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Every graduate who takes free career advice from a friend or family member needs to look beyond the advice to determine motivations. Your graduation from university will be accompanied by dozens of loved ones and colleagues offering free career advice without solicitation. Your desire to be polite to every career advisor should not lead to an acceptance of free career advice without some analysis. There are multiple criteria you can apply to career advice to determine the tips that are best for your young career.

The professional background of an advice provider is important as you consider free career advice. A lawyer offering advice on specific areas of legal studies to pursue in postgraduate education is a valuable resource. A retired police officer who provides tips on success in IT sales may not offer the best advice available. You should ask what an advisor does for a living to place free career advice into context.

The substance of free career advice may not be effective if the presentation style of your advisor is unorthodox. This advice does not need to be provided through a PowerPoint presentation but it should be provided with a certain sense of decorum. You should not take free career advice from an individual who is promoting a specific company, criticising a specific company and using inappropriate language during their advice. The quality of free career advice is only as good as the person presenting the advice.

The best free career advice comes from an experienced professional with anecdotes to back up his suggestions. Your recent graduation from a university should leave research and methodology courses fresh in your mind. You would not draw assumptions in philosophy, biology and other fields without sufficient evidence. You should apply this same standard to free career advice.

In contrast, the worst career advice comes from people who think that one-size-fits-all platitudes help in every situation. A relative who says that the secret to any job lies in a single characteristic or action cannot be regarded as a trustworthy source of career advice. There are few professions where one piece of advice is sufficient to guiding a professional toward profit and happiness. Your quest for advice on building a successful career should take into account multiple points of view. These tips can help you develop relationships with trusted advisors who can offer help throughout your career.

Most of the employees in the United States are not contented with their present jobs. A survey conducted in the year 2007 reports that around 84% of the employees in the states are still on the hunt for their dream jobs. What does this survey conclude? It concludes that a number of employees are having plans to change their career or switch jobs. A majority of people voted for work that had fun as their dream job. The next popular answer went for the pay scale. The above facts relate that a majority of the employees in United States prefer jobs that they like very much.

By chance, you may be identical to those workers who always complain on all matters. This is where you can find the career transitions programs to be helpful. The people who are lagging in their professional life can seek the help of career transition programs. You may be one among them and still confused about your future. Programs on career transitions are there to help you now.

Programs for career transitions are designed for people like you. The people who wish for a career change can also make use of this program. Career transition programs aid you i filtering the career options you have and help you select the right career path. These programs groom the talents an individual possess. They help us in finding our talents and groom it. The talents are developed and exploited very well. Some people are not aware of the abilities. These hidden abilities are identified by the individual with the help of programs on career transitions. This moment explains your area of interest and directs you to search a job of your interest.

In today’s world, there are numerous programs for career transitions are available. Each area has some centers that offer career transition programs. You have to browse the internet to find them. You will be put to surprise on seeing the number of companies listed. A number career transition coaches are available too. You might not have known about them, but you can realize there importance now. You professional career might be at risk now. In this case, it is better to seek advice from an expert in this area. Do not be static regarding your career and waste your money on it. Never worry!! There is an answer for you, neither when you are tired, happy or confused.

Are you never interested in working anywhere and still prefer to lie on your bed? Never be with yourself regarding your present job. It is now time to consider about your present job and decide whether to continue in it or not! Thinking twice about the career, current job or company is very important. An expert can be handy at this stage. Find a good career transition program that can aid you in filtering your thoughts and help you in deciding a good career for the rest of your life.

If you have just left school and are trying to find a way to start your career then you might find that it’s much more difficult than you imagined. There are however quite a few things that you can do to land that dream career so that you’re proud and happy with your job.

Things you can do

Later on we’re going to mention the possibility of hiring professional career advisors to help you decide what sort of job to do, however before we show you how to find mentors we will look at some of the important things that you can do yourself.

Getting a job and building a career is ultimately your own responsibility, even if you do decide to hire help you will still be required to put in plenty of effort. It’s not all up to the career advisor to get you your dream job. You must think about the type of job that you would like to do, and start planning how you are going to achieve it. If you can find your own way then you will find it much more rewarding.

Keep an eye on job vacancies in your local paper or on the internet, if you find any that match your career plan then apply to them even if you already have a job. Try to build relationships with people that can help you to achieve your goals.

To stand any chance of landing a good job you need to be seen as a form of expert in the field, to make this possible you should make sure that you communicate as much as possible. Tell people what you are doing, and don’t be afraid to take the credit when you do something right. The idea is to try and build your personal brand, some way to differentiate you from the hundreds of other applications.

The most important thing that you can do yourself is take a personal interest in getting the job done, don’t wait for people to come looking for you. Make sure that you’re the first to do everything, this way you stand a much better chance of climbing up the career ladder as quickly as possible.

Younger staffers, who are usually more tech-savvy than their bosses, are pushing for more access to social networking and others sites, both for work purposes and for when they’d like to take a break from their jobs.

At the same time, many are finding that the sites they are expected to use for researching and communicating for work are blocked; and they are unable to take a break to read a news story on line or check their personal e-mail or social network accounts.

Meanwhile, employers want the advantage of Internet technology, but are concerned about security for confidential competitive information, time being wasted and legal exposure. The result is that many lean toward blocking all or most access.

Career Tip: The Boss Is Always Watching

According to a study by the American Management Association, 76% of the companies surveyed monitor Internet usage; 55% store and review e-mail; 51% use video surveillance; 50% store and review computer usage;

22% record telephone calls

“Wide-open Internet access is the risky approach,” says Chris King, Palo Alto Network. “But to close off all access is “increasingly untenable for cultural and business reasons.”

The wise careerist makes sure he understands his employer’s policy before blogging, tweeting, sending personal e-mails, to say nothing of watching sports and downloading movies. (Nearly half of U.S. employers have policies against visiting personal networking or video sharing sites during work hours.) If there’s not a policy in place, he ask for guidance. He can be sure that his employer is probably looking over his shoulder, stated policy or not.

Career Guidelines

The Associated Press offers career guidelines for using the web and other electronic devices at work:

• Remember that anything you do on a company-issued computer or cell phone–in or out of the office–could be tracked by a boss, the courts or a regulator. Many employers monitor web site use, keystrokes, instant messages and e-mail. Some even archive text messages on work cell phones.

• Avoid mentioning your company, boss or co-workers in outline postings unless you have permission to do so.

• Avoid using any device to take or transmit any company-related photos, videos or other recordings without permission from management. This rule includes any images of company buildings or logos and embarrassing or unprofessional photos of co-workers or clients.

• Know your company’s policy on social networking, video web sites, e-mail and other tech-related activities.

• Regularly delete personal e-mail from your work account.

• Remember when searching for a job that many employers check social networking sites, blogs and other online activity.

The wise careerist follows two pieces of common sense career advice:

1. Know the rules your employer is enforcing for use of electronic devices.

2. Never post anything on a company-owned electronic device that you wouldn’t want to appear on the bulletin boards where you work.

There is no shortage of people offering careers advice to graduates throughout the United Kingdom. This advice comes with the best of intentions but most graduates are focused narrowly on getting their foot in the door within their industry. There are a few proven bits of career advice that graduates can take with them through their first year on the job.

All graduates need to keep advanced education opportunities open in their early careers. Advanced education can take the form of an online education program, an advanced degree program at a traditional university or a comprehensive training program within the workplace. Graduates just entering the work force need to think of tuition costs and fees as an investment in better wages down the road.

Graduates also need to show their interest in advancement early and often to their managers. Young professionals make the mistake of assuming that their hard work and completion of major projects will show their desire to move upward in the workplace. Every graduate should sit down with their manager as soon as they realize that they want to make their job a career and develop a path up the corporate ladder.

It is also important to build a network of colleagues and contacts throughout the workplace for support as a career progresses. Graduates make friends with their office mates but many overlook important contacts in different departments and different levels that can help them meet their career goals. The use of full staff meetings, parties and outings as networking opportunities can help a graduate build a list of references unparalleled by their peers.

In many industries, graduates need to begin publishing early and often in trade publications. Graduates who want to expand their possibilities within their particular industry should seek out every opportunity to promote their professional skills. Trade websites, blogs and conferences allow graduates to meet with experienced colleagues while showing off their acumen. The process of publishing itself shows the resilience and intelligence of a graduate before they ever get their first credit.

Graduates need to reassess their career goals on an annual basis to keep their perspective on their career path fresh. The idea that career goals are set in stone has been eliminated by the transient nature of modern employment. A graduate will change career paths and jobs several times in their lives which makes an annual reassessment of long held goals is the smart thing to do.

A lot of contemplation and homework is necessary before you change careers. First and foremost, you should be well acquainted with your strengths and weaknesses. Spend some time with yourself and see what interests you the most.  Can you leverage your skills and hobbies for a better career? Never act on gut reactions. Always double check the facts before implementing them in making your career. Also, research and identify future growth areas and opportunities.

Most job seekers already know the answers to these questions, but don’t realize it. You just require to focus on the things that motivate you the most and that you enjoy the most! Also think of the challenges that you would require to accomplish while being in your chosen field. You can be a beginner in your line of business. There are employers that offer training before putting you on the job. Alternatively, you can also enroll yourself for the training at local colleges and vocational institutes.

Then there is another set of people who like their present choice of career, but do not want to be in the department they work in. If this is the case with you as well, talk to your seniors and try to get placed in a department which will offer you to make the most out of your skills.

Job is not something that you have to do for the mere sake of doing it. Turn it into something that you truly want to pursue. Americasjobexchange connects you to numerous experts who will answer all your career queries and offer you the best career advice for a successful livelihood.

1. Be Enthusiastic

Be known as an employee who has a great attitude and is enthusiastic about his/her job and work.  Enthusiasm is contagious and spreads quickly in the workplace.  Just the opposite, constantly whining and complaining deplete valuable resources of energy in the workplace.  Think of people you know at work and ask the following questions:

* Who energizes me at work?  Who has a can do attitude?

* Who drains the energy out of the day?  Whom do I **** to see come through the door in the morning?

* How do my co-workers and managers see me?

Positive and negative employees, when presented with the same situation, have two different ways of handling the situation.   The positive employee looks for the positive solutions.  The positive employee is a proactive person who looks at change and challenges as opportunities to grow and develop new skills.  The negative person looks at the same situations as being taken advantage of and has the “why is this happening to me” attitude.  The negative employee tends to gossip and participate in unhealthy competition.  Obviously, management feels more confident with the positive, enthusiastic employee with the “can do” attitude.  Be known as the positive employee who creates solutions.

2. Know Management

You will avoid career landmines and be favored by management by taking the time to “manage your manager.”  Find out and understand your manager’s strengths and weaknesses, priorities and communication style, and how he/she manages people.

When I was rising up the corporate ranks, I worked for a vice president who was uncomfortable speaking in front of a group of people.  Whenever he had a department meeting, you could always see he was nervous and tense, especially when he had to persuade us to accept a very challenging situation.  There would always be a team member who would challenge this vice president in front of the group.  To say the least, this did not go well for the employee who challenged him.  However, I recognized the vice president’s weakness, never questioned him in public, and waited until the meeting was over and went to his office to discuss the challenging situations of the day.  Behind our closed-door discussions, this same vice president was very open, conversational, and confident.  We were able to create solutions for the company and when it came time for promotion to vice president, my name was at the top of the list.

Remember, to get what you want in your career, you must help your manager succeed.  Focus on what is important to your manager and provide the solution.  If customer service is important, speak with your manager in terms of creating customer solutions.  If your manager is a numbers person, quantify all your results, etc.

3. Walk the Talk

Show integrity in everything you do at work.  Be the employee that management can depend on to get things done.  When you prove you are an employee who consistently delivers on his/her promises, this will impress management and you will go to the top of the list for choice assignments and promotions.  If you are someone who is known as undependable, you will lose the respect of management, and your opportunities for promotions will decrease.

Also, the employee with integrity owes up to his/her mistakes.  The employee that doesn’t have the courage to own up to his or her mistakes and take responsibility is very frustrating for managers.  If you make a mistake, do the following:

* Own it

* Apologize for it

* Explain what you learned from the mistake

* Ask your manager for input

* Tell what actions you will take in the future so the mistake won’t happen again

This benefits you because it shows you have integrity, you take ownership for your actions, you can learn from challenges and mistakes, and you are developing a relationship with your manager by asking for input and assistance.

Last, but not least, integrity is also not taking credit for someone else’s work.  Take credit for your own work and acknowledge others for their accomplishments.  Fellow employees have a long memory, and you may need these same people when it comes time for a promotion.

4. Take Risks and Grow Rich

There are employees who do a good job everyday and do not advance in their careers.  The employees who stretch themselves and their abilities are the ones who advance in their careers.  Risk takers are comfortable with the challenges of taking the risk and know how to adapt to job situations when they arise.  They also know that there may be some challenges that they may not accomplish the first time.  However, they will take responsibility for the results, learn from these challenges, and prosper in future opportunities.

The following are some ways to take risks and grow rich:

* Volunteer for high exposure, high risk projects

* Get agreement and an understanding as to the resources needed to succeed

* Combine questions with solutions in meetings

* Actively find work challenges and provide solutions

5. Be the Team Player

Managers look for employees who are not only talented, but work to make the entire team better.  Team players work well with other team members and support them emotionally.  Team members are proactive about pitching in when and where needed.

They also understand what the team mission is and work with other team members to accomplish its goals and values.  Because of this understanding, team players are competitive for the team not within the team.

When it comes to your career, talent helps but is not the sole factor for success.  Take time to apply these five career advice secrets and you too will be the perfect employee everyone wants on their team.

For a beginner, to pursue a viable career can be somewhat challenging, as their knowledge about this is either void or negligible. Yet the issue can be resolved readily if you come over to the point what hobbies or interests were of immense liking to you. And once employing them in your career hub, you can seriously start making money. Those avocations that have now turned into your profession are honestly the first springboard in providing you guaranteed success.

Being a beginner, you may not have that special skills or knowledge required to expand your potential plans and without these elements, finding a relevant job is seemingly possible. Therefore, the second important career advice portrays to go back to the past while you were in school or you can undergo some specific training that can hone your ability and skills. To be precise, you need to determine an institution where you can earn a degree/diploma/license of the stream of your best liking. This will encourage you to keep to your studies.

Ultimately, when you get a desired job, be sure to negotiate your salary. This will help catering your most needs; thereby, leading you to sustain a standard lifestyle. Then, strongly analyse the high, average and low income for your career so that you can clearly know what salary will suit to your skills and experience. If you have strong skills, there are maximum chances the salary will be decided in your accordance. But remember, while negotiating your salary, don’t be overconfident about yourself. Being patient and meek in your attitude, you can start earning money which you truly deserve and desire.

Even if you’re still engaged in studies and haven’t thought much about searching for a job after university, it’s never too soon to seek out graduate career advice. It can provide a wealth of information about potential employment opportunities and help you steer your final year of school in the right direction, and give your education a real world focus that it may not have had up until now.

Why Do I Need Graduate Career Advice?

Graduate career advice helps you formulate a clear, objective assessment of your career options and provides assistance and direction so you can reach your goals. Most graduate career advice centres offer a range of options to help you develop and achieve your professional goals. If you seek graduate career advice while you’re still in university, you will learn how to make the most of your degree, and you’ll have time to acquire the additional knowledge and skills that will help you land that dream job.

While graduate career advice services may differ in their specific offerings, below are some of the key services usually offered under graduate career advice.

Personality / Aptitude Tests

Graduate career advisors often provide free and confidential psychometric tests to assess candidates’ aptitudes and interests. These tests typically identify your strengths and help you focus on making appropriate career choices. Personality tests can reveal your preferred communication style and key motivators, which in turn can provide pointers toward the career that suits you best.

Career Guidance

Graduate career advice is often centred on helping you explore a range of fields and job types so you can better understand your options. Not only do you get graduate career advice about specific industries, but you’ll also get typical job profiles and practical information on what it’s like to work in a particular field. Some services will also provide you with contact information for experts in the field you are interested in so those experts can give you graduate career advice from a real world perspective.

Application Assistance

Graduate career advice services can help you when preparing applications for part-time jobs and, internships, as well as full-time job placements. Most graduate career advice centres can provide direction on how to identify job listings that are right for you and help you follow up with applications. More specifically, a graduate career advice service can help you interpret the finer points of a job advertisement or description, answer questions on application forms, and ensure that your application package is complete and professional.

Interviewing Tips

A key benefit of getting graduate career advice is that it prepares you to face tough interview situations. Working with experts at a graduate career advice centre before that all-important interview means you’ll be ready to impress the recruiter / potential employer with your skills, knowledge, and presentation abilities. Graduate career The advice will helps you focus on your core strengths in a positive, professional manner and can also include coaching on how to handle potentially stressful telephone interviews.

How to Write a CV

Graduate career advice sometimes includes CV writing assistance to ensure your CV is in line with your career objectives. Most graduate career advice careers services recommend that those who are job searching maintain a dynamic, online CV, which enables you to easily tailor your CV template to a specific job and gets you noticed by thousands of recruiters and employers throughout the UK. It’s a good idea to have ask your graduate career advice service them to review your CV before you distribute it, which could give you an edge over other candidates.

In summary, graduate career advice can make the difference between a lengthy and unproductive job search and securing a coveted position in the field of your choice. Besides providing a wealth of information on the career planning process, graduate career advisors can introduce you to experts and professionals in your area of interest.

By: Peter Whitehead

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