Favorite Friday Passive Candidate, Active Candidate

Favorite Friday Passive Candidate, Active Candidate I was reminded of a post I wrote back in June of 2008: How To Be A Passive Candidate When You Are An Active Candidate. For example, if you are unemployed, looking for marketing jobs, you are an ACTIVE candidate.  If you have a job in marketing already, and you arent looking for another job, you are a PASSIVE candidate.  Interesting that to a recruiter, you are always a candidate, right? Its fun to go back and read my old stuff I had totally forgotten about this post. I only had 2 suggestions (at the bottom of that post), but they are pretty good Are you an active candidate, and is that hurting your job search?  Read this post. You need to understand the difference between the two. Favorite Friday Passive Candidate, Active Candidate I was reminded of a post I wrote back in June of 2008: How To Be A Passive Candidate When You Are An Active Candidate. For example, if you are unemployed, looking for marketing jobs, you are an ACTIVE candidate.  If you have a job in marketing already, and you arent looking for another job, you are a PASSIVE candidate.  Interesting that to a recruiter, you are always a candidate, right? Its fun to go back and read my old stuff I had totally forgotten about this post. I only had 2 suggestions (at the bottom of that post), but they are pretty good Are you an active candidate, and is that hurting your job search?  Read this post. You need to understand the difference between the two. Favorite Friday Passive Candidate, Active Candidate I was reminded of a post I wrote back in June of 2008: How To Be A Passive Candidate When You Are An Active Candidate. For example, if you are unemployed, looking for marketing jobs, you are an ACTIVE candidate.  If you have a job in marketing already, and you arent looking for another job, you are a PASSIVE candidate.  Interesting that to a recruiter, you are always a candidate, right? Its fun to go back and read my old stuff I had totally forgotten about this post. I only had 2 suggestions (at the bottom of that post), but they are pretty good Are you an active candidate, and is that hurting your job search?  Read this post. You need to understand the difference between the two.

Objective Resume Writing Tips - Tips for Writing Your Objective Statement

Objective Resume Writing Tips - Tips for Writing Your Objective StatementObjective resume writing tips can help you write your objective statements with confidence. You need to realize that this type of writing is a bit more detailed than a cover letter and resume. Your objective statement needs to contain the following information:Your Purpose: Your purpose is probably the most important piece of information in your objective. This section will be read by all of your prospective employers, and they will be expecting to see an objective statement that spells out what your potential employer expects you to do for the company. It must include specific information on what position you will be applying for, and how many years you expect to work for the company. Keep in mind that if you expect to be working for the company for less than four years, your objective must clearly state this, along with how long you expect to remain in the position. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as 'specialty areas'paid assignment.'The type of objective statement: Some people prefer the format of a goal statement or vision statement. In any case, it is a statement that outlines the strategic plan for your career. You should start your objectives by stating what you hope to accomplish in each role you would like to assume at the company. This will make it easier for your potential employer to evaluate your commitment to the company's mission.Your formal employment history: Your formal employment history is crucial to your future prospects. You can describe the responsibilities of your current position, the status of your skills, and any other information that support your potential for success. You should also include all positions held by you, and their current status. It is important to be as specific as possible, and to list the dates for which you were employed in each position.Summary of Experience: You should include all of the aspects of your past employment, includi ng the job title, number of years in the position, and dates of employment. In your summary, you should also describe the duties you performed in each job, including the responsibilities you assumed in each job. Remember that the more details you provide in your summary, the more likely it is that your prospective employer will remember these details as you talk about them in your resume.Personal reference: In your summary, you should be sure to provide some personal references, both previous and current. For each individual who provides a reference, list the name, contact information, and contact number. In addition, list the organizations which this individual has worked for, including the title of the position, number of years employed, and dates of employment. Be sure to indicate what each individual's contributions were.Objectives versus objectives: As important as it is to have an objective statement, there is a great deal of debate about whether you should use an objective st atement or a title in your resume. Some people think it is better to use a title because it makes the information more clear. However, others feel that using a title is a better way to communicate information that may be difficult to convey without a title.The bottom line: Be confident when writing your resume. You should use a different format for your objective statements that relate to your experience than you do for your cover letter and resume. Knowing which part of your resume is appropriate for which situation will help you to provide the best possible resume.

Personal Branding Interview Joe Balestrino - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Joe Balestrino - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Joe Balestrino, who is an SEO expert and writer for blogs such as Search Engine Journal. In this interview, Joe explains how companies can be successful without internet marketing, what we could know about with Google real-time search, lists some SEO strategies, mistakes people make when optimizing their sites, and argues that social media is not the new SEO. Do you believe a company can be successful without internet marketing? Certainly, and in fact, many business models arent well suited to online sales or lead generation. Sectors involving overseas trade, as an example, have established channels for business that have been around since well before the internet. On the whole, however, most businesses can benefit to a greater or lesser degree from some form of online presence. As society moves toward further acceptance of the internet as an evolving replacement for older methods of obtaining goods and services, such as the Yellow Pages, the importance of establishing and maintaining a solid presence gains more significance. What is your opinion on the integration between search engines and social networks? What issues does this raise? The integration between the SERPs and social networking, led by Google, has a surface level value proposition that rewards the interests of the public. That may seem like a positive step toward more relevant search results, but it has quickly become another factor to be manipulated by the online marketing community at large. Twitter is a great example. Its filled with accounts and tweets that serve as a marketing platform and provide no real value to the general public. Digg has become a “good old boys club” where marketers reward each others participation irrespective of the value of the content. Danny Sullivans “Sphinn” is a repository for manufactured blog posts designed to gain links and PR rather than promote genuine discussion. Marketers are flooding the net with “top five this” and “top ten that” articles and posts to the point where the formula is beyond contrived. Ultimately, the blame falls on Google, whose adherence toward Web 2.0, or social networking, was a calculated move to decimate link building and further devalue the organic rankings, on which they make no revenue. The reason social networking is ineffective for promoting business and has led to the manipulation described above is that most businesses arent sexy and dont have a sexy product. Specifically, you cant expect to succeed with viral promotion of a mundane product or service, and Google was well aware of that when they devalued directories, article submission sites and other formerly valid forms of link building. If a company established a good online presence before the advent of Web 2.0, they have organic currency. If not, and Im specifically referring to new businesses here, it forces them to rely more heavily on paid search, for which Google does generate revenue. A lot of revenue. Some marketers have the naivety to believe social networking is simply the natural progression of the internet, but I assure you, its not. Its just another stab wound in the dying value of organic listings, aided by above the fold placement for Google maps, Google local business results, Google Base (which may wont always be free) and anything else Google can think of to push organic down while promoting more of their own agenda, which is the necessity of paid search. Can you name your top three strategies for SEO/SEM? Branding, branding and branding. Business branding transcends fads like social media. If you have a well established brand, you have a well established customer base. As for the nuts and bolts SEO/SEM strategies that are useful, the following three are integral to a well conceived online marketing effort: Keyword Research This is the foundation for your online marketing efforts for both SEO and PPC. The terms people are using to search out products and services is the connection between potential buyers and sellers. Where most marketers fail is in the depth and breadth of research they are willing to perform and implement. Landing Pages â€" To the degree that on-site SEO is still valid, which depends greatly on off-site SEO, you need to find the proper balance between pleasing the SERPs and converting inbound traffic. Toward the latter end of that goal, appearance is everything. Give consumers confidence through the construction of good landing pages and youll experience high conversion rates. The same applies to paid marketing efforts. Inbound, Targeted Links â€" Without links, even the best optimized site will fail. Find a feasible, repeatable method for generating quality links and youll never be without business. What common mistakes do people make when choosing keywords for SEO? From an SEO standpoint, marketers tend to throw all their eggs in one basket, specifically the basket of broad, highly competitive terms with well entrenched competition in the top search results. If you measure the validity of ranking for a competitive term in short order and the prognosis is failure, why waste your effort or your clients marketing budget? Clients want you to make money for them, and most arent particular about how you go about doing it within the parameters of white hat SEO and SEM. Is a high ranking for one term that produces 0K in traffic and 200 conversions a month worth more than ten terms that produce K in traffic and 20 conversions a month apiece? To the bottom line, the answer is no. A lot of people used to say that social media is the new SEO. What is your opinion on this? Social media will never be SEO. Its simply another tool to be manipulated by search engine marketers. The SERPs, and particularly Google, set and change the rules on a regular basis, and social media is a byproduct of that change. Our industry is served by finding ways to work within those rules, and in some cases, circumvent them. The reason some marketing professionals put so much stock into social media is that its a very effective marketing tool for their own interests. The problem is that its rarely an effective tool for their clients, especially considering the time it takes to properly cultivate and maintain a following on most platforms. They also put a lot of stock into it because it seems to have been embraced by the public at large. The reality, however, is that the public will embrace anything thats new or popular until it becomes a chore to maintain, after which it will slowly yield to the next great thing. A few years ago, we might have been discussing Friendster, and a few years from now, well be looking back on Twitter with the same goofy puzzlement. How many personal, professional or business related blogs were updated regularly for years on end and then suddenly ceased to provide new content? How many Facebook and Linkedin profiles havent had an “add” since shortly after their creation? Wed like to believe that we all have something to say, an unlimited amount of time to say it and a caring audience waiting with baited breath to hear it, but thats not reality. Social media is dependent on social networking, and constant networking â€" both from a creation and audience participation standpoint isnt representative of how human beings change their behavior, needs, wants and lifestyles over time. SEO, like the human condition, is all about change. The engines change and we change our strategies with them in order to meet new challenges. Ill stop short of saying that social media isnt here to stay, but I will say that its just another challenge to be met, with many more looming on the horizon. Joe Balestrino started out as a web designer in the mid nineties. Realizing that a great website alone rarely translates into increased traffic, he set about to become a leader and innovator in Search Engine Optimization. Joe regularly shares his insider knowledge through his articles on Search Engine Journal, Associated Content, and Search Engine Channel.   He is published frequently both on the web and in print. Joe strives to give you the best value for your money. He is committed to increasing your bottom line by offering a full range of superior web services that are cost effective to your business. Follow him on twitter @joeybalestrino.

20+ Best QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer Interview Questions - Algrim.co

20+ Best QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer Interview Questions - Algrim.co I've compiled the absolute best QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer interview questions and answers. If you’re a part of a software enterprise, you’ve probably heard about how effective QA engineers can be during the release of an innovative new product. A lot of the time, the difference between a financially profitable application launch and a failed application launch lies in whether or not a QA engineer is part of the production team. The following is a list of QA engineer interview questions and answers that hiring managers can use to properly interview for potential QA engineers. First, what exactly is a QA engineer, and why do digital companies need at least one on their payroll? Let’s take a look. What is a QA Engineer? A quality assurance engineer, also known as QA engineers, are niche engineers that track the process of a product’s creation from the very beginning to the very end. They typically manage production and test every part of a product to make sure it meets company standards before moving on to the next step in the manufacturing processes. The Role of a QA Engineer The ultimate goal of a QA engineer is to protect the product (and ultimately the company) from issues related to government regulations. They make sure the product is market-ready and ready to be released to the public. QA engineers are primarily a part of manufacturing and software teams. Hiring a QA engineer for any size of a digital software company is a really wise idea. They are an additional safeguard against any faults, failures, or malfunctions that could happen when developing a digital product. 25 QA Engineer Interview Questions and QA Engineer Interview Answers 1. Say you have a particularly large suite to execute in a very short amount of time. How would you handle this situation? I would have the team prioritize test cases first and foremost. Executing high priority test cases and then lower priority test cases ensures that the substantial defects in the product will be detected first, and the most important aspects of the product will be tested. I would also determine customer preference to find the most desired and important functions of the product, and then test those areas first before moving on to less important functions. 2. Do you believe quality assurance engineers should participate in resolving production problems? Absolutely. Not only does involvement in production provide an opportunity to quality assurance engineers to learn more about the product, but a lot of the time, a lot of production issues can be easily solved with the participation of a quality assurance engineer and a quality assurance team. With this valuable insight, quality assurance engineers can implement product defects into writing their test cases to further improve quality in the product. 3. You find a bug during production. What would you do to make sure that bug would not be found in the product again? I would write a test case. Test cases are the best way to protect against production defects in the regression suite. Finding a bug during production can also provide an opportunity to think of alternative test cases to include in execution. 4. Tell me the differences between testing, quality assurance, and quality control. Testing is where the development team finds and detects bugs, as well as security vulnerabilities in the product. The process determines whether or not the software meets the requirements and standards of the company producing it. Quality assurance is the process of figuring out how the development team will monitor and implement the testing process. Essentially, quality assurance is a method used to define and set quality standards for a particular project. Quality control is where the team will find substantial defects in the product and the quality assurance engineer will provide suggestions to improve or eliminate those defects. 5. Describe the difference between nonfunction and functional testing. Nonfunctional testing tests the nonfunction part of the application. Functional testing tests the functional part of the application. Nonfunction testing takes in environmental facts like stress, load, performance, etc. and evaluates them. Functional testing tests requirement and specification within the system. Function testing is based almost entirely on customer or user requirement. Nonfunctional testing is not typically deemed as important as functional testing, but a quality assurance engineer should include that form of testing in products no matter what. 6. Describe how test strategies and test plans differ from one another. Test strategy is typically developed at a higher level by a project manager in order to demonstrate the approach the team should take in testing for the entire project. The test plan is essentially implemented to demonstrate how the testing should be performed for an application or aspect of the product during the project timeline. 7. Describe the differences between negative and positive testing. Negative testing is a testing technique that makes sure that the system works optimally in the case of any invalid inputs. For example, a user may enter invalid data into a text section and the application should return with a correct message, rather than a technical message the user will not comprehend. Positive testing determines that the system is working correctly and compare expected results with the actual testing results. Too often are negative testing scenarios not included in the determined product plan, so it is the duty of the quality assurance engineer to identify those negative scenarios and test for them. 8. Describe how you would make sure that your particular testing strategy is complete and has adequate coverage. I would utilize requirement traceability matrices and test coverage matrices to determine that the test cases have excellent coverage. Test coverage matrices help the team to figure out that the test cases are properly satisfying all the test conditions within the requirement traceability matrices. Requirement traceability matrices will help the team determined that the conditions are optimal and that all requirements are sufficiently covered. 9. Describe the software testing life cycle. The software testing life cycle is the testing process that has particular steps that need to be executed in a carefully planned sequence to make sure that the product has optimum quality. The phases of the software testing life cycle include the requirements phase, the planning phase, the analysis phase, the design phase, the implementation phase, the execution phase, the conclusion phase, and the closure phase. 10. Describe the main artifacts a quality assurance engineer would refer to when writing different test cases. The major artifacts used by quality assurance engineers include functional requirement specification, requirement understanding document, use cases, wireframes, user stories, acceptance criteria, and user acceptance test (UAT) cases. 11. Describe a time when you had to write a test case without the necessary documents. This situation is extremely common. The best method for dealing with this issue is to start by collaborating with the business analyst (BA) and the development team. Then I would investigate emails which have some information and investigate into older test cases and regression suites. If a product feature is particularly new, I would then try to read technical pages online to get an idea of what I’m working with. Then, I would connect with the head developer and try to understand the changes that are being made. After coming to a more substantial understanding, I would then identify the test condition and send it to the business analyst for review. 12. At what point in the project do you believe quality assurance activities should start? Quality assurance intervention should begin at the very start of the project. The earlier a quality assurance engineer involves themselves in the production of a product, the more benefits the product will receive in the way of setting standards and achieving optimum quality in the end result. Not involving quality assurance engineers at the start of a project could lead to time, effort, and cost issues later on down the road in the software’s production and development. 13. What is verification and validation? Validation is where the process of evaluating the end product takes place. This is done to determine whether the software meets the company’s needs. Quality assurance teams typically perform validation activity by testing the execution of a product on a daily basis. This includes systems testing, smoke testing, regression testing, and functional testing. Verification is essentially the process of working through the intermediary work products of the development lifecycle to see if everything is going according to plan on time for the product’s release. 14. What is the proper format for writing a good test case? What are the steps involved? Test case identification, test case description, severity, priority, environment, build version, steps to execute, expected results, and actual results. 15. Describe what a satisfactory test case looks like. A good test case is one that finds any defect within the product. In the event that there are no defects in the product, a successful test case simply has all the necessary details and coverage listed in the proper format for writing a good test case. 16. Describe the verification techniques that are typically used by quality assurance engineers during a project. The three major verification techniques and review, inspection, and walkthrough. Review is the method we use to examine code and test cases outside of the author’s influence. This is usually one of the best and easiest ways to determine coverage and quality in the product’s features. Walkthrough is the process where the author of the code reads out their content and receives feedback, reviews, and corrections. Walkthroughs are usually less-official that typical reviews or inspections and are primarily used to benefit the author. Inspection is a much more technical and refined way of establishing and correcting defects in the test code. There are multiple roles in inspection: Moderator, who conducts the whole inspecting meeting. Recorder, who documents the time and duration of the meeting, what defects popped up, and other information discussed during testing. Reader, who will read out the code and essentially “leads” the inspection meeting. Producer, who is the original autho r of the code and must update their code accordingly after defects are found. And Reviewer, which essentially describes all of the expert engineers and developers in the inspection meeting. 17. Have you used automation tools in past products? You’ll definitely receive a variety of answers from various interviewees on this subject. What you should look for is a definite “yes” and a list of several different tools used that they could implement into your company’s current and future software projects. 18. Describe the difference between stress testing and load testing. Stress testing involves validating the behavior of a system when it has to execute commands under stress. A system under stress is a system dealing with a lack of resources or functional impairments and failures. This helps us to understand the total limit of the system by reducing resources and evaluating the system’s behavior. Load testing involves simply testing the system under a normal amount of stress with the expected load. The expected load typically involves users or resources accessing the system at the same time. Both types of testing are used to determine how the system will react in the event of high user or resource volume and what it takes to make the system malfunction on the user’s end. 19. When you have doubts about a particular project, what is your approach to taking it on? First and foremost, a decent quality assurance engineer with doubts about a project should clear the air by reading through the available application “help” file and artifacts. If there are still doubts after this step, I would ask a supervisor or senior member of the development team for assistance. Engineering and development is very much a team effort, and all members involved need to communicate with each other and provide their skills to each other for optimum product results. I would also ask the appropriate business analyst about whatever doubts I may have, as well as the senior project manager and stakeholders. 20. Describe how you determine what software elements or pieces require a specific amount of testing. This can be determined by figuring out the cyclomatic complexity. This technique is used to identify the three major questions we should be asking about the program’s features: Is it testable? Is it understood by everyone? Is it reliable enough? Quality assurance engineers use this technique to determine what level of testing a particular feature requires and whether or not it is considered high priority. If the cyclomatic complexity is a high number, the team would consider that particular functionality or part of functionality to be complex and difficult, so it should be figured out and assessed before anything else with in-depth testing. If the result of the cyclomatic complexity is a low number, I would then conclude that the functionality or aspect of functionality isn’t as complex and doesn’t require as much testing. 21. Why did you decide to become a quality assurance engineer? You will receive many varying answers to this question from interviewees but look for particular statements in their answer. If the interviewee focuses on their passion for engineering and desire to be involved in all aspects of the product’s completion, that says a lot about the kind of engineer they are. They aren’t interested in manufacturing code or components of a product behind the scenes-- they are invested in being hands-on during the project and are willing to lead a team. 22. What is the difference between software testing and quality assurance? They are not mutually exclusive. Quality assurance engineers perform software testing regularly as part of their job. In a sense, the quality assurance team monitors the quality of the process used to create the software. Software testing is the process itself. 23. Describe testware. Testware is a word for all test artifacts in a project, including test data, test plans, and test cases used to design and perform a particular test. 24. What are some automation challenges that a quality assurance engineer and their team may experience during testing processes? The major challenges include mastering the automation tool, reusability of automation script, adaptability of test case for automation, and automating complex test cases. 25. Explain the basic steps for the bug cycle. The bug cycle occurs after a bug or multiple bugs are discovered in the product system. Once the bug is identified by the person testing it, it is then assigned to a development manager. If the bug is a valid and substantial defect, the development team will assess and correct it. If the bug is not a valid defect, it will be marked as rejected and then ignored. After that, the developers and quality assurance team will check to see whether or not the bug is in scope. If the bug isn’t part of the product’s current release, then the defect correction will be postponed. If the bug is identified earlier, then the tester will mark it as “duplicated.” If the bug is taken to a developer to correct, it will be marked as “in-progress.” Once the bug is eliminated and the defect is repaired, it will be marked as “fixed” and the tester will assign a “closed” status once further testing proves the defect is completely taken care of. Related Hiring Resources QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer Resume Example

Top 20 Resume Writing Services - Finding Your Best Company For Your Resume and Cover Letter

Top 20 Resume Writing Services - Finding Your Best Company For Your Resume and Cover LetterWhen I am asked about the top 20 resume writing services, I often answer that question with the same answer I give every customer. Yes, it's true that many people are surprised when they learn of these services and other resume and cover letter writing services. Yet, many of these services are also surprised when they learn that their clients hire them as well.The secret to getting your resume services noticed is to use them for your benefit as well as theirs. It is always best to have two or three different kinds of services so that you can use them for various situations do not call for a particular kind of service, you may need another one.Different clients will call for different kinds of service. You'll probably find that while a client may call you for resume help they will be looking for services for writing letters of recommendation, but when they talk about the above, they may use some thing entirely different. Also, some clients may use services for both of these things.At any rate, the most important thing when choosing your cover letter services is to make sure you get what you pay for. This means that you shouldn't use these services because they are cheap or because they offer a free trial. The fact is that cheap doesn't always mean better.Some big companies will offer this benefit but, sometimes, they do not deliver. If you are considering an online application, such as an online application for a job at McDonalds, you may want to consider using a proven service. They may charge more, but the quality of the work will certainly be better.Now, if you are looking for services for applying for jobs at small or medium sized companies you should have a lot of different options. Some of the top 10 or so resume writing services today will actually have many, many different levels of help available to you. With so many choices, it is easy to see why these companies a re so popular.Also, you should make sure that you take the time to go online and look around and see what is available before you begin to apply for online applications. You'll find that some resume writing services will help you write and edit your cover letter but, you'll also find that some companies will offer comprehensive training, as well as free or inexpensive training on some basic things, like how to format a resume.Make sure that you consider these different factors. Even when you are working with a good company for your cover letter, your resume, and other services, it pays to check out the resources that are available to you. Remember, a well-written resume and cover letter is a very effective way to land your dream job.

Summary Sunday Job Search Tips

Summary Sunday Job Search Tips These job search tips will help you improve what youre doing during your  hunt for a new job. Because we all could use a little help with our job search. I love finding and sharing articles with actionable tips to help your job search. From networking to interviewing and everything in between, these articles were carefully curated to deliver results! NETWORKING How To Network More Effectively by  Victor Lipman | Forbes Based on a recent study, these are the top 5 mistakes executives make when it comes to networking. Dont wait, start fixing these today! LINKEDIN 10 Steps to Better Ranking in LinkedIn Search (LinkedIn SEO) by Susan P Joyce | Job-Hunt.org If an employer is looking for someone with the skills and qualifications to fill a job, will your profile show up? Its time you optimize your LinkedIn profile. Use these steps to improve when and how you show up when employers and recruiters search LinkedIn. INTERVIEWING Five Ways to Shine in a Bad Interview! by Harry Urschel | The Wise Job Search Not everyone is trained in interviewing potential employees. Dont let a bad interview ruin your chances. Follow some of these ideas to turn a bad interview around. VISUALS 10 Flow Chart Templates, Design Tips and Examples by Sara McGuire | Venngage Whether you use a flowchart to help do your job better or feature one on your LinkedIn profile as a sample of your workvisuals tell powerful stories! Are you showing your work to the world? JOB SEARCH 50+ Best Websites For Job Search   from CareerSherpa.net Yes, this is my post. Im fairly certain you will find a website or two listed that will improve or enhance your job search. PRODUCTIVITY The Ultimate Guide to Personal Productivity Methods by ToDoist Everyone can use a little help being more productive. The thing is, one method wont work for everyone. Thats why this massive list of options is great. I hope you find one that works for you! MENTIONS The Evolution of Job Search with Career Sherpa Hannah Morgan [Podcast] by Marc Miller | CareerPivot Mark and I have had several conversations over the years! We take a ride in the time machine in this one! Job search has come a long way! And Im sure well see more advancements in the future! Interview with Job Search Strategist and CareerSherpa.net Founder Hannah Morgan [Podcast] by Virginia Franco | Virginia Franco Resumes During this interview with Virginia, we talk about common problems job seekers faceand provide solutions!

Career or Job Change - How Do You Decide - CareerAlley

Career or Job Change - How Do You Decide - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. There comes a time in your life when work seems to suck more often than not, and thats when you start to think about the need for change. Or maybe the job is not so bad, but the promotions and salary increases have just not happened. The decision is straightforward for some people they know what the problem is and how it needs to be solved; a change of location, a change of jobs, or just a change of schedule does them a world of good and all is well again. For others however, the dilemma persists theyre unsure if a change of scenery will do them good or if they have to go a step further and find a different career altogether. If youre sailing in the same boat, here are a few pointers to help you decide between a change of jobs and a change of careers. Ask yourself if its the nature of the job youre unsatisfied with or if its your workplace/coworkers/boss youre unhappy with. If its the former, then its best to change careers, and if its the latter, its time to look for a new job. If you are willing to make the effort to learn new skills and pursue an additional degree, and if you can afford the money and the time, then consider changing careers. Career changes work when you choose your new profession based on skills you already have or which can be honed in order to support a career for example, if your nine-to-five desk job is not your cup of tea and if you have a passion for writing, try looking for a job in the journalism industry or try your hand at writing a book. Job changes must be handled carefully dont quit your old job until your position at the new one is confirmed; choose a new job that does not have the problems you faced at your old one; and make an effort to enjoy your new job. When choosing a new career, remember the following: Go with something that youre interested in and which is financially viable; you may want to be an artist, but if its not going to bring you a steady salary, the pressures of daily life soon make turn your passion into a drudgery. Its best to find middle ground between doing something you love and something that makes you good money. If you have to spend all the money youve saved and a few more years gaining an education or new skills in order to change careers, it may not be worth the trouble. Rather, try to find a job within your current profession that does not involve too much of a change on your part, and which is to your liking. For example, if youre a doctor or in the medical profession and want to get away from the stress, choose a non-clinical career the transition is easy, and youre bound to get a job with regular hours and less tension. On the surface, it looks like changing jobs is a much easier proposition than changing careers; however, situations and circumstances vary from person to person. The final decision rests with you if youre not sure which option is better for you, go with a change of job first. Its the easier change, and if youre still unsatisfied, then consider changing careers. Career Tip of the Day:Ready For a Career Change? Check Out These Interesting Jobs Suggested Reading:The Job Search Navigator: An Experts Guide to Getting Hired, Surviving Layoffs, and Building Your Career We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search