Changing Career Paths

Are you considering changing careers? Whether your field is becoming obsolete or you’re just not as interested in it as you once were, the choice to begin a new career takes a lot of research and planning. Here are some things to keep in mind to make the transition easier.

If you know the career into which you’d like to transition, you’re ahead of the game. If not, see our previous blog post for tips on choosing a career. Once you’ve got it narrowed down, it’s time to network. Talk to as many people who are in your prospective field as you can. See if they know anyone who’s hiring, and always let them know you’re looking for work in their field. You want to be the first name that comes to mind when they see a job opening. They’ll also let you know which skills you’ll need to get into the field.

Your chosen career may require additional training. Look for opportunities for on-the-job training to enhance your skills. If you think you need PowerPoint skills, for example, ask to sit in while a coworker proficient in the software uses it. Finding ways to learn skills for free can help you transition to a new career faster. If you can’t learn a skill at work, enroll in additional classes.

You may have all the skills you need to begin a new career, but if your resume doesn’t show that, you won’t get far. Highlight the new skills you’ve cultivated and transferrable skills (like conflict resolution, team building and organization) that you’ve honed at your current job. Make sure your resume is tailored to the new job search; the skills most relevant to the field should be first. Don’t forget to create cover letters that explain why you’re looking to change careers and which skills from your current career can help you add value at the new company. Skills from your former career may be exactly what a prospective employer needs.

Why Technology is at the Heart of Every Business

Familiarity with technology is becoming a necessary part of career training because... read more >>

Windows 10: 10 Things You Should Know

Windows 10, the newest operating system from Microsoft, was released July 29, 2015 and will be available for upload to tiers of users in the coming weeks. Windows 10 includes many exciting innovations and updates from previous incarnations of the OS, and it also incorporates some new and inventive technologies. Check out the 10 most interesting and exciting features of this upgrade: read more >>

The 10 Worst Body Language Mistakes You Can Make In a Job Interview

4 New Year's Resolutions Every Job Seeker Should Make

How to Answer This Question - What's Your Greatest Weakness?

"What's your greatest weakness?" is the question that no one ever quite knows how to prepare to answer. This single question has the power to determine in one swift blow whether you are a potential asset or a liability to a prospective employer. read more >>

5 Job Search Tactics You Must Stop Immediately

You're applying immediately to every job you come across that's remotely related to your field. You're getting your résumé in the hands of anyone you meet. You're following up with hiring managers like your life depends on it. And still? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. read more >>

Avoid These 3 Basic Interview Question Pitfalls

Although they appear deceptively simple, these commonplace inquiries could lead to potential pitfalls -- an outcome you'll want to be sure to avoid! read more >>

12 Ways To Make Your Resume Stand Out

For any given job opening, HR personnel and hiring managers are deluged with résumés. Since they don't have the time or resources to interview everyone, they are always looking for ways to weed out candidates as quickly as possible. read more >>

What You Should Be Doing on LinkedIn Every Month, Week, and Day

You need to be on LinkedIn... It doesn't have to take a lot of effort. read more >>

How to Match Your Qualifications to a Job Description

Tips for Matching Your Resume and Cover Letters to Jobs read more >>

How to answer 4 typical but tough interview questions

Even the simplest questions, like “Can you tell me a little about yourself?” can trip up the most qualified candidates. read more >>

#1 Secret To Getting A Job Interview

How can you make sure your application gets read and, more importantly, noticed? read more >>

How To Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

If you're a job seeker, one of the things you should have at the top of your to-do list is creating a successful and unique elevator pitch. read more >>

11 things you should never say at work

What you say matters. read more >>

10 Tips for Maintaining a Professional Image Online

Although search engines provide some sense of order to the Internet, this online frontier is still a wild place. read more >>

The 6 Worst Things to Wear to a Job Interview

Before you schedule your next interview, be sure to review this list of the six worst things to wear for a job interview. read more >>

Online Vs. Classroom Learning

Before you enroll in online courses, consider a few things. read more >>

Tips for choosing a career

You may love the smell of new textbooks. You may jump for joy when you’re assigned a term paper. You might have book bags, highlighters, and pens in every color. But no matter how much you love college, at some point, you’ll need to use the skills you learn here to transition to your chosen career. read more >>

Budgeting after school

Furthering your education is an important investment. But unless your tuition is fully covered by scholarships, college is also another expense in what may be an already tight budget. Here’s some tips to help you pay for school-related expenses while still enjoying your life. read more >>

Choosing references for a job interview

They say it’s all about who you know. When it comes to the references you provide a potential employer, however, it’s all about who knows you. read more >>

LifeNotes Blog

National College and all of its campuses in Tennessee are accredited by national accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Our class sizes are smaller, with an average of 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio...