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posted to Career & Executive Coaches on 06/02/10 08:36 PM, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Hi,

I am "in-between opportunities" after being laid off last August after a 23 year job position at a large NYC college working in Student Services, sort of a front line counselor and assistant operations manager . I was planning on transitioning into teaching but my wife is  a teacher and talked me out of it for good reasons, not the least of which is that it looks grim to impossible to get hired around here with all NY's cuts in education etc. Soo, I shelved that plan and am looking for a job for the first time in almost a quarter century.

I have a liberal arts background (MA), and an undergrad in psychology. I tend to be a people person, and helper sort with an artistic bend.. but the obvious answer of getting a Social Work degree or any advanced degree in counselling would take too long. I'm almost 50 as well. So, I'm sort of planning massive networking endeavors and applying to job postings as they come up and realistically pretty much need to be employed again by the end of the year before things begin to look dire..

So, I figured I'd try Zoomnia to see if any employment or career counselors have advice for networking, or job getting. I do want to have benefits, and could live on ideally at least 30,ooo so was thinking civil service. Also, I am married with a young daughter who I would like to spend as much time as possible with.
so that's another huge factor, another being staying local to the Rivertown area.

Additionally, I've been thinking that starting a couple "micro-businesses" might be another answer. One idea is to do tutoring and the other is to build and set-up organic Victory garden kits for people, two skills I would enjoy using that might fill a need that's still viable..

I figure on using an eclectic approach and to try to get customers to test the business concepts  while I apply and network in more traditional ways, might all coexist and see what pans out after a month or two. I also want to set a date where I should probably give up all the above and try to get anything..

Any thoughts, ideas.. tips etc. would be appreciated. It feels crazy to be a generalist in these specialist times. I used to run a part time side business doing research for media companies, but between google and the obliteration of much of the publishing world, that business became obsolete..

Thanks in advance for all help!

Dave

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Specialist Answer 1 of 1

Answered By

Career Resource Center, 06/05/10 08:01 AM

Career Resource Center
520 White Plains Rd
Tarrytown, NY 10591
914-467-7878
fayekim@optonline.net

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Dear Dave,

Congratulations on all of the thought that you have already invested in deciding on your next steps.

Sounds like one of your challenges is in developing both a short term and long term job search strategy. You have lots of good ideas and experience. Now you need a plan.

If you were to work with us, we would ask you to put time into exploring the following elements of making a career transition: Completing a Job Satisfaction Inventory, Identifying Life Purpose, Values Clarification, Motivators, Interests and an analysis of your work experience.

We might consider asking you to take an assessment such as MBTI, Elevations, or Authentic Happiness which would provide information about personality preferences.

Using this pool of data, we would generate job targets and coach you in clarifying them.

A professional resume that presents you as a "brand" would also be an essential part of the process as well as interview coaching.

We have had success with other mid-life career changers using this approach.

Elaine Dreyer

Career Resource Center

520 White Plains Road

Suite 500

Tarrytown, NY 10591

914-467-7878 / 914-241-8579

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