Help me figure out how to switch careers!

[miss fortune]

I want to find a new job... I want to do something more helpful to society and which allows me a bit more free time (I work about 11 hours a day currently )... however, I have no job experience in anything of the sort and I don't know how to spin my resume that way or where to look

I'm taking a wild guess that some members of this site are a bit less clueless than I am and will be nice enough to give me a few pointers... please?

 

[rav3n]

Why not peel back your current hours and use the time to volunteer to fund raise for charities? This way, you can network and potentially connect with individuals who might know of a reasonable paying job (enough to support you at least) within the charitable organisation sector.

 

[miss fortune]

I can't cut back on hours... it's required that I work those hours to keep my job

 

[Such Irony]

It might be more helpful if you could tell us what specific jobs you're looking for. If you are not looking for a specific kind of job per se, are there specific characteristics that you feel are 'must haves' in your job? Conversely, what things in a job do you not definitely not want to have?

A lot of it boils down to personality. What could be the perfect job for one person can be a total nightmare for another. Someone with strong extraversion might love a job where they get to interact with people all day while someone with strong introversion might consider that torture.

 

[rav3n]

Many employers support preferred charities. When this happens, they're sometimes willing to back off loading on work to employees who do provide volunteer services to their charities, particularly if you're in sales and they believe your ability to network might benefit the company in some way like potential new clients.

 

[Amargith]

Do you like sales? If so...I'd say look into working for a company that works for charities. I used to work for a company like that as a Team Leader and a Coach.

What they do is send their employees out on street corners and even to the houses of people and try and raise sympathy for a cause, and sign people up to become members of a certain charity (it helps to do it for one that you very much believe in), as well as contribute a certain sum a month to that charity, providing said charity with the means as well as the political pressure through votes to further their cause. It's an American concept, so it should exist over there as well, and my company worked for the great charities such as WWF, Oxfam, Amnesty International and so on.

My ex-boss was an ISTP and I've first hand noticed that STPs, especially those going all out for the greater good, are a force to be reckoned with as well as made for that job. Often there's a very high turn over and you can easily make promotion to the point of running your own department eventually if you prove to be good as well as reliable and a good motivator for your team members.

It doesn't earn the big bucks, especially at ground level, and it's a lot of hard work, with often unreliable hours, but it can be very fulfilling

 

[miss fortune]

I have a degree in sociology and speak spanish... I'd like to be able to do something with that. And I'd like a job where I can go home at the end of the night feeling that I've done something productive and GOOD for humanity over the course of the day I guess

I don't mind working with people, I just don't feel like I'm much of a productive member of society selling things for a living... I'm not too fond of the corporate world and would prefer to trade in my suit jackets for sweaters

 

[Amargith]

Take an interpreters course and get sworn in at your local courthouse to be an interpreter. Realize you'll witness a lot of human misery and get called at odd hours to translate. It can be immensely rewarding to help those people out though.

 

[Scott N Denver]

This isn't too specific, but there are big sections [ok, not THAT big] in bookstores on "careers", with topics like "finding the right career for you", "best 100 medical jobs" "how to get a government job" etc. "What color is your parachute" is extremely well-known. There are also MBTI-based career books [ie ISFP's often enjoy working in the following positions..."] such as "whats my type of career" and "do what you are."

I was in that section of a local B&N on Fri night, and it was probably two-shelves wide.

 

[Lux]

I like the idea of doing what comes naturally to you.. following your strengths. What are you good at? To give a bit of background, I thought that my 'talents' were not really job conducive.. I got this book: http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx... Took the test and still felt that my 'talents' were absurd. But it turns out they weren't and I am an asset to my company, and I love my career path..

I also look at lots of resumes, I can help you out if you want me to. What is something you'd want to do even if it seems silly? I mean, nothing like riding on unicorns while spitting fire, that's just not real life.. but something you'd think was satisfying?

 

[miss fortune]

I dunno... I've always been good at convincing people of things, regardless of language, and am quite good at calming down angry people if necissary... I know those things are considered good for work and such, but I want to be able to use them for something more meaningful than convincing them to buy something

and no... I can't get off work for anything... it's preformance based pay, and if I miss any time at all I get paid less

I have no clue how to write a proper resume to cover the fact that I've worked a lot of different jobs and spent a ton of time in school either

 

[Andy]

I dunno... I've always been good at convincing people of things, regardless of language, and am quite good at calming down angry people if necissary... I know those things are considered good for work and such, but I want to be able to use them for something more meaningful than convincing them to buy something

and no... I can't get off work for anything... it's preformance based pay, and if I miss any time at all I get paid less

I have no clue how to write a proper resume to cover the fact that I've worked a lot of different jobs and spent a ton of time in school either

There are frequently positions available at insitutes that cater for adolesents with behavioral problems, autism, downsyndrome and the like. The jobs are there because most people can't handle it, so be warned. That said, my brother has done such things for quite a few years without anything worse than a few bite marks to show for it. You'll get plenty of chance to be persuasive with angry people. My brother entered that career after having worked in warehouse, which is completely unrelated, so your CV is probably less important than the attitude you show on the job. I think the people who run these places take a darwinian approach to finding the right candidate. "Give them the job and see if they are still here at the end of the first week."

 

[Lux]

Your resume is you selling you. School is a good thing, only put the degree, not the dates. Job hoping is a bit different, but you can put a heading such as "Relevant experience" then tailor your past positions with the company you're looking to be employed at. What skills you have and how you dealt with past situations. You can make anything sound good.

 

[miss fortune]

wow... writing a resume is hard when you come from a background that states "don't brag about yourself"

not to mention that it's rather boring as well

and I tend to last longer than most in the jobs that chew people up and spit them out

 

[Lux]

Okay, I didn't mean to be offensive with the 'job hoping,' you stated, " to cover the fact that I've worked a lot of different jobs..." so I assumed you wanted to cover up having lot's of different jobs. My mistake. It's not bragging, it's recognizing what you do well. I happen to think writing a resume is fun. Example: Person works at McDonald's.. They take orders and give people food, listen to their boss tell them what to do better, clean up the restrooms, and maybe have some shift manager responsibilities. That sounds boring. Or, they could list their qualities like this:

Work Experience: McDonald's Crew leader

- Assisted customers with precision
- Team player with a student mentality
- Excellent with time management
- Worked well under pressure
- Skilled in conflict / resolution

Etc. It can be fun... I read about 500 resumes a week. There are good ones and bad ones. Let me know if you want some help.

 

[miss fortune]

I went with a functional resume so that I could avoid mentioning my frequent job changes

if you would give feedback that would be super awesome!

 

[Athenian200]

I want to find a new job... I want to do something more helpful to society and which allows me a bit more free time (I work about 11 hours a day currently )... however, I have no job experience in anything of the sort and I don't know how to spin my resume that way or where to look

I'm taking a wild guess that some members of this site are a bit less clueless than I am and will be nice enough to give me a few pointers... please?

Yay!

I was hoping you would want to switch careers... although I wouldn't have dared suggest it in this economy. That job just isn't working out for you well... you don't like the people, you aren't finding any meaning in it... the only good thing about it is the money.

All right, I've got some theories, but don't take anything I say too seriously.

Well, the way to start off is to try and acquire skills in your desired field. Perhaps volunteering in a place that would help you develop them on weekends or something? Or maybe taking a few classes on it? Also, it's important to connect with people who are in your desired field. This means you'll have to force yourself to socialize (yes, I know that sucks when you don't have the energy), seek out people who work in such places, and interact with them on a regular basis. Eventually, maybe your job satisfaction will come up, as may your interest in that field, and some of the contacts you've made will be able to get you a job. This process could take a while, but I think that it would eventually get you interviews, if not a job.

The thing is, it WILL be quite taxing on your energy reserves, and it means you won't have a lot of downtime.

Another tip, is that there is probably SOME way you can mention the skills and experience you have already in a way that makes them sound desirable in a different context. Since you've been employed a few times before. You just need someone to help you say it in the right way. The contacts in the field, who I suggested forming, would be the best for this task. Alternatively, you could ask us... but we wouldn't be as helpful as people who've actually gotten such jobs.

 

[Giggly]

I know this is old but I just saw it.

This response may not be very helpful but I see you being good in the field of Human Services... specifically in counseling people who need to be convinced of something that's good for them. Like maybe rehab program counselor, or battered women shelter. Oh! What about a Mediator?--Like the person who helps two people resolve their legal disputes. I think you'd be good at that!

 

[skylights]

^ actually, yeah, whatever, i could see you as being excellent at mediating as well. or what andy said

 

[miss fortune]

it sounds fun, but I'm not sure how to even get into that field