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Worst Case Career Paths

Apr 10 2022

Sometimes, when faced with a situation where the next step is unclear or seems too risky, it pays to step back and ask yourself, “What is the worst that can happen?” Otherwise, you may find yourself on one of these worst case career paths:

You are in a job that you hate and you are stressed every day. What is the worst that can happen? You make a mistake that gets you fired or you become too stressed and sick to work at all.

Compared to that, hunting for a new job while you are still employed is a much better alternative. When you are stressed, spending hours on a job search seems impossible. So hire a resume writer to take on the burden of writing a resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. Then spend just 10 minutes every day researching job openings; even 10 minutes a day will start speeding you on your new path.

You love your job but your career has stalled. Other people receive promotions and you do not. What is the worst that can happen? You become bored and restless and may even quit a good job to take a chance on a new company—where once again your career stalls.

Compared to that, investing in a career coach makes sense. A career coach will help you discover how to fix the problem where you are now; perhaps by letting your boss know you want to advance or by earning credentials you need to move on or by making sure you get credit for your contributions. Alternatively, the coach may help you realize that what you want is not going to happen in the company or industry you are in—it is time for a career transition.

You are about to lose your job and you do not have a plan. When you know that the end of a company is near, your impulse is to jump ship fast. What is the worst that can happen? You end up in a job that you hate, and take a full step backward in your career.

Compared to that, taking your time to think through your next steps makes sense. Review your resume to highlight your most recent achievements. Talk to trusted bosses or peers about giving you recommendations. Research companies before you apply to make sure they have a good culture and a strong financial backbone. Now is the time to make thoughtful transitions.

You are about to retire, and you are dreading it. You love working and you fear that without work your brain will atrophy and you will lose respect for yourself. What is the worst that can happen? All those predictions come true.

Compared to that, striking out into a new career is far less risky. You may be able to become a consultant; start a business of your own; contribute to a nonprofit or for-profit board; or even take a role in local government. A professional resume writer can help you describe those transferable hard and soft skills that you honed over a long career and show how they will benefit businesses, customers, or organizations in your next phase of life.

When you find yourself on a worst case career path, please remember Robin’s Resumes®. We offer resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn writing and job and career transition coaching to help guide your career from the worst outcome to the best.

Want to Quit before Finding a Job? You May be Right!

Mar 06 2022

Keeping your current job is the ideal until you have another job lined up—but life often falls short of the ideal. Following are some circumstances when you might be wise to quit before finding a job.

Should you quit before you have another job if you are unsafe or burned out at work? Yes. Burnout—or chronic stress, which leads to major health issues—is cited by 28% of employees who leave their jobs without another job in view, according to a survey by Limeade.

Should you quit if you need to help with an emergency? Maybe. COVID was one such emergency when working parents and guardians were left without childcare options and many felt their health at risk. However, consider all your options before compounding an emergency with loss of income.

Should you quit before getting fired? Probably not. If you wait, you may gain time to find another job while you are still working. However, if you are given a choice between resigning or being fired, then resign—it carries less of a stigma.

Should you quit if you are so miserable at a job that it is affecting your physical and mental health? Maybe. First see if you can negotiate shorter hours, a less stressful job in the same company, or even temporary leave. But if you are heading toward burnout, quitting might allow you to recover and free you to concentrate on your job search.

Should you quit if you want to move to a different geographic location? Maybe. Because so many jobs are remote these days, a continuous work history might count more than your physical location to your next employer. In earlier blog posts, you can find advice on applying for jobs while you are outside your preferred location. However, if the move is time-critical (for example, you must be closer to a family member who needs care), you might have to move before you begin your job search.

Should you quit if you want to start a business? Again, the answer depends on your circumstances. If you can develop your business while working—so that you have a few customers lined up and can build a nest egg—then it makes sense to continue working. If you have enough financial and personal support, a clear business plan, and skills or products that are already in demand, it makes sense to quit and concentrate on your new business.

There is one important task you can definitely begin at any time, whether before or after you quit: calling Robin’s Resumes® for advice on how to frame your resume. We will help you present your situation in the best light for your next employer.

Resumes for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants

Jan 23 2022

The field of physical therapy will grow faster than most careers in the next 10 years—by 21% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS also states that most of the openings will be due from retirements or career changes among existing physical therapists.

Requirements for the Position

To become a physical therapist, you must complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and become licensed by the state in which you work. A physical therapy (PT) assistant must have at least an associate degree and a license. For either position, you must also pass the appropriate National Physical Therapy Exam.

What Employers Are Looking For

As a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, you should demonstrate the soft skills that will enable you to interact successfully with patients and their families, providing both care and education. You need to be able to create, understand, and implement a treatment plan; provide CPR if needed; and have the physical stamina that the job requires. You must be reliable—patients are depending on you to show up as scheduled and give them your full attention. Flexibility is also important, as every patient is different even if their symptoms are similar.

Alternate Careers

If you work in the field of fitness, you probably already know the range of jobs available, including personal trainer, lifeguard, fitness site manager, wellness coach, sports coach, nutritionist, and teacher of specific practices like yoga or tai chi. Each of these may require additional education, training, and credentials. However, physical therapy is an excellent starting point for any of these jobs.

Your Resume

Your resume as a physical therapist or PT assistant should give employers confidence that you have the hard and soft skills, licenses, and education that will make you a strong addition to their staff. If you decide to transition to a new career, your resume should indicate what you bring to the new position and how you have prepared for it. You should not dwell on why you are leaving physical therapy, but why physical therapy is an excellent launching pad for your current goals.

Robin’s Resumes® is here as always to help you start, grow, or change your career.

Resumes for Customer Service Managers

Dec 05 2021

Customer service is recognized as one of the more stressful jobs, especially during a holiday season and pandemic that puts every customer in a fragile, irritable, fearful, and demanding mood. Stress has a negative effect on the ability of a customer service department to maintain productivity, accuracy, communication skills, and enthusiasm. Customer service managers who know how to motivate a team under those conditions are priceless.

In one Australian study, call center employees took more sick days than the nationwide average, 8.2 days compared to 7.4 days for all other careers. Moreover, an Eagle Hill Consulting survey found that 64% of U. S. workers believe their experience at work directly affects their ability to serve customers—stress is contagious.

To combat absenteeism and stress, the following skills are highly valued in customer service managers:

The willingness to recognize others for their contribution. A survey by Authentic Recognition found that 29% of employees receive no recognition and 17% were only thanked for the efforts once during an entire year—that’s nearly half of all employees.
An understanding of technology and metrics. Customer service may require a human touch but behind that is state-of-the art research, data gathering, and communication technology. Metrics may include Key Performance Indicators such as the number of customers served.
Resilience to angry customers. Good managers are able to keep their composure, look for compromise or solutions, and—very important—step in without blame if a situation escalates. Good training will also ensure that the customer service team is able to step up when needed.

Your ability to provide these skills and others (such as communication skills, knowledge of industry specific programs, and collaboration) is key to career advancement and to changing jobs. You may want to take courses such as managing a customer contact center and team, building customer loyalty, and using customer surveys to improve service. A college degree may or may not be necessary, depending on the company.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 10% growth rate for customer service jobs, which is higher than the average of all occupations. While artificial intelligence will (and already has) take over some customer service jobs and responsibilities, even artificial intelligence (AI) needs customer service representatives to fix problems! As many industry specialists point out, jobs that require feeling and empathy are beyond the reach of AI.

Contact Robin’s Resumes® if you need help creating a resume that gets you started or advances your career in customer service management.

Resume Q&A: Interview Problems

Nov 21 2021

Q. I am a champion at getting interviews—the problems start when I show up! Hiring managers seem to love my resume but they do not react well to me in person. Am I making some big mistake during interviews or are they discriminating against me? Why do I have interview problems?

A. One survey by Robert Half revealed that 64% of senior managers are disappointed in applicants who show up for an interview, even when the resume looked promising. So interview problems are very common. I find that there are three main reasons for a resume/interview disconnect:

The facts on your resume do not match the facts you share in your interview. Did you inflate or deflate your job title, hide a gap in your career, or claim too many skills that you simply do not have? Hiring managers expect you to be honest and clear about your history and are astute when it comes to checking facts.
You stumble over responsibilities, achievements, and goals. Before the interview, read your resume carefully to remind yourself what you meant by the responsibilities and achievements you listed there. For example, suppose the resume says, “Mentored 5 interns to successful careers at the company.” The hiring manager might ask: “What mentoring techniques did you use? How did handle problems? What do you like or dislike about mentoring?” Make sure you know the answers to questions that are likely to arise.
You lack knowledge about the company. Preparation for an interview involves researching the company to make sure it is a fit for you and that you know enough to ask intelligent questions. Your research should include an understanding of what the company does, what the company is looking for as revealed in the job posting, and what someone with your experience and education is supposed to know—and earn—at this point in their career.

You may be interested to know that 48 percent of hiring managers intend to add positions in the last quarter of 2021 and another 48% intend to fill vacated positions or bring back furloughed employees, according to a Robert Half survey in 28 US cities. So if you have had trouble finding a position post-pandemic, your chances are rising.

If you believe you may suffer from one of the interview problems above, working with a professional resume writer and career coach may help you to better align your resume and your interview skills with the expectations of hiring managers and recruiters and with the new opportunities they offer. Robin’s Resumes® is happy to help.