In This Issue:

• A Note From Anne Career counseling from Anne Angerman of Career Matters.
• Job Hunting 60-30-10 Rule: A simple time-management rule for job seekers.
• Labor Market Trends That Will Affect Your Career: Four important job trends you should know about.
• Job Outlook: Creating new jobs may take years - job-seekers need a strategy.

Do you know someone who wants a new career direction? Has been laid off? Is confused? Might want to go back to school? Have them call us at Career Matters.

We help people find their gifts and their directions. We work with people from 16 – 90. We offer testing, coaching, help with resumes and networking, finding jobs and interview skills

Call (720)489-9409 or visit AnneAngerman.com.

A Note From Anne

For many, it's a tough time not having a job or knowing when a new opportunity could happen. I am seeing many people now whom want to re-invent themselves. They're not happy in what they are doing and know they want to make a change to be happier in the long run.
Making a change can be hard, and it can take a lot of courage...but it's never too late to become who you would like to be or who you aspire to be.

If you're looking to make a change, I hope this fall will be the time for you to follow your dreams and take a risk.

Thanks for reading,

Anne

The Colorado Paradox

The 60-30-10 Rule of Job Hunting

Here is a simple rule to improve job hunting from Howard Figler, noted author and career coach. Of the hours that you devote to job hunting, make sure that:

• 60% of the time you should be in face-to–face contact with people in the world of work. “Face-to-face” includes information interviews, job interviews, and networking.
• 30% on the computer
• 10% communicating in writing

Why these percentages? Because people who hire trust what they see in front of them. Social contacts will always be important for the job hunter.

In other words, your computer isn't your most important job hunting tool.

Four Important Labor Market Trends That Will Affect Your Career

According to Michael Farr, author of the book 100 Fastest-Growing Careers (Jist Works, 2009), there are 4 major trends that will shape the labor market of the future.
Four Important Labor Market Trends For The Future:

1. Education Pays - People with higher levels of education and training have higher average earnings. Jobs that require education and training beyond high school are projected to grow significantly faster than jobs that do not.
2. Technology Counts - Knowledge of computer and other technologies is increasingly very important. In most fields, people without job-related technical and computer skills will have a more difficult time finding good opportunities because they are competing with those who have these skills. Especially for people over 50 without a lot of tech skills, it is definitely a disadvantage in the job market.
3. Ongoing Education and Training are Essential - To remain competitive, people need to upgrade technology and other job-related skills. This could mean taking classes online, taking classes, or extended reading.
4. Importance of Career Planning - Most people spend more time planning a vacation or watching TV than planning their career. It is so important to consider career options and plan, rather than waiting to be without a job.

Creating New Jobs May Take Years

Analysts say that employers who have cut jobs over the past year are in no hurry to start hiring again just because the recession is beginning to taper off. Some economists say that unemployment may not return to healthy levels until 2013.

Despite the bad outlook, hiring should start again late next year. However, it may take a long time to return to the way it was just a few months ago: The recession has eliminated 6.7 million jobs, and 14.5 million workers are unemployed and unable to find work. What's more, businesses in this recession have managed to be just as productive with fewer workers.

What does it all mean? Now is the time to seriously evaluate your career plans - waiting for things to "turn around" could take a while. Contact us to discuss your options.

Tales of Resilience

As we enter into fall, it is a time of change and renewal. Last week, I saw a woman in her mid-40’s who lost a very high-ranking job when her company was down-sized. After nine months, she's still working hard to find a new job.

However, despite her job status, she was optimistic and talking about “creating her new self”. Even thought I've been a career counselor for a long time and met a lot of people in this situation, I have to say I was amazed at her resilience.

Resilience, by the way, refers to a set of traits, skills, and abilities that determine our capacity to bounce back from disruptive change.

We all know people who seem to be more resilient than others and who go forward amidst sometimes incredible adversity. I am fascinated by this, and in my quest to learn more about these people I've discovered a couple of books that you might find interesting or inspiring:

The first book is Resilience: : Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities by Elizabeth Edwards. Elizabeth is the wife of John Edwards (you know the story) and it talks about her life and how she's managed to stay positive despite her challenges.

The second book is Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, an amazing and sometimes heart-wrenching account of Frankl's time in a concentration camp.

Do you know someone who wants a new career direction? Has been laid off? Is confused? Might want to go back to school? Have them call us at Career Matters.

We help people find their gifts and their directions. We work with people from 16 to 90. We offer testing, coaching, help with resumes and networking, finding jobs, and interview skills.

Call (720)489-9409 or visit AnneAngerman.com.