TIP #5, September 2010

Taking a Transitional Job – Should I or Shouldn’t I?

It’s no secret that this is a difficult economy in which to be job searching. You may have a nervous eye pinned on your savings account and be wondering if you should take “just anything” to stay afloat. While a transitional job may be the financially conservative move, will it derail you from your ultimate goal of finding work you truly want to be doing?

• Here are some questions to think about, pertaining to whether to consider a transitional job, and if so, what to look for in that job.
• Can you protect some time dedicated to your job search, a minimum of one hour 3x/week? Beware of getting so busy with the job that you abandon your search.
• Will you gain skills or experience that will be relevant to your future work?
• Will it support your over-all confidence and sense of purpose?
• Can you find a job that has cachet in the marketplace? Will it be consistent with your “unique value proposition” (the unique value you offer a prospective employer) that you highlight in future resumes?
• Will you have access to leaders and key people with whom to network for your future work?
• Is it geographically reasonable? Be sure to take commute time into consideration in assessing time you’ll have for your job search.
• Is the compensation worth your time?

To make this decision carefully, and assure the best outcome toward your long-term career goals, working in a targeted way with a career coach is an excellent investment. Consider working with me for a reasonably priced 3-hour coaching package.

Here are some recent online “finds” for those of you in career search mode:

www.vocationvacations.com
2-3 day opportunities to be mentored, for a fee, in a “dream career” of your choice.

www.myskillsmyfuture.org
Free transferrable skills analysis, personality assessment and
aptitude/interest inventory.

Working with a coach on career development or change can greatly enhance your satisfaction with the outcome. If you’d like to discuss how I can assist you, please contact me.

If you have friends or colleagues anticipating a career change, please forward this to them and invite them to subscribe.

Visit the Career Search Tips archives.