situation, we work on identifying and challenging these fears. Sometimes the fear of change remains, but there becomes a greater commitment to living than to feeling the fear.

Challenge

So now that you know that one or all of these myths have been holding you back, what are you waiting for?

10 Career Change Myths is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

1. Grammar, spelling, punctuation – Use the grammar and spell check function, then print it out and read the document word for word. Spell checker doesn’t know that you meant “manager” when you actually typed “manger.”

2. Capitalization – Use a manual such as the Gregg Reference Manual if you do not know capitalization rules.

3. Punctuation – Check for proper use of commas and semi-colons. Again, if you are unsure, refer to the Gregg Reference Manual.

4. Run-on sentences – Check to make sure you do not have run-ons that are hard to read.

5. Consistency – You must be consistent with your number usage (dates, money, numbers), plurals, and abbreviations. For example, don’t list one date as 8/2004 and then list another date as 3/15/2004. Also, be aware of listing software consistently (abbreviation use). MS Word and Microsoft Outlook are both correct, but not consistent.

6. Education section – When you have a degree, list only the year that you obtained your degree. When you list your dates, (i.e.: 9/1998 to 1/2002) many resume-scanning systems will not recognize that you obtained a degree, only that you attended college for a period of time.

7. Ampersands – Ampersands (&) do not belong on a resume. There are a few exceptions. One exception is a well-known company name (AT&T). Another exception is well-known industry terms (P&L).

8. Hyperlinks – All e-mail and web addresses that you list need to be deactivated in your resume. To do this in MS Word, highlight the link, go to the “Insert” drop down menu, scroll down to and click “Hyperlink”, and on the lower left-had side of this screen there should be a little button that says “Remove link”, when you find it, give it a little click and voila! Alternatively, you can highlight the link, right click on it, and scroll down to “remove link” to deactivate the link.

8 Resume Editing Tips is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

I am not talking about a lazy person without any ambition. The person I am referring to is the unemployable, the serial entrepreneur or corporate refugee. If you are currently working in a job and what you want is not another job but to become a work at home entrepreneur networking can still be for you.

Here are 7 networking strategies you can use to catapult your work from home career.

1. Create your own Board of Directors. IBM and Microsoft are not the only ones who should have a boardroom team. As a home based business owner you want to have a group of people who you can meet with, mastermind and get advice from.

Often times they may see skills and talents in you that you might not recognize. Once you have identified what your business goal is you have the opportunity to leverage the power of six degrees of separation. Six degrees of separation is the principle that anyone on earth can be connected to another person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five relationships apart.

2. Join Networking Organizations for Entrepreneurs. Successful business owners like to connect with each and expand their relationships. Look for organizations that have business owners in the same area of interest as you. Don’t just see them as competitors. Look for opportunities that you might be able to assist them in some way. Here are a couple of groups to consider:

The Chamber of Commerce

BNI (Business Networking International

Le-Tip

Rotary International

Each of these organizations have different personalities and cultures. Attend a few meetings before you call one of them home. Know what you ultimately want. Basil S. Walsh states, “If you don’t know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?”

First establish in very specific detail what you are going to achieve. Did you notice that I said going to achieve? Life will give you exactly what you expect from it. Start with the end in mind.

Now is the time to dream big and visualize what your life will look like when you are a successful business owner. Don’t worry about the how. Simply set goals by asking yourself some key questions such as:

A. What would I love to do even if I did not get paid for it?

B. How many days will I work each week?

C. What type of work from home business am I interested in?

D. Where will I live?

E. What do I like to do?

Determine what you need to happen to get out your job. Do you know how much you need to make in your business to leave your job? What is your financial freedom number? Your financial freedom number is the amount of income you need to have coming in passively each month to cover all of your expenses.

One of the reasons you want to know this is when you are looking at home based business income opportunities you want to choose one that has the profit potential you want and need. If your financial freedom number is $5000.00 per month you don’t want to choose a business that does not have the potential to net that on a passive basis.

As you are networking and meeting new people you can analyze the business opportunities that arise from a totally unemotional point of view because you are clear about your goals.

3. Remember it is better to give then receive. One of the biggest problems I see with networking is most people go in it to see what they can get first before they give. Always look for a way to be of service to the people that you meet first. There is a universal law of reciprocity. You will always get back more than you give out. As you get to know people think about how you can help to enrich their life or help them towards their goals.

If you read an article or run across something that might be of help to them send it. When you have a genuine interest in others success you are blessed through your giving.

Some people call it karma and others say you reap what you sow. My life’s experiences have been blessed more than I could have every imagined whenever I give.

So look for ways to contribute. You may be able to do this in a variety of ways:

a. Volunteer to work with them some way.

b. Introduce them to people in your network that could help them.

c. Send notes or articles that might be areas of interest or
could help to increase their business.

4. Learn how to joint venture or strategically partnership. One of the fastest ways to get out of your job, launch a business or simply make some money is to create a joint venture with someone.

Joint Venturing is a way to take either yourself or two other people who could profit from working together but simply did not have the relationship. You profit from making the connection.

For example you know a veterinarian has a large practice with a list of over 700 clients. You also have a relationship with a new pet groomer in the city who is trying to increase his business. You put the two together and every time the pet groomer gets a new client due to your structuring this deal you get paid. We call this mail box money. Money comes in your mail box whether you work or not.

5. Set up a written networking plan. I am amazed at how much time and effort people will spend to find a new job. However, when it comes to designing a plan to exit the rat race they do it almost haphazardly. You will be much more effective if you have a written plan. The plan does not have to be elaborate. Here are some of the basic things you want to cover:

a. What is my goal?

b. Who do I want to meet?

c. What events should I focus on?

d. How often should I be networking?

6. Attend seminars and boot camp events. Specialized knowledge is one of the keys to being successful in a home based business. When you attend boot camps and seminars you able to surround yourself with like minded people as well as learn from the experts.

However, if you really want to make these educational experiences profitable do three things:

a. Introduce yourself to at least 3 people and get their cards. Ask them why they are there and what they hope to get out of the event. Exchange numbers and ask, “What is the single most important thing you need help in making your business venture successful?”

When you ask this of someone else you will genuinely get to know someone and you may be able to help them. In addition, out of respect they will want to know more about you and a new relationship may be formed.

b. Go to lunch with someone you meet at the seminar and tell them the things you learned so far and will implement. There is something about speaking your goal out loud that will make it real. If you immediately implement one single action every time you learn something the results will grow exponentially.

c. Introduce yourself to the speaker. Sometimes this can be difficult if the event is large. However, if there is a book signing buy their book so while they are signing it you can ask one question. My question is, “What is the single most important skill you contribute to your success?” You might like my question or you can come up with your own. The point is you have a great opportunity to network and learn from someone who is a master at their craft. Seize the opportunity.

7.Have a goal for every networking opportunity. Simply going to an event and “working the room” almost never yields any measurable results. Before you attend any event know what you want your outcome to be in advance. Are you going to meet specific person? How will you insure your introduction? Make sure you have crafted out a plan and enlist support from someone to help you execute if needed.

For example, if you want to meet someone ask the host of the networking event if they know the person and if they would be willing to introduce you. Your chances of success are almost guaranteed due to the nature of the event.

Networking is often an overlooked opportunity to find a way out of the rat race. If you want to look for a work at home career, connections can be a key to rapid success. Get the inside tips and discover 7 ways to network your way out of a job.

7 Ways to Network Your Way Out Of a Job and Into a Work At Home Career is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

1. If you are keen in continuing in your present line of work with say a better location or opportunities. Then explore the web sites of companies similar to yours. Check out their human resources pages or career links. Employer web sites are often listed at sites like Academic360, a directory of employment opportunities.

2. Undertake a search engine search. Ask any major search engine like Google to help you locate possible employers or job sites that specialize in your field of work.

3. Explore the web sites of professional associations. Being a member of an association is a great way to network with peers and many a time it is successful networking that can land you your next job.

4. You can register at an online employment site like http://www.job-hunt.org or Monster.com and reap the many benefits. They will send you possible opportunities to your e-mail, blast your resume to several recruitment personnel all over the world, offer you a professional evaluation of your resume, and you will be able to browse through all the postings on their site and apply to vacancies that interest you.

5. By opting for an online search you can be sure your application is not lost in the post or courier. When you click apply, the resume immediately goes to the email box of a possible employer. And, the job site will give you a confirmation message of your application.

6. The convenience of online means you can store your resume as well as several versions of a covering letter for use. The site will also maintain a record of applications made by you with details. This means that you will never make the mistake of applying for the same job twice.

7. Applying online means you curtail costs of postage, courier, and faxes.

Looking online for your next job means you can explore several possibilities. By surfing through several job sites you can even consider changing your line of work, moving to a new country with several new opportunities, or even starting your own enterprise. Often the World Wide Web has brought together several professionals from different fields n search of new opportunity and they have begun a business of their own quite successfully.

Another positive aspect of the web is that it allows you to research comprehensively on your new employer and the in depth information you gather on the company will help you during the interviews.

You can take expert advice in writing out your resume and ensure that it has the right key words that will place it ahead of zillion others, that the resume highlights your strengths and presents in a comprehensive way your experience.

The internet has changed the way people look for new jobs and job search has taken giant strides.

7 Reasons To Search Online For Your Next Job is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

If you feel stuck, here are 6 great ways to find your ideal career:

1. Brainstorm on a sheet of paper – I’ve talked about this before and it’s a strategy I use all the time. Take a pad of paper and write down at the top your objective in question form. Then, simply list out 20 answers to your question. For example, you could write “What should I be doing with my time and life?” Then stay seated for a half hour to an hour coming up with answers to that question. The key to this exercise is coming up with 20 answers – don’t quit until you have 20 answers. You can repeat every day until you get the answer you seek.

2. Ask 3 close friends – Sometimes our friends know us better than ourselves. While meeting with one of your friends, mention you are at a crossroads in your life and career. Ask what they think you’d enjoy doing. You might be surprised at how easily they can zero in to your strengths and abilities and report a perfect job area.

3. Ask your boss and coworkers – much like your friends in the example above, your boss and coworkers most likely see you in a way you do not see yourself. In fact, they are likely most familiar with your strengths and weaknesses in the work environment. Compile all the answers you get from them and see if there are any common threads you can explore.

4. Call a headhunter – If you are searching in your career, it’s likely you have a resume. Sometimes you can catch a headhunter or recruiter during their slow times and meet with them to pick through what you might be good at. I’ve done this at different times in my life and the people seem open to talking with people. After all, if you don’t get paid, they don’t either. The ideas I get are usually good.

5. Take a career assessment test – There are several sites on the Internet you might be able to take one of these tests for a fee. But using my ‘headhunter’ tip above, many headhunters have this software and don’t mind you taking the test in their office. I’ve taken these tests two times in my life and they usually take an hour or two, but they are thorough. They ask you to answer a series of questions about what you are good at, what you like to do, what you prefer doing over what you don’t. If you take one, you will likely see some new exciting areas to explore in your life.

6. Keep a journal – Do you keep a journal? If so, read through, looking for common threads in your writing. Keep your eyes peeled for trends and activities you like as well as don’t like. In fact, finding examples of what you don’t like and what frustrates you is almost as important as finding what you do like. For example, if you hate an overwhelming boss, you’d probably like a self-directed position. If you hate nosy coworkers you’d probably prefer your own office.

Discovering what you really want to do with your life is the most important decision you can make. We spend 1/3 or more of our lives at work. So figuring out the right career is important to keeping that 1/3 of our lives happy and productive.

6 Ways to Pinpoint Your Perfect Career is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

An increasingly popular trend, graduates stepping out of universities and looking ahead for their first interviews are closing their social networking pages. Reason: Big brother is watching. Job hunters are increasingly conscious of anything they put into the online sphere-even e-mail, which, of course, can be forwarded to anyone.

These are not entirely paranoia. There is anecdotal evidence and some HR reports talk about corporate recruiters are Googling potential employees, having interns log onto social networking sites to check out an applicant’s profile, and using the online world as another way to check references. This trend, combined with the growing population of sites like Orkut, Facebook and MySpace, has many young people uneasy and unsure about how to navigate a new world.

B-school administrators and professors are beginning to advise students on maintaining a professional presence on social networking sites, in e-mail, on personal Web sites, and blogs. Even if it’s password protected, recruiters have profiles, too, and can get into your groups.

In a survey by AfterCollege.com a little more than 70% of the 60 students say they continue to post the same things they always did, even though potential employers might be taking a look. About 20% of the 90 employers who have so far responded to the same survey, say they investigate new hires by visiting social networking sites. A considerable 6% of employers say they’ve decided not to hire someone based on what they saw online, but another 26% responded to that same question with no comment.

To quote Roberto Angulo of AfterCollege.com Students should be more concerned than they are.

6 to 20% employers look up your social networking page is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

In-Demand Skills for Success

1. BASIC SKILLS‚ Reading, writing and arithmetic! Believe it or not, a good portion of high school graduates (and some college grads) do not read at an 8th grade level and cannot do multiplication in their head. Employers are seeking employees who can read well, can write coherently, and who can calculate mathematics in a business environment (fractions, percentages, etc.) Add to that the modern basic skills of keyboarding skill, basic computer knowledge, and ability to use most computerized tools (e.g. fax machine, basic word processing program, etc.) to round out the basic skill sets needed for employment success.

2. PERSONAL SKILLS‚ Can a potential employee speak well? Can he/she answer questions of customers in a positive, informative manner? Can the prospect provide good customer service? While not everyone has an outgoing sales’ personality, successful employees can communicate in a non-confrontational, positive manner with their coworkers, team members, subordinates, management, and customers. Being able to work well with others is a vital skill for success in all jobs.

3. JOB ATTAINMENT‚ Job search is a process that requires a great deal of dedication and attention to be conducted successfully. It follows the old principal that many veteran programmers refer to as GIGO ‚ Garbage In, Garbage Out. If you put lousy effort in, you will receive lousy results. Employers are seeking employees who know how to present themselves in a positive manner and who display enthusiasm and knowledge about the companies they approach. Not only do candidates get evaluated on their skills and experience, but also on how they are approaching the job search. Enthusiastic candidates with fewer skills have an even chance of getting the job as dull candidates with better skills.

4. JOB SURVIVAL‚ Now there’s a hot topic in this period of layoffs. Who gets the ax and who doesn’t is often a matter of numbers, but it is also often a matter of performance. Employees who have consistently demonstrated their worth, taken initiative, and made themselves a valuable asset to the company have lower incidences of being downsized than employees who put forth mediocre or average effort in their jobs. Surviving within a company through layoffs or moving up the career ladder is a success skill that is learned and is consciously cultivated among successful professionals.

5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT‚ As all high tech and engineering pros know‚ it’s learn or burn in today’s work environment. Attaining new skills, applying new concepts, updating established skills is an absolute necessity to succeed in today’s work force. The successful individual is constantly attending seminars, taking classes, attaining training on new products or releases, and otherwise learning new skills that will keep them marketable in their careers. Successful people are lifelong learners. Employers are looking for people who have the training necessary to fulfill their needs.

6. CAREER DEVELOPMENT‚ Career Development differs from Professional Development. Professional Development is learning while Career Development is a planning and goal setting process. Successful individuals design a career plan with written goals for short term and long term. They lay out the steps needed to move their careers from Point A to Point B within Time Frame C and plan how they are going to achieve those steps. Successful people have someone to whom they are accountable for their progress and who will monitor their success in achieving their goals. Employers are seeking individuals who (believe it or not) wish to commit to the company for a long period of time. Good career progression is a high selling point of candidates to prospective employers.

How do you measure up? Do you have the 6 In-Demand Skills for Success? Feel like you need some help? Give us a call!

6 Factors Of Career Success is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

1. Take a long, hard look at your monthly bills. Are in up to your neck in debt? Now is the time to tighten your belt and try to get a handle on the interest rates you are currently paying. Can you pay down some of your debt right away? Transfer to another, lower rate credit card? Should you refinance your mortgage or home equity loan? Now would be the time to take care of this, not after you’ve received your pink slip.

2. What can you trim in your monthly budget? Stop buying those lattes every morning and save about $80 in one month. Rent a DVD instead of going to the movies. You are the only one who can decide what you can and cannot live without, but these are two good examples of the latter. Cut back on your dining out and you’ll see more green in your wallet right now, when you need it the most.

3. Be more aware as you pull out your wallet for every day expenses and decide if you really need to buy that item. Now is not the time for a shopping spree to cheer you up. Instead, make an effort to be more aware of where your money goes every day, every week.

4. With gas prices sky-rocketing, should you consider buying a hybrid car, or at least one that gets better mileage? Do it now, while you’re still employed. See if the dealership offers any customer incentives such as a rebate or lowered interest rate on the loan.

5. Do you know what benefits at work you are entitled to? Take the time now to ask the Human Resources department what benefits you’re currently enrolled in. If you have health insurance, be sure to get any physicals or medical tests now to make use of this benefit. Take advantage of any dental or vision coverage you may have- get those eyeglasses or contact lenses updated now or schedule a visit for a check-up at the dentist. Those co-pays are a whole lot cheaper than paying full-price later.

Being aware of the situation, planning and taking action makes you feel more in control of your life. Sure, you can’t do anything about being laid-off and in most cases, (unless you committed gross misconduct on the job) it’s not your fault. It’s a management decision that will probably wind up changing your life for the better. See this as a new opportunity, not as a loss, and your positive attitude will help you find a new job soon. Good luck!

5 Ways You Can be Prepared When Facing a Job Loss is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

And if you thought that the only jobs available for nurses were in hospitals and medical facilities, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has more news for you. Less than 60% of registered nurses work in a hospital. A nursing degree opens doors of opportunity into so many fields that it’s easily one of the most versatile and useful degrees that you can acquire. Not only that – a nursing degree appeals to a wide range of people. According to the BLS, about 20% of those entering the nursing workforce are older workers starting on a second career. Many of them have been attracted by rising salaries triggered by the nursing shortage, but for many of them, a nursing degree is a chance to do something that makes them feel good.

Whether you’ve just started your nursing career, are returning to work after a hiatus, or are switching to a career in nursing as a second career, take a look at some of the opportunities that are open to you with a nursing degree.

Pediatric Home Health Care is one of the growing fields for those with nursing degrees. Every state in the Union now has some sort of Early Intervention program that identifies children under the age of three years with special needs. Pediatric home health care gives you the opportunity to work with children and parents and make a real difference in their lives.

Elder Home Health Care is the other end of the spectrum. The ‘aging of America’ means that more and more people require a little bit of help to remain in their homes. Nursing assistants, registered nurses and licensed nurses can provide that little bit extra that will allow a senior citizen to maintain a higher quality of life and remain at home when all they need is a few hours of medical care a day or week.

Working in a Blood Donor Center is an option that makes you part of the life-saving network. There’s more to blood donor centers than just starting IVs. Nurses who specialize in pharesis can command high salaries, and a nurse working in the blood collection field can be a valuable community organizer as well as a medical practitioner.

A Critical Care Transport nurse requires multiple nursing degrees, but it can be one of the most interesting and fascinating nursing jobs available. A CCT nurse accompanies patients being transported from home or a nursing facility to another nursing facility. The nurse is responsible for maintaining continuity of care for every patient – in the back of an ambulance. It’s a challenging and fun job that commands a salary commensurate with the experience required.

On Site Nursing is a wide open field for medical workers with nursing degrees. You can work at an amusement park or zoo, or in the medical office at a state or national park, or provide medical backup for the emergency workers at a beach or other recreational setting. If you choose to work on site at a camp or other facility, your benefits may include free tuition for your own family.

5 Unusual Jobs You Can Get With A Nursing Degree is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com

1. Dress professionally. No midriff shirts, low-cut blouses or flip-flops because you’re going to work and not the beach. While it’s not necessary to buy a suit, it is particularly important to look professional. If you’re trying to get a job in a conservative office such as an accounting firm, don’t dress as if you were going to a concert. If you are applying for a retail position, you have a little more freedom. Rather than list what clothing is and is not acceptable, I would tell you to dress as if you were going to meet one of the most important people in your life- because you are!

2. Make sure you are well-groomed. Don’t look as though you just rolled out of bed and couldn’t bother to take care of basic personal hygiene. Nothing will make the HR Manager bring the interview to a close faster than unwashed hair, dirty fingernails or body odor. As an employee, you will be a reflection of the company and no customer wants to do business with an unkempt person.

3. Be aware of your body language. A firm handshake at the start of the interview shows you are self-confident. Maintain eye contact, stay relaxed and be attentive to the interviewer. Ask questions and listen thoughtfully to the answers. Think before you answer questions from the interviewer- don’t ramble and keep the conversation on the topic.

4. Be prepared for the interview. Research the company beforehand- every business now has a website where you can learn what they do and who their customers are. This shows the interviewer you are interested in the job and took the initiative to find out all you could about the company.

5. Be present in the interview. I’ve interviewed candidates who acted as if they were waiting for a bus. They didn’t ask questions, but instead just listened to me, and I wasn’t really sure if they were paying attention. Be enthusiastic, ask questions and participate in the interview. After listing all the duties required of the position, I asked one candidate if this sounded like something she’d be interested in. Her reply was a quiet, “I can do the job.” She didn’t answer my question, she seemed indifferent, and she didn’t get the job. If you can’t be excited in the interview, you’re not going to be energized in the workplace either.

First impressions count, and you want to let the interviewer know you want the job, are willing to work hard and will do your best. You might not necessarily be the most qualified candidate, but still land the job because you were the most outstanding one. Good luck!

5 Tips to Prepare for that First ‘Real’ Job Interview is a post from: Business Directory for Business Information | Joevsken.com