Career Key

Author: Career Key's President and CEO, Juliet Wehr Jones, GCDF, J.D.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

See the New Career Opportunity with Your Job Skills

Job skills, job skills, job skills. Your worth in the job market is what you know how to do. That’s the refrain you hear over and over again in career blogs (including this one). But I want you to know that in my household, we are following our own advice – paying attention to updating job skills and networking.

Too Close to the Cubicle
My husband works for a company that has had many recent layoffs – and up until now we thought his job was pretty secure. But earlier this week there was another layoff round, reaching very close to cubicle - literally. And while I recognize these events from my past work in human resources and as an employment lawyer, there is nothing like having it happen close to home.

Worse things can happen
There are worse things than being laid off, like becoming significantly disabled. At least if you are laid off, you retain all your old skills. I just finished Once a Marine, an inspiring Persian Gulf and Iraq war veteran biography about a U.S. Marine, Nick Popaditch, who lost one eye and became legally blind in the other, lost his sense of smell, half his hearing, and some of his balance. He had to retool from old skills he could no longer do, to new ones – and is on the road to becoming a school teacher – a lifelong interest of his. His positive attitude really helped him overcome obstacles that make being laid off seem like a cakewalk. I highly recommend his book.

See an opportunity, not a setback
So if you are facing a career change, see it as an opportunity to use your motivated skills – and to do something that better fits your personality. Reading these free, professional quality career counseling articles will help:

1 comment:

admin said...

Julie:

So glad you enjoyed Nick's book, Once a Marine. Nick is a great example of what every American should strive for in his or her life. If you have any interest in pursuing an interview with Nick or having him as a guest speaker, please contact me at 916-941-6896 or veronica@savasbeatie.com.

Thank you.