Wake up to a career you'll enjoy!

By Martin David
Learning & Life Columnist

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Do you remember your first day at your first job? There was a certain air of excitement as you set off for the first time. Now, perhaps, you punch the time clock every day and you feel as if it were punching you back. Do you wish you could wake up in the morning enthusiastic about the workday ahead again? Perhaps it's time you traded in a job with no real career prospects for a fulfilling vocation. You can take charge of your destiny.

Maybe you feel dissatisfied and frustrated in your job, but you don't know exactly what it is you would like to do instead. You know you don't want to go through life as an hourly employee in a low paid and insecure job, but what can you do?

Take an inventory of your current situation and future career aspirations

Evaluating where you are and where you want to go is an important step when thinking of a career change. A good way to start the process of changing your career destiny is by taking stock of industry and personal factors influencing you and your career choice.

Is your industry rising or falling?
Are workers in jobs like yours being laid off when the economy fluctuates?
What are your vocational interests?
Do you want to continue in your current field but at a higher level?
What would be your ideal career?
Would you like to switch careers completely?
What skills, training, and education do you already have?

These questions will help give you a concrete idea of what you want to do. After establishing where your interests lie, it is a simple matter to research the careers, education and skills pertaining to that field. Many people enjoy the fields they're in, but want to pursue them at a higher level or in a more responsible position.

Then, of course, perhaps the most important question of all:

What do you need to do to pursue your new career goals?

Educating yourself for a new career

Simple observation, backed up by statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, show that workers with college degrees have a higher employment rate than workers without degrees. Professional degree-holders (which include advanced degrees in Law, Business, or Medicine) experience a 1.7% unemployment rate; compared with the 5.5% unemployment of high-school graduates, those who hold professional degrees are three times less likely to be unemployed.

You can go back to school for an associate's or bachelor's degree. You can also continue working while you earn a degree through an online university or college. Other institutions, such as vocational schools, can provide technical training and certificate or degree programs to help you achieve your trade or career goal. Business degrees can be earned at trade schools, as well as colleges or universities. Location (for on-campus courses), costs, availability of financial aid and the time required for completion of your chosen program are some of the other factors that might influence your final decision.

Prepare yourself for studying

This could include deciding how many courses you can take at each college or computer school during the semester, or making an application for financial aid. If you need financial aid then you should take note of the application deadlines. Certain business degrees, certificate programs and technical training may have specific prerequisites; perhaps you will need to take an extra class to qualify or provide documents to prove your status.

Take control of your career

Everything is set. You have done your research and you are prepared to begin the career education that will change your life forever. Soon you will have more options than you ever dared to dream of. With the right training, the transition from your current job to the exciting career of your choice could be just around the corner. All that remains is for you to make the decision to do it, and soon you could be waking up every morning to a secure career, with great prospects, that you love.

About the Author
Martin A. David is a published author, translator, and technical writer in the Silicon Valley. He manages the Technical Publications department of a technology firm.

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