Hi,
I posted a question on August 22 about older career changers. Someone
answered with some of the better bets for older career changers but
one thing was lacking.

What are the requirements and training involved for some of these
careers. I would like to know the cost, approximate time to
completion, and if possible, the demands for such graduates.

For example, I looked into earning an import-export certificate but it
takes a year and no guarantee for a job. Also, many people have told
me that jobs available are very low end.

I also looked into a funeral director's training and a course here in
Dallas takes a year and a half and costs over 10k.

Of the careers mentioned in the Google researcher's, two of the most
likely for me were loan/insurance agent and instructor. I have taught
English and it is something I've considered strongly.

However, I don't want to limit your research to just those careers
mentioned in the response to my original question on August 22.

Please advise.

John

---

Request for Question Clarification by shiva777-ga on 31 Oct 2003 13:08 PST

It would help tremendously to know more about you....your likes,
dislikes, personality, current skills, degrees, income range desired
and just how much your willing to spend in time and money to be
trained. Also, anything else you can think of would help.

---

Clarification of Question by johnster-ga on 31 Oct 2003 16:17 PST

I have a BA in Pol Sci and French, and a MIM (similar to a MBA). 

My work experience has mostly been in the paper/recycling industries,
both of which are in the toilet. I also have experience working for an
association in D.C. which involved working with govt. agencies.

My last job was owner/director of a language service where we taught
languages, did translations and interpretations.

I live in Dallas but am willing to relocate, primarily the East Coast.
I'm proficient in both Spanish and French. I'm also willing to travel
both domestically and internationally. I don't mind working long hours
and on the weekends.

Some of the industries I'm interested in are environmental, education,
health and tourism. I don't want to be a travel agent however. I could
easily do the job, but they are a dime a dozen and pay is miserable.

I've been involved in operations, procurement, sales and management. I
could see myself as involved in inside sales or account management,
but not particularly in outside sales. I could do it, but I'm not
particularly fond on cold calling and client entertaining. My minimum
requirement for a job would be 35-40k and benefits. I'm willing to
start at an entry-level position.

My personality: I'm very friendly but probably more of an introvert
than an extrovert. Someone suggested Barnes and Noble probably taking
into account my background and education.

Hopefully this helps.

John

Hello John,

I’m a career counselor and I’d love to help you find a rewarding job
for the next stage of your life. I’ve read through all your Google
Answers questions to get a better idea of what you’re about. I see
from your prior postings that you have faced many challenges and that
you are now ready to focus on getting a new job.

The information you got about the best jobs gave you general
information based on labor market trends. This is a great place to
start your thinking about what you might want to do. The next step is
to go through all the stages of career development: self-assessment,
market exploration and focused job search.

You’ve given a lot of information about jobs you’ve had in the past
and a little bit about your personality and personal preferences. It’s
imperative that you get some clarity about who you are and what you
want to do in the next phase of your life. The “I’ll do anything”
approach is self-defeating. It’s crucial that you get clear about what
are your best skills, what you enjoy doing and are good at, what kinds
of work situations suit you the best and what kinds of work bring you
satisfaction. You have such a broad range of experience that it would
be difficult for anyone to advise you on what you ought to do. It’s
more important for you to go through the self-assessment process and
decide who you are and what you want to take to the next job.

Once you’re clear about who you are, it’s time to explore what the
world of work offers for you. You want to identify industries and
companies that could use your skills and experience. In today’s tight
employment market it’s essential that you do the research and evaluate
where the opportunities might be. I’ll be happy to help you explore
further, but you need to decide what is most important to you. The web
is wonderful for helping you get market and industry information.

Once you’ve focused on the kind of work you want to do, you have to
network your way into the hidden job market. I hate to bring this to
your attention, but job search in today’s market is tough for the 40+
employee. You will have to overcome initial resistance by making clear
why you’re the best candidate. This means you have to identify target
companies, know what their needs are and then find people who can
refer you. Networking is the key for people in your situation.

I’ve collected a lot of resources and I will be happy to help you take
this exploration to the next step. Look over the resources I’ve listed
and if you need additional information, ask for clarification.

I look forward to working with you to focus on the right job for the
next stage.

All the best.

~ czh ~

CAREER CHANGE FOR MATURE / EXPERIENCED PEOPLE

http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/fifty/
home > manage your career > 50+ professionals
***** This is a site from the Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal site
for 50+ job candidates. It offers lots of advice for the mature job
seeker.

http://www.aarp.org/careers-development/Articles/a2002-12-10-makeageirrelevant.html
Make Age Irrelevant by Beating Negative Views

http://www.aarp.org/careers-change/Articles/a2002-12-10-developlifeportfolio.html
Changing Careers Without Starting from Scratch

http://www.jsonline.com/bym/career/jul03/154578.asp
Job-seekers over 50 have to work every angle

http://www.suntimes.com/classified/careers/faq11.html
I am over 50. How should I approach the job search differently?

http://www.easyjob.net/resume/senior-resume.html
Near or over 50?  You can get a great job!

http://www.aarp.org/money/
Money and Work
http://www.aarp.org/careers/
Careers



http://content.netscape.monster.com/careerchangers/articles/self_assessment/50/
The After-50 Career Change


http://seniorliving.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fworking_options%2F
Changing Careers Without Starting from Scratch
If you are considering a new work assignment or moving into a new
career, take a look at your skills and see how they can help you
transition into new opportunities. Then, decide which skills you enjoy
using, select those that might lead you closer to your career goals,
and think about how they could be used in a new situation. Here's how.

http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/fifty/20021031-buss.html
Despite Progress, Age Bias Persists

http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/fifty/20020930-fmp.html
Why That Post-50 Job Is Getting Harder to Find

http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/fifty/20020624-crtichley.html
Dispelling the Myths That Hold Back Seniors


GETTING CLEAR ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU OFFER

http://content.monster.com/careerchangers/archives/self_assessment/
Self-Assessment

http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html
The Riley Guide: Preparing for A Job Search
Self-Assessment Resources

http://www1.sympatico.ca/Contents/Careers/assessment.html
Self-assessment

http://www.quintcareers.com/career_exploration.html
Career Exploration Resources

http://www.career-intelligence.com/assessment/career_assessment.asp
Assessment

http://www.onetcenter.org/tools.html
O*NETŪ Career Exploration Tools


CONNECTING WITH COMPANIES / ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED YOU
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/default.asp?soccode=&stfips=
Welcome to America's Career InfoNet!
Smart career decisions start here! Find wages and employment trends,
occupational requirements, state by state labor market conditions,
millions of employer contacts nationwide, and the most extensive
career resource library online.
Career Information and Career Tools

http://www.vault.com/
***** This is a great site to explore industries and current job
trends.

http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/home.asp
***** This is another great site for doing background research on
industries and companies.

http://jobsmart.org/
***** Another good collection of resources for industry research and
targeting your search.

http://www.rileyguide.com/jsresearch.html
The Riley Guide: Targeting & Research or  Executing Your Job Search
Campaign


TARGETING YOUR JOB SEARCH

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6331-5034560.html
Several targeted resumes will make job search more fruitful
 
http://www.unl.edu/careers/prepare/hiddenvisable.htm
The Hidden Job Market

http://jobsmart.org/hidden/index.cfm
Step-by-Step Plan for Finding the Jobs that are Never Advertised

http://www.job-hunt.org/hiddenjobmarket.shtml
Tapping the Hidden Job Market, Part I – PUSH

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/1219571.html
How to Find the Hidden Job Market - Part II


CAREER DEVELOPMENT – GENERAL RESOURCES

http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/Employment/Careers/Changing_Careers/
Business > Employment > Careers > Changing Careers

http://www.cdm.uwaterloo.ca/index.asp
Career Development eManual

http://www.washburn.k12.il.us/neff/careers/CareerPlanningWorksheet.htm
Career Planning Process



SEARCH STRATEGY

career change over 50
career exploration
targeted job search prospect list

---

Request for Answer Clarification by johnster-ga on 01 Nov 2003 10:07 PST

I appreciate all of the information received but I would like to know
more specifics about additional training and certificates needed to
pursue other careers. For example, is there one site listed here one
which you could see a variety of jobs and industries with their
minimum requirements in the form of further training , certificates,
etc. i.e., you could see a list of jobs and their requirements or by
selecting an industry profile you could see the requirements and what
time and additional schooling is necessary to enter this field.

For example, in Texas, what is the time frame and cost to get a
teaching certificate?

Please advise

---

Clarification of Answer by czh-ga on 01 Nov 2003 20:47 PST

Hello again John,

I’ve gotten you some specific information about training programs but
I urge you to take another look at the steps that are necessary to
make the best use of that information.


===================================================
JOHN’S PROFILE
What I know about you from your messages
===================================================

Education: 
BA political science and French, MIM (equivalent to MBA)

Experience – Industries: 
paper, recycling, association management, language services

Experience – Functional Areas: 
operations, procurement, sales and management.

Skills: 
Fluent in Spanish and French, operations, procurement, sales,
management.

Requirements: 
$35,000 - $40,000, willing to travel, willing to start entry-level.

Personal qualities: 
friendly, introvert

Values:

Interests: 
environmental, education, health, tourism, import/export, funeral
director, loan or insurance agent, instructor


Imagine looking at this profile from an employer’s perspective. If you
had five minutes to spend with a hiring manager at a company that is
attractive to you, what would they be able to tell about you and why
you would be a good fit for them? You have to make it easy for an
employer to say “yes” to whatever it is you’re selling to them. It’s
not clear what you want to bring to the job market. You’re in the
“I’ll do anything” phase.

Not so surprisingly, employer’s don’t want someone who’ll do anything.
They want someone who will be the answer to their prayers – someone
who will meet the requirements of the job they have open. Your profile
shows that you’re versatile and have experience in a variety of fields
and functional areas. You will have to help potential employers (and
first yourself) by focusing on which of your skills you want to
emphasize and which functional areas you want to work in.

Once you’ve gotten clear about yourself – completed your
self-assessment – you will be able to focus on exploring the job
market, industries and specific companies. You’re asking about what
training programs might make sense. I’ve collected a variety of
resources to help you get this information by following the links
below. You can look for programs in teaching, health, tourism and
environmental businesses but I don’t think this will give you the kind
of clarity you’re looking for.

In today’s tough market you have to be very clear on why you are a
good candidate for a job. You need to define what is the base of past
experience you want to take forward. If you want to go into teaching,
what level and subject do you want to teach in what geographic
location? If you’re interested in sales, what kinds of products do you
see yourself selling? What types of industries or companies interest
you? Once you know this, you can explore what kind of additional
education you will need to be able to pursue this objective. The same
is true with health or tourism.

All of these industries are too big to be able to get a handle on your
prospects without having a better idea of the qualifications you
already have. I urge you to complete a self-assessment and then go on
to exploring specific industries to determine whether further training
will be necessary and/or worthwhile.

I’ve collected a variety of resources for you to answer your immediate
question about training programs for teachers and other jobs. I’ve
also collected a variety of resources to help you explore health care
and environmental jobs and careers.

Making a career change is hard work but the more you invest in the
self-assessment and industry research stages, the greater the chance
of finding a satisfying new career.

Wishing you great success.

~ czh ~


===========================
TEXAS JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS
===========================

http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is the state government agency
charged with overseeing and providing workforce development services
to employers and job seekers of Texas. For employers, TWC offers
recruiting, retention, training and retraining, and outplacement
services as well as valuable information on labor law and labor market
statistics. For job seekers, TWC offers career development
information, job search resources, training programs, and, as
appropriate, unemployment benefits. While targeted populations receive
intensive assistance to overcome barriers to employment all Texans can
benefit from the services offered by TWC and our network of workforce
partners.

Primary services of the Texas Workforce Commission and our network
partners are funded by federal tax revenue and are generally free to
all Texans.

***** This is a great place to start for getting answers to all your
questions. You can approach your investigations from many angles.
Following the links you can get regional, state and local information.



================================
HOW TO BECOME A TEACHER IN TEXAS
================================

http://www.twc.state.tx.us/careers/teaching.html
Teaching
 Texas will need over 82,000 new teachers by 2008. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics projects teaching as one of the fastest growing occupations
over the next 5-10 years and beyond, with demand and growth continuing
to increase.

The average teacher salary in Texas is $38,857. Special programs and
incentives are available to help people become and remain teachers.

Find out below about making a living and a difference as a teacher in
Texas and get answers here to frequently asked questions about the
teaching profession.
http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/becometeacher.asp?width=800&height=600

The State of Texas is facing a major educational challenge—a growing
shortage of qualified teachers. Whether you are a recent college
graduate, a mid-career changer, a teacher from another state/country,
or someone who does not yet have a college degree, the information
below outlines how to become a teacher in Texas.

***** Explore the resources on this site to find out what is required
to become a teacher in Texas. There are many variables that impact how
fast you might qualify, including: prior education, subject you want
to teach, where you’re willing to teach etc.



===================================================
TEXAS TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PROVIDERS
===================================================

http://www.twc.state.tx.us/customers/jsemp/jsempsub5.html
Texas Workforce
Training Providers and Programs

http://www.twc.state.tx.us/svcs/propschools/proplink.html
Career Schools and Colleges - Related Web Links

***** You can use these sites to explore the education programs that
are available for subjects that interest you. Clicking through to the
specific school’s listing will give you information about certificates
offered, length of program, cost and other information.


==============================
TEXAS LABOR MARKET INFORMATION
==============================

http://socrates.cdr.state.tx.us/
Welcome to SOCRATES! This system is designed as a tool to assist local
Texas planners perform a regional labor market analysis. SOCRATES is
useful for local workforce board planning under the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA) to generate lists of Targeted Industries and
Targeted Occupations. It is also excellent for researching regional
Texas labor markets and identifying occupational training
possibilities or to justify new program submission and approval.

***** This site is an excellent resource for getting up-to-date Texas
labor market information. Follow the links to get whatever type of
report interests you. This tool is excellent for reviewing the labor
market situation in your location or other locations you’re thinking
of investigating.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.tracer2.com/
The Texas Workforce Commission is proud to provide to you TRACER -
Labor Market Information 24/7. The new system will allow you to get
answers to your LMI questions at your own convenience...


http://www.careeronestop.org/
Career One Stop

Welcome to the nation's publicly-funded resource for jobseekers and
businesses.
Find jobs--from entry level to technical to professional to CEO.
Identify job-ready workers with the right skills. Locate public
workforce services in your area. Explore alternative career paths,
compare salary data for different occupations, learn which careers are
hot, get resume writing tips and job interview strategies, and much
more!

***** This is a great place to explore all facets of labor market,
career change and education and training resources for your state.
Just follow the links to explore jobs, industries, locations, training
requirements and more.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.servicelocator.org/
Employers and jobseekers can find the services they need at a
convenient Career One-Stop Center. Just enter your zip code and select
the desired service(s). Or just pick up the phone and dial
1-877-US-2JOBS for direct assistance!


-------------------------------------------------

http://www.acinet.org/acinet/lois_agency.asp?stfips=48&by=state&x=57&y=14
Texas
Licensed Occupations - Search Results

Listed below are the licenses and the licensing boards that license
them. To learn more about a specific license or licensing board, click
on the license or licensing board.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/research/dssi.htm
Texas Health and Human Services Division
Demographic and Socioeconomic Statistics / Indicators

-------------------------------------------------


http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/16/news/economy/texas/
Blame Texas for weak job market? 

Fed study says the Lone Star state usually creates jobs after
recessions; this time, it hasn't.
September 16, 2003: 11:34 AM EDT 

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.job-hunt.org/jobs/texas.shtml
Texas Career and Job Search Resources

***** This site provides an excellent collection of Texas resources.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.acinet.org/acinet/oview2.asp?Level=Overall&from=State&stfips=48&soccode=
Occupations with the Most Openings
Overall - Texas 
Listed below are occupations 1-25 of the 384 occupations with the
largest number of projected openings during the 1998-2008 time period.
Click on an occupation to learn more about it, including state data.

***** Click on any job title to get additional information about
current employment statistics and future job outlook as well as salary
levels and education requirements. One level up you can get other
types of profiles. http://www.acinet.org/acinet/state1.asp?stfips=48


===============================
ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY AND JOBS
===============================

http://www.eco.org/
Environmental Careers Organization

http://www.ecojobs.com/
Environmental Career Opportunities

http://environmentalcareer.com/
Environmental Career Center

http://www.ejobs.org/
Environmental Jobs and Careers

http://environmental-industry.com/
Environmental Business International, Inc.

http://www.ela-iet.com/iet.htm
The Institute of Environmental Technology (IET), a virtual
organization without profit motive, was formed in 1992 to offer
introductory and advanced environmental training. The IET provides a
forum for continuing dialogue and invited funding for research on
environmental methods and techniques, field conditions in and around
Houston, Texas, and on technology in use today and in the foreseeable
future. The Institute provides environmental training for individuals
with a strong desire to learn and to succeed in industries and
consulting companies involved in environmental issues.

http://www.tec.org/
The Texas Environmental Center (TEC) is a non-profit organization that
produces Web and CD-ROM-based environmental programs. TEC has been a
pioneer in the use of the Internet since 1991, and developed one of
the first online libraries in a partnership with Rice University.


=============================
HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY AND JOBS
=============================

http://healthcarejobs.org/
HEALTH CARE JOBS & CAREERS
CAREER CENTER

Health Care Jobs & Careers is a career center for exploring health
care occupations and for those who are actively looking for health
care jobs including jobs with the Veterans Administration in the
federal government. You will find valuable health care job hunting
information and resources that you can use to explore lucrative and
fast growing careers in the allied health care industry. The
information provided on this service is excerpted from the all new
third edition of  Health Care Job Explosion! High Growth Health Care
Careers and JOB LOCATOR by Dennis V. Damp.

The Department of Labor projects a 26% increase in the number of
health care jobs between now and 2008. Health care careers are still
the rising stars of the employment outlook.

Many of the fastest growing occupations are concentrated in the health
services field and 14% of all job growth from 1998 - 2008 will be in
health services. Factors contributing to continued growth in this
industry include the aging population, which will continue to require
more services, and the increased use of innovative medical technology
for intensive diagnosis and treatment. The effect of the increasing
proportion of the elderly is already being felt.


http://healthcare.monster.com/
Monster Healthcare

http://www.nationjob.com/medical/
Medical and Healthcare Jobs

http://www.hin.com/
Healthcare Intelligence Network

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/reports/hcimu/
CMS Health Care Industry Market Update

http://www.texmed.org/pmt/lel/cln/healthcare_economy.asp
Benefits of Health Care Industry to theTexas Economy

I am probably much more organized and focused than you, the
researcher, thinks.
I've networked considerably, I've applied to specific jobs and have
written detailed letters to possible employers.

My original purpose in asking the questions was to get an idea of some
the careers out there that meet my criteria and which require
retraining. I have read and given advice that I might need additional
training for a new career.

I wanted to see a list of careers that require certificates or degrees
and I would scroll through them to see which met my criteria and which
ones took a year's or less time and were promising for employment. The
website you've given me that met my the specifics of my question is
the Career on line site.

I appreciate all of the other information but it wasn't entirely
necessary.

Even though you provided me with alot of information, some of it
really doesn't relate to me. Therefore, I've given you a lower rating
than the others and reducing the tip.

Hello again John,

I certainly appreciate that you have lots of experience in a variety
of fields and that you clearly are savvy about the job hunting
process. My experience with clients in your shoes (those who are
versatile and flexible) is that sometimes it makes a career change
tougher, rather than easier. Potential employers like to see a
coherent picture and frequently are reluctant to take the time to see
how the varied background is relevant to their particular job or
situation.

I hope you will browse through all the Texas training and labor market
sites I've provided to get a sense of the range of training programs
that are available. The information is there but there are too many
variables to be able to easily generate a table for easy comparison.

I appreciate your feedback and the generous tip. I wish you well with
your career decision making.

~ czh ~