Tell me why you are here.

[rbnyc]

I added this group to my subscriptions because I am constantly thinking about my career and how to achieve the goals in my 10-year strategic plan for myself. But I see there are no posts in here yet. I thought I would start a thread. So if you’ve come here and are seeing this, please post why you checked in to this group and what your goals are.

My goals are to get better at the job I have, possibly do my job for someone else soon who can provide a better working environment, and eventually to be a top consultant in my field, which is not-for-profit fundraising.

[CherokeeDem]

1. I am here....

because I am in the human resource business and I have experienced being unemployed and finding a new job to be quite difficult, despite all the knowledge I should have having been in the industry for over twenty years.

I hope that perhaps my years of experience in recruiting, retention, employee relations, and training will help. I have also counseled a whole lot of people who were looking to change or improve their careers. Maybe I can help someone, but I know I will learn much from everyone.

[rbnyc]

2. Do you specialize in a particular industry?

Are you still looking?

[supernova]

3. I am changing careers

Again.

Career. Hrmm. What to say about that. I've been several things throughout my working life: A program assistant, an administrative assistant, a medical office manager, and a technical writer. That last gig had me see more layoffs than at any point in my previous working life.

I'm sick of being a laid off IT worker. And enraged. It's not what I wanted at all. I would have wanted a professional career that I could work at and master until I retired. That's not what I got.

Also, as I look back over my career, I never was able to convince anyone that I was anything other than an "assistant." Evidently whatever I was projecting, it wasn't what people were seeing. I'm disgusted with that too. Nothing wrong with being an assistant. It's that I have very much more to offer in terms of drive, creativity, focus, and strategic planning. None of that was possible in any of the jobs that I've had before.

So, at 49 I'm angling to go to cooking school to become a chef. After that, I hope to open up my own chocolate business and bring to fruition what I longed to share with the world.

[rbnyc]

4. A friend of mine...

...who is a kiad off librarian with a masters, is in cooking school right now and loving it.

Chocalate is certainly a worthy ambition.

[supernova]

5. Thank you.

I'm glad your friend is enjoying the training. I wish him/her well.

My goal is to have something I can build up even while "retired." I doubt anybody my age or younger will ever "retire" in the sense that my parents and even my older (10+ years) siblings will. I probably sounded bitter, and a part of me is. But I'm more perplexed I think than anything else.

I've come to see myself as a sort of canary in the coal mine. I'm the early wave of many who will be forced to seek new careers as the corporate noose grows ever tighter. I realized trying to stay in my previous career would only delay the inevitable change anyway. So, why not change when I have the drive to do so?

[Chef Eric]

19. I am also a 49-year-old former technical writer.

I was laid off in October after having worked for my employer for 16 years.

I'll be back in school next month, pursuing certification for teaching (English 7-12). I should be able to finish in a year, but frankly, I'm scared, because there's not much of a demand for English teachers.

Cooking school sounds exciting. I wish you luck.

[mama]

6. Because it is time to go back to work

I worked continuously in a rewarding career between the 1977 -1998, and have worked since then as a stay-at-home mom. Also a rewarding career!
Now it's time for me to get back to the work world, both for our finances (college and retirement) and for my sanity.

I'm 55 years old, in great shape physically and mentally, and have no desire to retire at the typical age. I figure I took my "retirement" when I could be with my developing kids. Now I want to work.

I hear so much about the futility of job-hunting at my age. Soon I'll be putting my resumes out there, so I guess in six months I'll have my own perspective on it.

So really, I'm just here to learn from others' experiences and to look for some helpful advice.

[AngryOldDem]

10. I'm 51.

All I can say about the age thing is, you'll get varying attitudes. I had a job earlier this year where my age, I felt, definitely was a factor. In my current job, not so much.

[labbydog]

16. They Won't Tell You It's Age

Because it's illegal, prospective employers cannot ask your age or tell you they won't hire you because of it. All I can tell you is that my DH was laid off when he was 55 after working at the same place for 30 years. He is in the IT business, which you would think would be relatively easy to get another job in, and he was out of work for 1 1/2 years. When he did get a job, it was at half the salary of his previous job and doing more "hands-on" rather than managing. His peers were 20 somethings who could have been his grandkids! The silver lining is that he kept looking while he was at the new job, and 9 months later, he landed a management job that paid more than his first job. So, it's a matter of being at the right place at the right time, but don't think for a minute that age does not figure into it. If you look young, you've got a lot going for you. Just don't put the years you graduated from college on your resume!

Also, if you have been a stay at home mom for a while, use some of your volunteer work (say, things you did at the kids' schools) as "job experience." I have been told stuff like that really helps.

Good luck.

[AngryOldDem]

7. I plan to check in every now and again.

As I slog through sleepless nights and wake up tired and angry, I think I'm coming to the realization that I need a career change -- like a totally-out-of-my-element, crazy-kind of career change. But I'm not sure how to do that -- and I'm sure that there are a lot of folks here who have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, who can offer good advice and encouragement.

I've been told a good place to start is taking an interests test. Sounds good, IF I had the time to do it. I need to make the time.

I am a proofreader (and erstwhile copy editor), and I'm tired of the expectation of perfection when I'm handed crap. I'm beginning to feel more like the guy who cleans up after the elephants when the circus comes to town. If I had to say what I would like to do, off the top of my head, copywriting, or working in some capacity for a nonprofit.

Looking forward to reading and posting here.

[rbnyc]

8. I'm not just saying this...

…because I am a not-for-profit fundraising executive, but have you thought about getting into development? It’s actually funny that I would say that because my job is driving me nuts right now – but it has to do with office culture, not the work.

I was a bartender and a musician until I was in my early thirties. Then I decided I wanted health insurance and regular hours and had no idea what I wanted to do, except that no matter what it was – manipulating a spreadsheet or unpacking a box, I wanted the work to have some community benefit. So I started working at the front desk of a community center. I became very interested in what the development department was doing. My first job in development was as a part time administrative and development assistant for a small breast cancer nonprofit affiliated with a major hospital. That was ten years ago. I advanced to full-time senior staff very quickly and am now in my second director position at an arts and culture org.

As a development generalist, I spend a lot of time writing. I write ad and brochure copy, newsletters, articles, letters, grant narrative and other materials. Being a strong writer is a major asset.

The other big part of my job is spending time with people, building and growing relationships. There’s also event planning and a lot of data crunching. The diversity of tasks does keep it interesting.

The community of fundraising professionals is wonderful. People are very invested in each other’s success and love to share ideas that have worked for them.

There remains a leadership crisis in the not-for-profit sector. Leaders are aging out and there is not enough new talent coming up in the field, though I think that is changing. Still, having fundraising under your belt makes you a much stronger executive director candidate.

If you were interested, a good place to start might be grantwriting. I'm probably not the first to suggest it.

[AngryOldDem]

9. I had a former boss who suggested grant writing.

Your post has definitely given me something to think about...

Thanks!

[backtoblue]

11. I am looking to change careers.

I currently work for a corporation in sales and I am not fulfilled doing this kind of work. I want to contribute to society on a more profound level.

[rbnyc]

13. I'm always telling people...

...to look into not-for-profit development. Have you ever looked into it?

[DaveJ]

12. Basically, to gripe and make a fool out of myself

I've done that on almost every DU2 forum, and see this as a chance to wipe the slate clean, but I'll probably repeat the process on DU3.

Seriously, I'd like to know how companies operate and do their hiring, larger organizations than my current small business.

I feel like a total outsider, where corporations hire thousands of people, but they seem to basically have me on some kind of blacklist, or my profile or personality type on an automated repellent system. When I read about interviews, I find out what the worst things are to say and invariably blurt them out at some point (not that I get as far as a real interview). I really do not understand corporate culture in the slightest. I've only wanted to do one thing my entire life, be a computer programmer, yet that is the one thing that companies seem to refuse to let me be.

I'm also frustrated by the "system". It seems like companies no longer have any identity. There are always professional hire-ers standing between us and the jobs. I actually would take an interest in the company, but that is a no no, it seems. Just read a book about the interview process, and learn to not think, that will raise one's chances at getting a job. Anyway, that's why I'm here.

[rbnyc]

14. Yikes.

We could start several discussions here: Big companies vs. small companies - pros and cons of each; the HR process and how to get through it; and the importance of being allowed to gripe and occasionally make a fool of oneself.

[DaveJ]

15. Yeah at some point, I parted ways with normality

I'm not sure when it happened. But basically I'm unemployable just because of me being me.

Good thing I already have a job with a company that is also weird enough to not mind, so I can at least pay the bills, as long as I don't want to start a family.

I really would, though, like to know how other people get jobs, interviews, etc. I think the problem is the university I went to is not highly regarded. Anyone with the same skills will get a job before me, as long as they went to a different college. I can't name my college here because I do not want to further tarnish its reputation. I decided to go there, because I wanted my work to stand out, not to take the easy road. I felt this would ultimately pay off, now I'm not so sure. It is incredibly rare to speak with a HR person who cares about my work. I'd like to know how to overcome this problem.

[cbrer]

17. Existentially speaking...

I am here to fulfill my destiny.

Realistically? I'm only here to garner advice/opinions on the most economic, effective, and basic methods of adding true value to a company. I look at it as if it were mine, and what I would want from an employee/partner/associate. There's only a few valid reasons to be in business, IMHO. Certainly financial compensation has to be the big player.

Let the flames begin!

On a side note, it seems that true value is something I don't hear a lot about in terms of job search and expectations. If you ain't here to help me grow, and make a valid contribution, then why are you here??

And if having added, and contributed, one isn't well compensated? Find a boss that will. They're there.

[rbnyc]

18. Great answer.

I;m just flying through. I'll come back later. But I at least wanted to say hi. I love your answer.

[GMR Transcription]

20. Agree...:)

Well!!!! My goal is to be successful. And why I'm into this thread, its because the threads here on this site provides lots many activities for us the readers to participate into.
Even I liked your point that you want to work in place which can provide you with a better working environment. This will actually help you out in succeeding.