Career and Jobs

One of the greatest advantages to living in the world in which we live is that we are offered an incredible amount of choices with regard to our careers and our futures. If we were alive hundreds of years ago, our fates would have been decided virtually from birth; we would follow in the footsteps of our parents, regardless of our suitability for the task, unless they happened to have the money to send us to one of the many universities that were in operation at the time. Destiny was essentially predetermined.

Clearly, that is no longer the case because men and women of all ages have the freedom to determine what it is that they want to do with their life. When that goal is clear-cut and straightforward, it’s simple. All we have to do is focus in on what we want to do, format our resumes and/or portfolios appropriately, and get on with it.

So what if it isn’t that simple? What if you have multiple ideas of what you want to do with your life?

The good news is that you don’t have to forget about one of them. If you are attempting to pursue multiple career goals, here are a few tips to help you.

When you are attempting to pursue more than one career, you are going to find yourself in competition with people with that particular career as their only goal. They might have taken great care to structure their education, their resumes, and their prior employment experience in the interest of achieving that one goal. Before you step into the ring, be sure that you have the qualifications necessary to compete.

First, you must keep a separate resume for each career goal. This is important because not every employer is going to be looking for the same thing in an employee, and your resume and application materials should be customized to best emphasize your abilities for each career goal you are seeking. This is commonly known as writing a targeted resume.

Secondly, you should build and maintain a network. When you are attempting to pursue multiple careers, you are going to want to have a network that is going to allow you to succeed in each of them. If you are thinking, “I don’t know how to network” relax. Networking is a piece of cake. All you have to do is allow yourself to be available socially, particularly for events related to the field you are attempting to enter. There are also many online opportunities on websites such as LinkedIn, Ryze, and Biznik.

If you can carefully follow the steps listed above, there is no reason why you should have to place limitations on your future.

Before you make a life changing job decision such as throwing in your old job, and possibly relocating for hotel jobs, it is important that you know what the work entails, and what you can expect when applying for hotel jobs in the hospitality industry. There are many reasons why you may want to work in the hospitality industry in a hotel job.

Hospitality is a global industry and there are millions of Hotels, bars, restaurants, resorts, cafes, cruise ships, pubs, fast food outlets and coffee shops making the hospitality industry one the biggest employers on the earth. By gaining hospitality experience you can work anywhere in the world and transfer your skills gained to any industry especially with a hotel job. There are millions of hospitality workers in the world, making it one of the biggest global employers. It has a reputation for low pay and long hours however there is a growing trend of companies becoming more flexible and offering higher rewards to encourage people into the industry and in a hotel job.

Some of the benefits of working in the hospitality industry in a hotel job include gaining valuable skills which will earn you money anywhere in the world, one of the world's fastest growing sectors, more flexible working hours than your typical 9-5 job, allowing you to fit work around your family responsibilities, you have fun while getting paid, good way to earn extra money and often companies will provide uniforms, meals, pension, incentive programmes.

There are seven simple ways for making the most in the Hotel industry towards a hotel management career. Hospitality is the right career for you if you have excellent organisational skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, working with and for people, are prepared for the long hours and low pay of the hospitality industry.

You will need to establish exactly what do I want to be doing in the future. Do you want to be working towards a hotel management career at a five star hotel, a manager on a cruise ship or run or own your own business.

Have you researched what qualifications will be needed to succeed. Research jobs that interest you and see what qualifications are needed to enter this type of job. You may need to obtain a university degree or complete a catering course for a hotel management career. Will you need work experience. Find out whether doing some work experience while you study will help you get a full-time job. Take advantage of job placements that some universities offer. Should I apply for training programme. Research the job market and the position that you would one day like to be in and whether or not a training programme is the right step for you. Training programmes are a good way to experience all departments of a hotel and to see which department you have a particular interest in including hotel management career.

Should you stay within the company. You will need to decide whether it is better for your career to stay within the company or move to another. Hospitality recruiters value diversity and experience, however they do not value those who jump from job to job too often. A good amount of time to stay in the company one year to a year and a half and for hotel management career jobs five to six years. Should you work overseas. Employers value life experience. If you are working at a small hotel consider transferring to an international hotel chain therefore you may be able to get a transfer overseas or otherwise the hotel will be recognised by overseas employers.

It's that time of the year again when colleges let out and newly graduated young adults receive their diplomas. They will enjoy a well deserved, long hot summer and then realize "I've graduate - now what? I don't know what to do next!" A little daunted with the realization that now they need to find a job and put their four or five years of hard academic work into practice. The sad thing for these graduates is that they are already about a year behind.

Ideally, the best time for graduates to start looking for an entry level job is before you graduate. College Career Centers are very helpful when utilized. They offer counseling and other career tools, career fair opportunities and internship availabilities. The internships are invaluable beginning for soon-to-be graduates and often a requirement for many degrees. Nearly 60% of interns are asked to stay on permanently after graduation and at the very least; the internship can act as a great reference when getting into the real world after graduation.

For those who were enjoying being in the moment and now are a little in the past - what do you do? First, realize that you need to decide on which career direction you are interested. What is your current career objective? Not sure? Don't worry many graduates aren't - instead of procrastinating or doing nothing - chose a path and get started! You can always change your mind and steer yourself in another direction later but you'll never know what you do like if you don't find out what you don't like.

Career coaching is very effective in helping graduates narrow the possible career paths. They offer a variety of tools to help you understand which industries, fields, and work environments best fit you. Use of career assessment with a professional assessment administrator is a good way to start and can be very helpful. Assessments will reveal what your strengths are and usually will provide a great list of career options to think about.

Next is your gathering of career tools. I would of course recommend an experienced certified resume writer, one who is willing to assist you as you make your way through the preparation process. A well focused resume is the most powerful tool you can have, so your career objective at this point is a must! You'll need at least a presentation resume, cover letter and follow-up letter and an ASCII resume. If your resume writer doesn't provide additional services in job market strategies they are usually a pretty good source for where to find the services you will need such as interview or career coaching, a resume distribution service and a posting service. Although these additional services will cost you initially, you will save yourself time and much frustration plus with the coaching you will receive pivotal information that will give you an edge or advantage over other applicants during an interview.

The job market is a competitive place but a great career is worth working for! Take the time to do it right and be prepared so you won't settle for a job you will begin a career! CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!

Searching for a job doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Though today’s job market has become a much more competitive place, there are still plenty of opportunities out there for people who are looking to boost their employment fortunes. Even the most qualified candidates sometimes need help finding great jobs, though. A lucky few will have job offers come right to their doorstep, but for the rest of us, we need to utilize certain job search methods.

If you are a student who has just graduated or who is preparing for graduation, then it’s important to utilize all of the job search methods that are offered by your institution. Colleges are often ranked on how well they place their graduates into well-paying jobs. Because of this, many of these universities have programs in place to help students find jobs. Take part in all of the job fairs, resume building activities, and business writing classes. In addition, sit down with your university’s career counselor to see what opportunities they might have for you.

Networking is an important idea in the job search process. If you are a college grad, then explore the opportunities available within your university’s network. Whether you attend a large or small college, there is probably a far reaching network within just about every industry that will include some folks who call your alma mater their own. College isn’t the only place to network, though. Relationships are important, whether they are built on campus or anywhere else in your society. Talk to family members and friends of the family. You will be much better off if you work hard to build relationships within the industry that you are looking to start off in.

If you need something more short term or you don’t have time to build the necessary networks to land a hidden job, then there are plenty of places that advertise positions. Most companies employ entire departments of people for the purpose of finding the best employees on the market. Websites like Kimco.com will list tons of opportunities that you can take advantage of. Look into these jobs and send out your resume to as many potential employers as possible. Targeting jobs shouldn’t be done with a pin point. You will be much more likely of securing a position if you use broad strokes.

Today’s job market has opportunities available in just about any field that you could possibly be interested in. Regardless of whether you have a bachelor degree, a master’s degree, or a high school diploma, you can land a great job by simply using the resources that are provided to everyone out there. If you want to land a great job, you have to use a combination of both these easy to find resources and the things like networking that are more difficult to get your hands on. Folks who have the benefit of lots of relationships are more likely to secure positions that have the ability to turn into lucrative, long term jobs.

For the rest, a career search for a high paying job may not be easy. But, then again anyone can find a high paying job if they are determined, creative and persistent with the emphasis on persistent.

If you are, or want to be a nurse and enjoy traveling, then a career as a traveling nurse may be just what you're after! There are loads of benefits to this career choice... You get to travel all around the country, and indeed the world, not be just stuck in the same place. You get varying lengths of job, sometimes up to a year.

Let's not forget the salary is high for a travel nurse.

Other benefits will depend on which agency you have. As an example, some agencies will give sign on bonuses and completion bonuses. Maybe you get bonuses if you renew contracts, or loyalty bonuses. You might have an agency that gives paid holidays.

The better agencies will offer great health options too, as this is becoming more demanded - medical insurance, life cover, dental, vision, and accident cover, a full range of protection.

Let's not forget the personal benefits either... You can get to see all sorts of weird and wonderful places, great if you want to build a collection of snaps! You can meet wonderful new people, ad get the invigoration that new surroundings provide.

You wont get stale, and in fact you'll learn a whole lot from the people and places you work.

Of course the traveling can be seen by some as not a benefit at all, but a pain. To be honest, you shouldn't approach travel nursing with any misconceptions - it's hard work, what nursing isn't, and you need to be strong of heart to always be moving and be away from wherever you call home.

That might not seem so bad though, if you're the nurse on a cruise ship in the Caribbean with the sun shinin as you relax by the pool during some down time!

Some people find a simple benefit from travel nursing is that it simply offers them something new. It's easy to get bogged down in the same nursing role, and often the change that comes with travel nursing helps you get back to your ideal of providing medical help to those that need it.

If you are interested in a career in commercial cookery or you are finishing up your diploma, there are many wonderful opportunities for you to take advantage of once you graduate. Because most degree programs offer internships and hands-on learning in fully equipped kitchens, you will be prepared to not only prepare a wide variety of food, but also lead and instruct others.

While there are many other opportunities available, you will find that many hotels, restaurants, inns, catering companies, and cruise ships need those with leadership and cooking skills to fill these positions.

HEAD CHEF

It is up to the head chef to plan menus, instruct others in the kitchen, hire staff, coordinate with the dining staff, and ensure that all food is prepared to a patronÕs liking. The head chef should have an understanding of many different types of cooking and should be able to train others quickly and easily.

This is a leadership position that requires people to not only have a thorough knowledge of food, but also posses the ability to make quick decisions and direct others on a regular basis.

SOUS CHEF

A sous chef is considered the second in command in the kitchen. Working with the head chef to create menus and supervise the staff, the sous chef will also oversee prep work, and check the finished product before the food is served to patrons. This position also requires the ability to lead others and make critical decisions when necessary.

WAIT STAFF SUPERVISOR

Because service is just as important as a meal, the wait staff supervisor is in charge of training wait staff, handling patron complaints, making sure the dinning room is ready to receive patrons each night, and is usually responsible for hiring and dismissing staff.

If you enjoy cooking, but want to work in another capacity in a restaurant or hotel, you can take courses in hospitality management while earning a diploma in commercial cookery. This position requires leadership skills, and attention to detail, and the ability to listen.

HOSPITALITY COORDINATOR

Depending on where you work, a hospitality coordinator may have different tasks. Most hospitality coordinators arrange parties, conferences, and other events. They work closely with chefs, wait staff, and others to ensure that the event is perfect. They may plan menus, meet with clients, and choose decorations and table placement and seating.

As you can see, there are many diverse careers you can choose from after earning your diploma. Other career options include opening your own restaurant, catering company, or becoming an instructor.

You know how sometimes you tend to find yourself in the right place at the right time? Well, mine was in April 2000, at a motivational speaking presentation.

With a career in retail banking in London behind me, I'd known for a long time that I'd passed my 'sell by' date in the industry.

I was looking for something to change in my life. Even though others had always viewed me as a go getter, and even if I had achieved things in the passed, now I felt on the edge of a void. I wanted change, but was tired, hungry for new challenges and routes to success. I felt de-motivated, tired, stuck, and out of ideas as what to do next to get out of my lethargy.

However, on that night whilst listening to that particular speaker I began to see light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, I began to think out of the box for the first time in such a long time.

After realising it was my present job that had become stale, rather than me, I began to get excited and confident again, realising I still had a future in what I loved!

I realised that I'd just been treading water, running my own story for such a long time, and that story needed refreshing. In short, I needed to express myself as the person I wanted to be, or needed to become. It was time to re-invent me!

So began a journey that would take me into the world of personal development, gaining knowledge and certifications in Personal and Business Coaching, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Clinical Hypnotherapy, and most recently Sport Hypnosis.

I am not simply attempting to impress you with my CV, but rather impress upon you how you too can reconnect with your essence and create a whole life relevant to who you are and what you expect today.

Now my life is changed more than I ever thought possible, and it's been surprising how I've managed to facilitate those changes without resorting to drastic action. Nowadays, I'm the guy giving the motivational talks to other people.

I'm sharing my excitement, educating others to the health benefits of being true to their essence, usually beginning with the questions, 'what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?'

These past few years have been a tremendous experience and I now feel that my destiny is in my own hands and that I can make the changes I want to see happen in my life.

For me it was about having the confidence to dream the dreams I didn't dare to dream and having the support to keep going when things didn't seem to be going so well.

Now I know that the person people see when they see me, and it is the one I'd want to see too if I could step outside my body and look back. Still very much a work in progress, and a vital, effervescent one at that.