2011 DallasHR Workforce Readiness Committee 1 Getting back into the Workforce 2011 DallasHR Workforce Readiness Committee

“ Transitioning back into Civilian Employment “ Workforce Readiness and DallasHR Military Employment Civilian Employment

6 steps to changing your career These steps serve as a framework on which to make a career transition and should not be viewed as a definitive 6-step process. The details will depend on you as a person and your particular situation. As a whole, these steps are essential to your continued career success and also your personal growth Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

1. Conduct a Self-Assessment Write down on paper all of these that you possess. Once you have the list on paper, put it aside, take another day to think about it, and then come back to it and write some more. An essential ingredient when it comes time to write your resume Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

2. Learn all you can Decide on the a career you feel you might enjoy and then learn all you can about your prospective new career. Visit your local library to do research. Network with people in that career and ask them questions about what skills you need to be successful in that career Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

3. Identify your Transferable Skills Look at all of your knowledge, skills, and abilities and see which ones may be applied to the new career. Write down specific events of when you’ve used these skills in the past. Cross-match your past skills to the new skills you will need Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

4. Develop a Strategy Develop a strategy to effectively assimilate your transferable skills to the new career. Put “spin” on your skills to show how they will enable you to succeed in the new career. Have you done volunteer work that shows you have the concrete skills the new career requires? Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

5. Ask for Honest Feedback Go on more informational interviews and ask for honest feedback on how effectively you communicated your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Ask how you could present your skills more effectively or more attractively to an employer. Take a pad of paper on write down every bit of advice you get Workforce Readiness and DallasHR

6. Start the Job Search Start the job search using a “rifle” not “shotgun” approach. Aim for the bull’s-eye that you have identified as your ideal job. Decide what you want to do and then find the right market Workforce Readiness and DallasHR