Planning a Career Change: How to Rethink Your Way to a Better Working Life - 6th Rev Upd edition

This book will help if you want to: find work but feel your age may be a limiting factor; and concentrate your job-hunting efforts in areas that genuinely welcome older people. Use it to: present your past experience in the best light; find places that advertise jobs specifically to older people; learn how to use modern technology to apply on-line or send off your details electronically; answer difficult questions on application forms or during interviews; prepare for telephone interviews; layout your letters and CVs most effectively; discover what changes are taking place to pension law and to age discrimination legislation; and identify a range of alternatives to conventional employment including running your own business or voluntary work. Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Reviewing your situation......Page 14 How did I get here?......Page 15 Being in control......Page 16 Taking over control......Page 18 Why do I want to change my career?......Page 21 Looking at the jobs market......Page 22 Planning for the future......Page 25 Checklist......Page 26 Putting yourself into context......Page 28 Your childhood family......Page 29 Recognising your achievements......Page 34 Personal preferences in education......Page 40 Your family now......Page 41 Checklist......Page 44 Analysing your work history......Page 46 Looking ahead......Page 52 Checklist......Page 58 Discovering your motivation......Page 60 Identifying early interests......Page 61 Your main interests now......Page 64 Personal preferences in a social context......Page 68 Personal preference in the context of your job......Page 70 Checklist......Page 71 Life roles and role play......Page 72 Evaluating your adult roles outside the family......Page 77 Checklist......Page 81 Pulling the strands together......Page 83 Personal needs and satisfaction......Page 84 The personality factor......Page 86 Matching career to motivational drives......Page 88 Comparing career history with hobbies......Page 90 Reconciling the facts......Page 91 Checklist......Page 93 Improving your chances in the same career......Page 94 Personal factors to consider......Page 95 Other factors to take into account......Page 99 Shifting the emphasis......Page 103 Checklist......Page 104 Facing the challenge......Page 105 Recognising your goal......Page 106 Finding the answers......Page 107 Not recognising your goal......Page 110 Seeking professional help......Page 112 Checklist......Page 114 Can I afford to take the plunge?......Page 115 Your financial inventory......Page 116 Facing a shortfall......Page 119 Choices when rethinking an old career......Page 126 Choices when starting from scratch......Page 128 Checklist......Page 134 Coming to terms with obstacles......Page 136 Planning the job search......Page 140 Making applications......Page 144 Special problems for career changers......Page 146 Checklist......Page 147 Appendix 1: Personal milestones, a career diary......Page 150 Appendix 2: Personal directory......Page 158 Appendix 3: Additional case studies: turning hobbies into careers......Page 160 Glossary......Page 166 Useful addresses......Page 168 Further reading......Page 170 M......Page 172 W......Page 173 Changing your career direction can be like taking a leap in the dark. Begin by giving yourself a little space and time to take stock of your personal situation in detail. If you do this, then you can start out on the road to your new career. This book provides exercises and checklists that help you with the practical aspects of that journey.