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12 Steps to a New Career

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Table of Contents

12 Steps to a New Career contains career change guidance specifically for those in the following situations where you are:

  • An executive or senior-level professional
  • Considering making a career change
  • Currently in transition and searching for a new opportunity
  • Looking for career search guidance that is specific to executives and senior-level professionals
  • Unclear about what you need to do, when you need to do it, why you need to do it that way, and you want to see examples of how to do it

If you resonate with the above, 12 Steps to a New Career will describe the process you will need to follow, the guidance of how to do it, and supported by examples and worksheets that illustrate and simplify the process for you. You won’t have to translate how general job and career change advice relates to your situation. I’ll explain how the job market works at your level, what your resume needs to look like, and how you can take control of your job or career search.

12 Steps to a New Career is divided into the five following sections and chapters that take you through the entire career change process from discovery to success:

Section 1 – Finding who you are and what you bring to the table

Chapter 1. Take Stock
You will identify your values and goals and learn how to key in on what you want from your next job. This will help you make better decisions about your next job and cause others to see you as being in charge of your career.

Chapter 2. Achievements
You will discover your achievements and be able to describe them in ways that others will see you as the resource they need.

Chapter 3. Skills
You will identify all your skills and prioritize the ones you prefer to use most often.

Section 2 – Identifying and evaluating your employment options

Chapter 4. Career Options
By getting clear on your career options, you will be able to energize or refocus your efforts, whether you have chosen a job search or a career change.

Chapter 5. Self-Employment Options
You will examine whether self-employment is an option for you now or at some time in the future and will be able to compare and contrast the options to see which might be right for you.

Section 3 – Marketing yourself effectively: What, Why, and How

Chapter 6. Resumes
You will learn how to prepare a persuasive resume that makes a powerful statement about you. You won’t need to make several different versions. You only need one that supports your career objectives.

Chapter 7. The Job Market
How should mid-career individuals approach the job market? I’ll strip away the hype and explain what works best, where you should spend most of your time, and how to use each approach most effectively.

Section 4 – Mastering the different ways you communicate with others

Chapter 8. Networking
You must get others to support you and open doors that you cannot open on your own. I’ll help you broaden your network and leverage your contacts so that they will want to help you.

Chapter 9. Communicating
If you don’t make a strong impression the first time, you may not get a second chance. Don’t leave it to chance. I’ll help you discover what to say, how to say it, and how to listen to yourself when talking to others so that you make a positive and lasting impression on others.

Chapter 10. Interviewing
Candidates who fail at interviews usually do so because they were unprepared. I’ll help you prepare to be the leading candidate.

Chapter 11. Negotiating Your Salary
You may have limited opportunities to negotiate your salary. I’ll help you prepare in advance so you know how to respond to questions that won’t diminish your options.

Section 5 – Keeping yourself focused and on track

Chapter 12. Creating your strategic plan
I will help you create your strategic plan and develop milestones that ensure you stay focused and maintain control over your job or career search.

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Additional Career Change Resources:

Worksheets and Exercises

All the examples and worksheets in 12 Steps to a New Career are reproduced in letter size (8 1/2″ x 11″) format so you will be able to use them more easily. Click here to see the list.

Career Change Reference Documents

The three Reference Documents that I mention in the book but could not include due to space limitations are listed below. Click on the links to read about each subject. You will also be able to download a PDF version of each one for your use:

  • Personality Type Characteristics – Reference 1.1 – This provides an easy-to-understand way to look at different personality types based on the concepts of the Myers-Briggs MBTI.
  • Career-Related Reading List – Reference 1.2 –  This lists many books you will find online and in book stores. I include a summary of each book along with my recommendations. I’ve only included those books I personally felt warranted consideration. There may be others I have not yet reviewed and they will be added in due course.
  • Career Change Resources – Reference 4.1 – This is an extensive list of where to get additional information on companies and various subjects that might be of interest to someone in transition. It is separated between the US, Canada, and the UK.