Career Counseling/Anyone Try It?

Avatar for colomom99
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Career Counseling/Anyone Try It?
5
Tue, 12-02-2008 - 12:44pm

Hi all, I am thinking of going to a career counselor after the first of the year. For background I have been a journalist for nearly 30 years and was laid off about 18 months ago. My beloved profession has been decimated of late with something like 10,000 people losing their jobs in the last year or so. It might not sound like much compared to auto industry or financial sector but we are a pretty small industry overall, esp. when you get to the mid to upper ranks. I have been freelancing but money continues to be tight and unpredictable. I can't imagine doing anything else and it makes me incredibly sad but I guess it's time. My situation is complicated in that my husband is in the same field and is doing well so we probably can't relocate to a place with more job opportunities for me.

I just wonder if anyone has ever changed careers with help of career counselor.

Thanks, jenny

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Tue, 12-02-2008 - 1:48pm
I don't think there is any harm in going to a college and taking an aptitude test. While there....see what jobs are in demand and what pays the most!


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Tue, 12-02-2008 - 3:29pm

Hey Jenny,


Does this mean DH isn't going to get the job in CA?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Tue, 12-02-2008 - 4:39pm

Oh, and one other recommendation is to take a look at "What Color is your Parachute" by Richard Bolles if you haven't already.

Avatar for colomom99
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Wed, 12-03-2008 - 9:06am

Wow. Thanks for remembering me. As far as California goes we still don't know. I suspect not. After four emails and two phone calls in one week he has heard nothing. It could be they decided to hire from within, it could be they haven't made a decision (they are incredibly slow about hiring which is why it was so amazing they acted quickly at first) or they could've decided not to fill the job. He's going to call next week and try to get a sense if it is still alive.

Thanks for the suggestions. I forgot about Liz. I have talked to her before for stories and love her. She is a hoot. Very outspoken and fiesty -- just what I like in a person. We were going to go out to lunch and couldn't and then never rescheduled. She was outraged by my lay off.

I love the IDEA that if you do what you love the money will follow. I'm currently writing a piece for a national magazine about -- now get this -- fighting your way back from foreclosure and indebtedness. It will pay me well but it takes a long time to get paid. It hurts to think I can't do this anymore. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't try to gt some kind of part-time work to fill in while I wait for the writing gigs. I hear about people making decent money at places like UPS but I don't have the foggiest idea how to get those jobs.

Thanks again for the support and suggestions. I'll keep everyone posted.

Jenny

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Wed, 12-03-2008 - 10:49am

Of course!