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100 Places to Plan & Research Your Next Career Move

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Whether you are taking advantage of the economic times to make a career move or if you have been laid off from your job, by many accounts, this is a great time to reevaluate your options and move ahead toward a career that will provide you with the fulfillment you seek. The following list offers resources for career changing, career and skill assessments, tools to help you create awesome resumes and cover letters, information on changing careers later in life, moving into a non-profit job, and online networking to find your next job.
Resources on Career Changing
The following articles will help you learn about and plan for a career change.
  1. Making Career Changes. Whether you were laid off or are making a career change intentionally, this resource offers tons of information on ways to make the transition smoothly and successfully.
  2. Career Changers Choose Teaching. This article explores why many career changers go to teaching and how to make it happen for you.
  3. Job Search and Career Change Success Stories. This podcast showcases several people who have successfully made career changes.
  4. Strategic Portrayal of Transferable Job Skills is a Vital Job-Search Technique. Learn how to make your experience fit within your new target career with this article.
  5. 10 Steps to Escaping the Job World and Creating the Life You Really Want. This article will help you identify your passions and focus on a new direction for your new career.
  6. Make Your Vacation Spot Your Home. If you are considering moving to your ideal location, check out this article to find important points to consider.
  7. Finding your Career Passion. This list of points to consider will have you thinking about what inspires and motivates you so you can consider a fulfilling career.
  8. Three Who Followed the Market to a Better Job. Read about these three professionals who made solid career changes.
  9. Career Change from the Inside Out. This article offers two great books to help you change your perspective on your career, whether you actually switch your job or not.
  10. A career change in this economic climate? Absolutely!. This article outlines why now may be a great time to change careers and how to go about doing so.
  11. How to Prepare for a Career Change, Job Loss or Self Employment. Find out what you can do to prepare for any type of job change.
Tips for Career Changing
Follow this advice to ensure your career change goes smoothly.
  1. The 10-Step Plan to Career Change. These ten steps will help you explore and find the next career for you.
  2. Practical Tips for Professionals Ready for a Career Change. Exploring some of the options available to one specific professional, the tips here are inspiring for anyone looking for a career change.
  3. Career Change Do’s and Don’ts. From having a well-developed plan to being flexible, these tips will help you get in the right frame of mind when considering career change.
  4. Facing a Job Search | Dodging Landmines. This video interview discusses what you should do to prepare for a career switch.
  5. Control Your Career — Be Your Own Headhunter. Don’t rely on someone else to find your perfect job, follow this advice and let the person who knows you best do it–you!
  6. Five Tips for Switching Career Paths. Follow these tips to ensure you can make the career switch successfully.
Websites Specifically for Career Changing
Visit these websites for advice on career changing, discovering terrible bosses, and advice for women coming into the workforce after time away.
  1. Career Change: Advice and Tips for Changing Careers. From About.com, this site offers resources, tips, and advice on changing your career.
  2. eBossWatch. Make sure your next boss isn’t a bad one with this website where employees can make anonymous reports about the quality of their boss.
  3. Careershifters. This site from the UK offers tons of advice and resources for those making a career change.
  4. A Career Change. Find advice and tips on making a career change from experts on this site.
  5. YourOnRamp. Specifically for women making a career change, this site offers tons of advice and resources, as well as a job board.
Career and Skill Assessment Tools
Use these tools to discover your strengths and find direction when looking at new career options.
  1. O*NET Online. From the US Department of Labor, this site lets you browse skills, tools, and technology to find matching occupations as well as explore occupations in a variety of categories, including In-Demand Jobs.
  2. CareerOneStop Career Tools. Find tools such as a certification finder, job description writer, and skills profiler here.
  3. VocationVacations. An excellent way to try out your dream job to ensure it really is your dream, VocationVacations offer you the opportunity to try jobs while on vacation.
  4. LiveCareer Free Career Testing. Take this assessment to receive a report detailing career options specifically matched to your skills and abilities.
  5. JobDiagnosis.com. Get free job diagnosis and career matching when you complete the survey on this site.
  6. Work Preference Inventory. This quick assessment will map out the environment in which you work best.
  7. Career Planner Quiz. Take this quiz to discover what new career might be for you.
  8. Keirsey Temperament Sorter. This popular personality assessment will help you discover for what type of career you are best suited.
  9. Career Exploration. This step-by-step tutorial can help you determine what career is right for you.
  10. Career Tests. These tests can help you understand your specific styles so you can know what kind of career to seek.
Tools for Resumes and Cover Letters
Make sure you use these tools and resources to create great resumes and cover letters–your first introduction to potential employers.
  1. Career Changers’ Most Powerful Resume and Cover-Letter Tool: Transferable Skills. Learn how to make your past experience work for you on your resume and cover letter during a career change.
  2. 5 Phrases That Can Poison Your Resume. Avoid these resume killers and cliches when putting together your resume.
  3. Resume Videos. Watch these free videos to learn how to create a great resume.
  4. Quickstart Resume Templates. Select from over 300 templates from a variety of educational backgrounds to help you create a perfect resume.
  5. Free Resume Critique. Submit your resume here to find out how it measures up and what you might need to change.
  6. Sample Cover Letters. These samples include a generic template as well as more specialized letters from a variety of referrals.
  7. Cover Letters. Find a sample cover letter, an example of the best and worst cover letters, and more.
  8. Cover Letter Samples. Use these samples to get you started writing excellent cover letters that will get your foot in the door for an interview.
Job Search Sites
These sites offer tons of job opportunities as well as advice and information to make your job search a successful one.
  1. Indeed. Indeed just asks you to enter a location and job title, key word, or company name to find what jobs are available in your area.
  2. Yahoo! HotJobs. See what jobs are available through Yahoo!, where you can search by keyword or browse by category or location.
  3. Monster. One of the most popular job search sites, Monster will help you connect with employers, create a resume, plot a career plan, and much more.
  4. Jobster. Create a profile with such features as a video resume, links to your website, and more with Jobster.
  5. Quintessential Careers. Create a free account to find jobs with this industry-specific tool.
  6. Simply Hired. Simply Hired allows you to easily search by keyword and location to find available jobs.
  7. CareerBuilder.com. Search for jobs, send out your resume, and more with this job search site.
  8. JobPile. A job board aggregator, this site brings you the best of the popular job boards in one place.
  9. Craigslist. Craigslist is a great place to search for jobs with small to medium-sized companies. Stay on top of your search daily to find the best jobs.
  10. Employment Spot. Find a job or browse through the articles and information available here to get tips on finding a job.
  11. JobFox. Create a profile and let JobFox match you to potential job openings through introductions.
  12. JobBoardReviews. This site lets you look at the major job boards and get job search news too.
Interviewing
Make sure you are ready for the interview by checking out these resources.
  1. Tough Interview Questions. Read through and answer these tough questions, then click on "Best Answers" to see how you did.
  2. Fifty Standard Interview Questions. Practice answering the questions on this list to ensure you aren’t caught by surprise during the big interview.
  3. Candidate Interview Questions. Asking questions of your interviewers is important, so be prepared with these handy lists of questions.
  4. Phone Interviewing Success. Use these tips to make sure you make the best first impression with your phone interview.
  5. When Job Hunting: Dress for Success. Find out what to wear to an interview, how to get donations if you can’t afford interview clothes, and other information about dressing for success.
  6. What Not to Wear on an Interview. Make sure you look professional on your interview with the suggestions here.
  7. Improve Your Interview Appearance and Body Language. This video will help you learn the importance body language can play in an interview and teach you what to do.
  8. Interview Prep for New Grads. You don’t have to be a new grad to use these great tips.
Resources for Returning to School
If you are thinking about going back to school as a part of your next career move, then read these informative articles.
  1. Considering Graduate School? Answer These Five Questions Before You Decide. These questions are a great place to start when considering going back to school for your graduate degree.
  2. A return to school before a return to the job market. This article takes a look at why many choose poor job markets as a time to return to school and what that education may look like with online and part-time educational opportunities.
  3. Non-traditional Student. This list of resources is specifically for older students returning to school.
  4. Alternative Admission Programs. If you are considering returning to college for your undergraduate degree but have been out of high school for many years, learn about these programs that may gain your admission to college.
  5. Getting creative. This article describes how laid-off workers and career-changers go back to school to follow their passions.
  6. Is a Return to School in Your Future?. This blog post offers helpful advice and points of consideration if you are contemplating returning to school.
  7. Career Path Leads Back to School. Learn how this late-blooming student went back to school to improve her career.
Career Changing Later in Life
All of these resources are targeted to those making career changes later in life.
  1. Can I Change My Career Without Losing Ground?. For women over 50 with a gap in employment history, this article offers advice about seeking a career without undervaluing yourself.
  2. Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Strategies for Older Workers. Get great tips to make all aspects of your job search appealing to employers.
  3. Life After Work. Become inspired by the stories of these seven Baby Boomers who recreated their careers after retirement.
  4. An Unsatisfied Executive Asks ‘How Do I Change Careers?’. Find out how you can use your past experience to focus on your future.
  5. AARP Work. This section of the AARP website offers articles, tips, and more for mature individuals seeking information on career and job.
  6. Career Change and the Seasoned Worker. Explode some tired myths about career change with this article.
  7. Baby Boomers, Beware! Don’t Let Your Resume Date You!. Follow these strategies to ensure your resume looks current and attractive.
  8. Positive Attitude is Key When Fighting Prejudice Against Older Workers. If you’ve bumped up against age discrimination during your job search, then this article is a must-read for you.
  9. WiserWorker.com. This site is dedicated to helping seniors find employment with resources and job listings.
  10. Experience Works. Helping older people get training and find employment is the mission of this organization.
  11. RebootYou.com. Find plenty of information here about recreating your career later in life.
  12. SeniorJobBank. Specifically for job-seekers over 50, this site brings employers and employees together.
  13. Seniors4Hire. For job-seekers over 50, this site offers free membership, job resources, resume posting, and more.
Non-Profit Jobs
If you are looking for a more fulfilling career, take a look at the non-profit world with these resources.
  1. Career Change to a Job in the Non-Profit World. Determine if a job with a non-profit is for you and how to go about establishing this new career.
  2. Bridgestar. If you are trying to find a non-profit job, this site offers information about working in the non-profit realm as well as job searches.
  3. Opportunity Knocks. Find a non-profit job, post your resume, and browse through all the resources on this site.
  4. NTEN. Non-profit technology jobs are the focus on this site that offers job postings, events, webinars, and much more.
  5. Idealist. Not only can you find job postings here, but you can also connect with other like-minded people and organizations working for the opportunity for all people to "lead free and dignified lives."
  6. Care2 JobFinder. Find jobs with socially responsible companies at the Care2 JobFinder page.
  7. Jobs for Change. If you want a job where you can make a difference for society or in a non-profit sector, then check out this site.
Online Networking
Online networking has become an important way to find a job. Learn what you should do to pursue this avenue.
  1. Guy Kawasaki Shares 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job. Follow this advice to learn how to use online networking to help you find a job.
  2. Five Strategies for Leveraging Your Online Social Networks. Use these five strategies to improve your chances of finding a job through online networking.
  3. Career Networking Do’s and Don’ts. Don’t be afraid to ask and do realize why networking is important are just the beginning of the helpful tips here.
  4. HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume. Use this tool to help you build an online resume that will let others know what you have to offer.
  5. Using Your Blog as a Job Search Tool. Use your blog to find a job with the information here.
  6. 50 People on Twitter Job Seekers Should Follow. Follow these 50 Twitter feeds if you are looking for a job and read the follow-up post for even more.
  7. Networking. This article will help you learn what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to online networking.
  8. Keep Your E-Image Clean. This advice will help you know how best to keep your image clean when it comes to online networking.
Freelancing
Maybe you are ready to strike out on your own. If so, then you will want to look through these resources.
  1. Freelance Employment: a Viable Option. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing as a career change or parallel career.
  2. Five steps to a successful freelance career. These five valuable pieces of advice will get you started on a successful freelancing career.
  3. The Pros and Cons of Freelancing. This article offers a fair look at some of the benefits and down sides of freelancing.
  4. Go Freelance. This site helps connect freelancers with people hiring freelancers.
  5. FreelanceJobOpenings.com. Browse through the freelance listings here to find opportunities.
Image...
Whether you are taking advantage of the economic times to make a career move or if you have been laid off from your job, by many accounts, this is a great time to reevaluate your options and move ahead toward a career that will provide you with the fulfillment you seek. The following list offers resources for career changing, career and skill assessments, tools to help you create awesome resumes and cover letters, information on changing careers later in life, moving into a non-profit job, and online networking to find your next job.
Resources on Career Changing
The following articles will help you learn about and plan for a career change.
  1. Making Career Changes. Whether you were laid off or are making a career change intentionally, this resource offers tons of information on ways to make the transition smoothly and successfully.
  2. Career Changers Choose Teaching. This article explores why many career changers go to teaching and how to make it happen for you.
  3. Job Search and Career Change Success Stories. This podcast showcases several people who have successfully made career changes.
  4. Strategic Portrayal of Transferable Job Skills is a Vital Job-Search Technique. Learn how to make your experience fit within your new target career with this article.
  5. 10 Steps to Escaping the Job World and Creating the Life You Really Want. This article will help you identify your passions and focus on a new direction for your new career.
  6. Make Your Vacation Spot Your Home. If you are considering moving to your ideal location, check out this article to find important points to consider.
  7. Finding your Career Passion. This list of points to consider will have you thinking about what inspires and motivates you so you can consider a fulfilling career.
  8. Three Who Followed the Market to a Better Job. Read about these three professionals who made solid career changes.
  9. Career Change from the Inside Out. This article offers two great books to help you change your perspective on your career, whether you actually switch your job or not.
  10. A career change in this economic climate? Absolutely!. This article outlines why now may be a great time to change careers and how to go about doing so.
  11. How to Prepare for a Career Change, Job Loss or Self Employment. Find out what you can do to prepare for any type of job change.
Tips for Career Changing
Follow this advice to ensure your career change goes smoothly.
  1. The 10-Step Plan to Career Change. These ten steps will help you explore and find the next career for you.
  2. Practical Tips for Professionals Ready for a Career Change. Exploring some of the options available to one specific professional, the tips here are inspiring for anyone looking for a career change.
  3. Career Change Do’s and Don’ts. From having a well-developed plan to being flexible, these tips will help you get in the right frame of mind when considering career change.
  4. Facing a Job Search | Dodging Landmines. This video interview discusses what you should do to prepare for a career switch.
  5. Control Your Career — Be Your Own Headhunter. Don’t rely on someone else to find your perfect job, follow this advice and let the person who knows you best do it–you!
  6. Five Tips for Switching Career Paths. Follow these tips to ensure you can make the career switch successfully.
Websites Specifically for Career Changing
Visit these websites for advice on career changing, discovering terrible bosses, and advice for women coming into the workforce after time away.
  1. Career Change: Advice and Tips for Changing Careers. From About.com, this site offers resources, tips, and advice on changing your career.
  2. eBossWatch. Make sure your next boss isn’t a bad one with this website where employees can make anonymous reports about the quality of their boss.
  3. Careershifters. This site from the UK offers tons of advice and resources for those making a career change.
  4. A Career Change. Find advice and tips on making a career change from experts on this site.
  5. YourOnRamp. Specifically for women making a career change, this site offers tons of advice and resources, as well as a job board.
Career and Skill Assessment Tools
Use these tools to discover your strengths and find direction when looking at new career options.
  1. O*NET Online. From the US Department of Labor, this site lets you browse skills, tools, and technology to find matching occupations as well as explore occupations in a variety of categories, including In-Demand Jobs.
  2. CareerOneStop Career Tools. Find tools such as a certification finder, job description writer, and skills profiler here.
  3. VocationVacations. An excellent way to try out your dream job to ensure it really is your dream, VocationVacations offer you the opportunity to try jobs while on vacation.
  4. LiveCareer Free Career Testing. Take this assessment to receive a report detailing career options specifically matched to your skills and abilities.
  5. JobDiagnosis.com. Get free job diagnosis and career matching when you complete the survey on this site.
  6. Work Preference Inventory. This quick assessment will map out the environment in which you work best.
  7. Career Planner Quiz. Take this quiz to discover what new career might be for you.
  8. Keirsey Temperament Sorter. This popular personality assessment will help you discover for what type of career you are best suited.
  9. Career Exploration. This step-by-step tutorial can help you determine what career is right for you.
  10. Career Tests. These tests can help you understand your specific styles so you can know what kind of career to seek.
Tools for Resumes and Cover Letters
Make sure you use these tools and resources to create great resumes and cover letters–your first introduction to potential employers.
  1. Career Changers’ Most Powerful Resume and Cover-Letter Tool: Transferable Skills. Learn how to make your past experience work for you on your resume and cover letter during a career change.
  2. 5 Phrases That Can Poison Your Resume. Avoid these resume killers and cliches when putting together your resume.
  3. Resume Videos. Watch these free videos to learn how to create a great resume.
  4. Quickstart Resume Templates. Select from over 300 templates from a variety of educational backgrounds to help you create a perfect resume.
  5. Free Resume Critique. Submit your resume here to find out how it measures up and what you might need to change.
  6. Sample Cover Letters. These samples include a generic template as well as more specialized letters from a variety of referrals.
  7. Cover Letters. Find a sample cover letter, an example of the best and worst cover letters, and more.
  8. Cover Letter Samples. Use these samples to get you started writing excellent cover letters that will get your foot in the door for an interview.
Job Search Sites
These sites offer tons of job opportunities as well as advice and information to make your job search a successful one.
  1. Indeed. Indeed just asks you to enter a location and job title, key word, or company name to find what jobs are available in your area.
  2. Yahoo! HotJobs. See what jobs are available through Yahoo!, where you can search by keyword or browse by category or location.
  3. Monster. One of the most popular job search sites, Monster will help you connect with employers, create a resume, plot a career plan, and much more.
  4. Jobster. Create a profile with such features as a video resume, links to your website, and more with Jobster.
  5. Quintessential Careers. Create a free account to find jobs with this industry-specific tool.
  6. Simply Hired. Simply Hired allows you to easily search by keyword and location to find available jobs.
  7. CareerBuilder.com. Search for jobs, send out your resume, and more with this job search site.
  8. JobPile. A job board aggregator, this site brings you the best of the popular job boards in one place.
  9. Craigslist. Craigslist is a great place to search for jobs with small to medium-sized companies. Stay on top of your search daily to find the best jobs.
  10. Employment Spot. Find a job or browse through the articles and information available here to get tips on finding a job.
  11. JobFox. Create a profile and let JobFox match you to potential job openings through introductions.
  12. JobBoardReviews. This site lets you look at the major job boards and get job search news too.
Interviewing
Make sure you are ready for the interview by checking out these resources.
  1. Tough Interview Questions. Read through and answer these tough questions, then click on "Best Answers" to see how you did.
  2. Fifty Standard Interview Questions. Practice answering the questions on this list to ensure you aren’t caught by surprise during the big interview.
  3. Candidate Interview Questions. Asking questions of your interviewers is important, so be prepared with these handy lists of questions.
  4. Phone Interviewing Success. Use these tips to make sure you make the best first impression with your phone interview.
  5. When Job Hunting: Dress for Success. Find out what to wear to an interview, how to get donations if you can’t afford interview clothes, and other information about dressing for success.
  6. What Not to Wear on an Interview. Make sure you look professional on your interview with the suggestions here.
  7. Improve Your Interview Appearance and Body Language. This video will help you learn the importance body language can play in an interview and teach you what to do.
  8. Interview Prep for New Grads. You don’t have to be a new grad to use these great tips.
Resources for Returning to School
If you are thinking about going back to school as a part of your next career move, then read these informative articles.
  1. Considering Graduate School? Answer These Five Questions Before You Decide. These questions are a great place to start when considering going back to school for your graduate degree.
  2. A return to school before a return to the job market. This article takes a look at why many choose poor job markets as a time to return to school and what that education may look like with online and part-time educational opportunities.
  3. Non-traditional Student. This list of resources is specifically for older students returning to school.
  4. Alternative Admission Programs. If you are considering returning to college for your undergraduate degree but have been out of high school for many years, learn about these programs that may gain your admission to college.
  5. Getting creative. This article describes how laid-off workers and career-changers go back to school to follow their passions.
  6. Is a Return to School in Your Future?. This blog post offers helpful advice and points of consideration if you are contemplating returning to school.
  7. Career Path Leads Back to School. Learn how this late-blooming student went back to school to improve her career.
Career Changing Later in Life
All of these resources are targeted to those making career changes later in life.
  1. Can I Change My Career Without Losing Ground?. For women over 50 with a gap in employment history, this article offers advice about seeking a career without undervaluing yourself.
  2. Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Strategies for Older Workers. Get great tips to make all aspects of your job search appealing to employers.
  3. Life After Work. Become inspired by the stories of these seven Baby Boomers who recreated their careers after retirement.
  4. An Unsatisfied Executive Asks ‘How Do I Change Careers?’. Find out how you can use your past experience to focus on your future.
  5. AARP Work. This section of the AARP website offers articles, tips, and more for mature individuals seeking information on career and job.
  6. Career Change and the Seasoned Worker. Explode some tired myths about career change with this article.
  7. Baby Boomers, Beware! Don’t Let Your Resume Date You!. Follow these strategies to ensure your resume looks current and attractive.
  8. Positive Attitude is Key When Fighting Prejudice Against Older Workers. If you’ve bumped up against age discrimination during your job search, then this article is a must-read for you.
  9. WiserWorker.com. This site is dedicated to helping seniors find employment with resources and job listings.
  10. Experience Works. Helping older people get training and find employment is the mission of this organization.
  11. RebootYou.com. Find plenty of information here about recreating your career later in life.
  12. SeniorJobBank. Specifically for job-seekers over 50, this site brings employers and employees together.
  13. Seniors4Hire. For job-seekers over 50, this site offers free membership, job resources, resume posting, and more.
Non-Profit Jobs
If you are looking for a more fulfilling career, take a look at the non-profit world with these resources.
  1. Career Change to a Job in the Non-Profit World. Determine if a job with a non-profit is for you and how to go about establishing this new career.
  2. Bridgestar. If you are trying to find a non-profit job, this site offers information about working in the non-profit realm as well as job searches.
  3. Opportunity Knocks. Find a non-profit job, post your resume, and browse through all the resources on this site.
  4. NTEN. Non-profit technology jobs are the focus on this site that offers job postings, events, webinars, and much more.
  5. Idealist. Not only can you find job postings here, but you can also connect with other like-minded people and organizations working for the opportunity for all people to "lead free and dignified lives."
  6. Care2 JobFinder. Find jobs with socially responsible companies at the Care2 JobFinder page.
  7. Jobs for Change. If you want a job where you can make a difference for society or in a non-profit sector, then check out this site.
Online Networking
Online networking has become an important way to find a job. Learn what you should do to pursue this avenue.
  1. Guy Kawasaki Shares 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job. Follow this advice to learn how to use online networking to help you find a job.
  2. Five Strategies for Leveraging Your Online Social Networks. Use these five strategies to improve your chances of finding a job through online networking.
  3. Career Networking Do’s and Don’ts. Don’t be afraid to ask and do realize why networking is important are just the beginning of the helpful tips here.
  4. HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume. Use this tool to help you build an online resume that will let others know what you have to offer.
  5. Using Your Blog as a Job Search Tool. Use your blog to find a job with the information here.
  6. 50 People on Twitter Job Seekers Should Follow. Follow these 50 Twitter feeds if you are looking for a job and read the follow-up post for even more.
  7. Networking. This article will help you learn what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to online networking.
  8. Keep Your E-Image Clean. This advice will help you know how best to keep your image clean when it comes to online networking.
Freelancing
Maybe you are ready to strike out on your own. If so, then you will want to look through these resources.
  1. Freelance Employment: a Viable Option. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing as a career change or parallel career.
  2. Five steps to a successful freelance career. These five valuable pieces of advice will get you started on a successful freelancing career.
  3. The Pros and Cons of Freelancing. This article offers a fair look at some of the benefits and down sides of freelancing.
  4. Go Freelance. This site helps connect freelancers with people hiring freelancers.
  5. FreelanceJobOpenings.com. Browse through the freelance listings here to find opportunities.