Congratulate yourself that you're on the right track! A fraction of the population enjoy their work and find it stimulating, but vast numbers simply moan about it and take no action. Because you've done research we have a hunch that you're at least considering retraining, so you've already stood out from the crowd. Take your time now to research and follow-through.
We recommend you seek advice first - talk to someone who's familiar with your chosen field; a guide who can really get to know you and find the best job role for you, and analyse the learning programs which will get you there:
* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Is that as part of a team or with a lot of new people? Possibly operating on your own on specific tasks would be more your thing?
* Do you have a preference which market sector you would be suited to? (In this economy, it's essential to choose well.)
* Once you've trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and will the market sector offer you that opportunity?
* Are you concerned with regard to the chance of getting new work, and keeping a job until you plan to retire?
We would advise that you consider Information Technology - it's well known that it is one of the few growth sectors. It's not all nerdy people looking at computer screens constantly - naturally some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are carried out by people like you and me who get on very well.
The perhaps intimidating chore of securing your first job is often made easier by training colleges, through a Job Placement Assistance service. Often, too much is made of this feature, as it's relatively easy for well qualified and focused men and women to get a job in this industry - because there's a great need for skilled employees.
Having said that, it's important to have help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews though; also we would encourage any student to get their CV updated right at the beginning of their training - don't put it off till you've finished your exams.
It's not unusual to find that you'll secure your first job whilst you're still studying (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn't show your latest training profile (and it's not being looked at by employers) then you don't stand a chance!
If you don't want to travel too far to work, then you'll often find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy may serve you better than the trainer's recruitment division, for they're going to be familiar with local employment needs.
Not inconsiderable numbers of men and women, apparently, put a great deal of effort into their studies (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of trying to get the right position. Market yourself... Do your best to put yourself out there. A job isn't just going to bump into you.
Of course: a training course or a qualification isn't what this is about; the career you're training for is. Far too many training organisations completely prioritise the piece of paper.
Students often train for a single year but end up performing the job-role for decades. Don't make the mistake of choosing what sounds like an 'interesting' training program only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!
You must also consider your feelings on earning potential, career development, plus your level of ambition. It makes sense to understand what (if any) sacrifices you'll need to make for a particular role, what exams are required and where you'll pick-up experience from.
Talk to an experienced industry advisor who understands the work you're contemplating, and who can give you a detailed run-down of what you actually do in that role. Getting all these things right well before beginning a training course makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
In most cases, your normal person has no idea in what direction to head in a computing career, let alone which market they should be considering getting trained in.
Perusing long lists of different and confusing job titles is a complete waste of time. Surely, most of us have no idea what our own family members do for a living - so we have no hope of understanding the ins and outs of any specific IT role.
Consideration of the following issues is most definitely required when you want to reveal the right answers:
* Personality plays an important role - what things get your juices flowing, and what are the areas that really turn you off.
* Are you driven to re-train for a specific motive - i.e. do you aim to work from home (maybe self-employment?)?
* Does salary have a higher place on your priority-scale than some other areas.
* Learning what the main work types and markets are - plus how they're different to each other.
* It's wise to spend some time thinking about the level of commitment you'll put into your training.
The best way to avoid the industry jargon, and discover what'll really work for you, have an informal meeting with an advisor with years of experience; someone who understands the commercial reality whilst covering all the qualifications.
You have to be sure that all your exams are current and what employers are looking for - you're wasting your time with programmes which provide certificates that are worthless because they're 'in-house'.
All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA have nationally acknowledged proficiency courses. Huge conglomerates such as these can make sure you stand out at interview.
We recommend you seek advice first - talk to someone who's familiar with your chosen field; a guide who can really get to know you and find the best job role for you, and analyse the learning programs which will get you there:
* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Is that as part of a team or with a lot of new people? Possibly operating on your own on specific tasks would be more your thing?
* Do you have a preference which market sector you would be suited to? (In this economy, it's essential to choose well.)
* Once you've trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and will the market sector offer you that opportunity?
* Are you concerned with regard to the chance of getting new work, and keeping a job until you plan to retire?
We would advise that you consider Information Technology - it's well known that it is one of the few growth sectors. It's not all nerdy people looking at computer screens constantly - naturally some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are carried out by people like you and me who get on very well.
The perhaps intimidating chore of securing your first job is often made easier by training colleges, through a Job Placement Assistance service. Often, too much is made of this feature, as it's relatively easy for well qualified and focused men and women to get a job in this industry - because there's a great need for skilled employees.
Having said that, it's important to have help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews though; also we would encourage any student to get their CV updated right at the beginning of their training - don't put it off till you've finished your exams.
It's not unusual to find that you'll secure your first job whilst you're still studying (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn't show your latest training profile (and it's not being looked at by employers) then you don't stand a chance!
If you don't want to travel too far to work, then you'll often find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy may serve you better than the trainer's recruitment division, for they're going to be familiar with local employment needs.
Not inconsiderable numbers of men and women, apparently, put a great deal of effort into their studies (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of trying to get the right position. Market yourself... Do your best to put yourself out there. A job isn't just going to bump into you.
Of course: a training course or a qualification isn't what this is about; the career you're training for is. Far too many training organisations completely prioritise the piece of paper.
Students often train for a single year but end up performing the job-role for decades. Don't make the mistake of choosing what sounds like an 'interesting' training program only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!
You must also consider your feelings on earning potential, career development, plus your level of ambition. It makes sense to understand what (if any) sacrifices you'll need to make for a particular role, what exams are required and where you'll pick-up experience from.
Talk to an experienced industry advisor who understands the work you're contemplating, and who can give you a detailed run-down of what you actually do in that role. Getting all these things right well before beginning a training course makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
In most cases, your normal person has no idea in what direction to head in a computing career, let alone which market they should be considering getting trained in.
Perusing long lists of different and confusing job titles is a complete waste of time. Surely, most of us have no idea what our own family members do for a living - so we have no hope of understanding the ins and outs of any specific IT role.
Consideration of the following issues is most definitely required when you want to reveal the right answers:
* Personality plays an important role - what things get your juices flowing, and what are the areas that really turn you off.
* Are you driven to re-train for a specific motive - i.e. do you aim to work from home (maybe self-employment?)?
* Does salary have a higher place on your priority-scale than some other areas.
* Learning what the main work types and markets are - plus how they're different to each other.
* It's wise to spend some time thinking about the level of commitment you'll put into your training.
The best way to avoid the industry jargon, and discover what'll really work for you, have an informal meeting with an advisor with years of experience; someone who understands the commercial reality whilst covering all the qualifications.
You have to be sure that all your exams are current and what employers are looking for - you're wasting your time with programmes which provide certificates that are worthless because they're 'in-house'.
All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA have nationally acknowledged proficiency courses. Huge conglomerates such as these can make sure you stand out at interview.
About the Author:
(C) 2009. Check out LearningLolly.com for smart career advice on IT Jobs News and Comptia News.
