Will You Fit In?

By Maureen Anderson

Personal traits and qualities are important things to consider when you're looking for your dream job. Deeta Lonergan of Career Transitions in Anchorage, Alaska, says if you value a sense of humor you'll want to work with people who value that too. (read more...)

Knowing What You Want

By Carole Martin

Question - "When have you been most motivated?"
This question is more than an interview question; it is a question that you should be asking yourself before the interview. When have you been most satisfied in your work? (read more...)

Career Change Do's and Don'ts

By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Here are the keys to successfully changing careers. Follow these career-change rules and you should achieve success in contemplating changing careers -- and in your career change. (read more...)

Will You Fit In? (^top)

By Maureen Anderson

Personal traits and qualities are important things to consider when you're looking for your dream job. Deeta Lonergan of Career Transitions in Anchorage, Alaska, says if you value a sense of humor you'll want to work with people who value that too. The same is true of other qualities, she says: "If you've ever had to work with somebody you had to cover for because they weren't honest or patient or flexible, you'll realize those are legitimate considerations when you're looking for a job."

Let's say you go on two interviews, and on one of them you feel like you'd fit in. On another you just want to turn around and walk out the door--though you may not know why. Lonergan thinks you're picking up on the personal traits and qualities of the people who work in those environments, and should pay attention to your feelings. "If you, for example, are a very punctual person and you're thinking of joining an organization where everything's done at, oh, 8:00-ish or 10:30-ish, that's going to drive you nuts and you're not going to enjoy what you're doing."

One job may look a lot better on paper than another one, but so what? Lonergan thinks what's more important is how you feel when you imagine going to that job. If your heart sinks, pay attention to that. If your heart soars, same thing. Intuition is knowing something without knowing why you do. Lonergan suggests you factor that in when you're deciding whether to accept a job offer.

Knowing What You Want (^top)

By Carole Martin

Question - "When have you been most motivated?"

This question is more than an interview question; it is a question that you should be asking yourself before the interview. When have you been most satisfied in your work? When did you feel like you were making a difference or making a contribution? Basically, it's about knowing what you want.

A simple exercise that will help you answer this question will also help you look inside yourself to think about what you want "more of," and what you want "less of" in your next job. People usually perform at a higher level if they are satisfied with the work that they do - and as a result are more motivated to give 100% - plus.

Exercise to Find the Answer

An exercise that will help you with the answer to this question as well as assist you in looking inward to determine when you were working at your fullest potential is a simple one. Begin by making a list of the tasks at your last job - the tasks that you were particularly proud of, or were energized by. In other words, "when your job turned you on." Think about the last time you were so involved in a project or task that you woke up thinking about how you could improve the situation. Write those experiences down and try to determine what the factors were that were satisfying for you.

Let's say you were a "Project Leader." The tasks list would read something like - "Led a team - Coordinated and monitored project progress - Assured the flow and completion of work on schedule - Monitored expenditures and budget."

What were the stimulating tasks of this job? Was it the leadership aspect? Or, was it the challenge of coordinating the details, and people? Was it completing the project on time or below budget? Were there customers involved (internal or external) - if so, is that what you found most challenging? What didn't you like, and hope that you will do less of in your next job?

After you have written this list for your current job, try doing the same thinking about previous jobs. If you recently graduated from college, use the classes that were most stimulating and interesting for you, or the projects you worked on with teams.

By making lists of motivating experiences from your last two or three jobs, you will hopefully begin to see patterns of projects and tasks that stand out. Analyze what you did before. Do you want more of this type of responsibility in your next job? The answers to these questions will give you the answer to the motivation question as well as possibilities for fulfillment in future jobs that have similar responsibilities.

Take this list of motivating experiences and script an answer to the question, "What motivates you?" Scripting answers prepares you and also makes you sound more confident.

The Perfect Answer

There is no such thing as the "perfect" answer to this question. Your answer will be individual and based on your own experience and analysis. It will reveal to the interviewer and to yourself what you thrive on in your work. Even if you are not asked this question, your pre-interview thinking, analysis, and scripting, will help you be more focused and in control of want you want in your next job. Knowing what you want will make you feel more confident about finding the right job.

Career Change Do's and Don'ts (^top)

By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Here are the keys to successfully changing careers. Follow these career-change rules and you should achieve success in contemplating changing careers -- and in your career change.

• Do have a well-developed plan for making your career change. And don't rush into a career change until you have thought it out and developed a strategy.
• Don't worry if you feel a bit insecure or unsure about making a career change; these feelings are normal.
• Do expect to put in a great deal of time and effort in making the switch from one career to another, but don't allow yourself to get discouraged at the pace or your progress changing careers takes time.
• Don't rush into a new career field because you are dissatisfied or disillusioned with your current job, boss, company, or career field.
• Do take the time to examine the activities that you like and dislike, with more focus on your likes. And do focus on new careers that center around your likes and passions.
• Do leverage some of your current skills and experiences to your new career by taking advantage of your transferable skills.
• Don't limit yourself to similar careers or jobs when making a career change; look for careers that take advantage of both your skills and your interests.
• Do consider the possibility that you will need to get additional training or education to gain the skills you need to be competitive in your new career field, but don't jump headfirst into an educational program start slowly.
• Do take advantage of all your networking potential, including using your current network of contacts, conducting informational interviews with key employers in your new career field, and joining professional organizations in your new career field. (And do read more about networking.)
• Don't forget to take advantage of the career and alumni offices from your previous educational experiences as well as your current school (if you are going back for additional education or training).
• Do gain experience in your new career field, ideally while you are still working in your current job. Volunteer or find a part-time job in your new career field -- thus building experience, confidence, and contacts in your new field.
• Don't go it alone; do find a mentor. Changing careers is challenging, and you really need to have someone who can help motivate you and keep you focused on your goal when you get discouraged.
• Do brush up on all aspects of job-hunting, especially if you haven't had a need to use those skills recently. And do take advantage of all career change resources.
• Do take advantage of all the career change advice available in career change books.
• Above all else, do be flexible. You're basically starting your career anew, which means you may have to make concessions about job titles, salary, relocation, etc.

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