 |
|||
| |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
What You Need To Know Before Committing To Vocational Retraining
You've thought a lot about the kind of work you want to do. The duties, the pay, the hours, the environment - everything sounds right. According to the newspaper ads, there is a big demand out there. You find a program that sounds really good. You are all ready to sign on the dotted line. Stop! Before you invest your time, your energy, and a good chunk of your money in this direction, ask some tough questions. 1. Request that the school provide you with placement statistics - these are required by the state for all approved vocational courses. Statistics can be misleading so ask for details - what kind of job did the graduates find, how much did it pay, how long did it take them to find it? 2. Ask for the names and telephone numbers of 6 recent graduates you can contact for feedback. Good schools often have recent graduates visiting on site to share their experiences with current students. If the school refuses to provide such a list, or cannot provide it for whatever reason they give you, red flags should be immediately raised. 3. Is State Licensure or Certification required for this field? If so, what is the school's passing rate? What is the examination's pass rate overall? How do they compare? 4. Arrange to audit one or two classes. Evaluate the instructor and the program organization. Talk to the other students about their experience. 5. Visit the placement office and find out what services and support are offered. At a minimum, you should receive a professional resume and multiple job leads. An excellent school will also provide interviewing skill training and employer background information. Find out if the school works consistently with several local employers which indicates that their graduates have been positive hires in the past. 6. Sit down with the Sunday Classifieds and circle employers in the field. Then call them for information. Are new graduates considered or is actual work experience required? Is the school known in the business community and what kind of reputation does it have? Has this company ever hired a graduate of this school? How would the employer recommend that someone enter this field? If the school comes through with flying colors, move ahead with the knowledge that obtaining a first job after training is always difficult but you have some sources of support. If your questions have revealed weaknesses in the program, evaluate other schools or consider selecting a different career goal. Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Your Resume is Just One of the Tools in Your Job Search A resume is a tool. It allows employers to see what skills you have and what benefits you bring to the table. Job Search Campaign Tip: An Activity Diary Looking for a job involves a wide range of responsibilities: preparing a resume, looking at ads, contacting employers, calling and visiting friends and acquaintances, follow ups, interviews. While none of us ever plan to be out of work for very long, it can be very useful to immediately start documenting your activities and your feelings to provide a road map of where you have been and where you want to go. Protect Your Business by Performing a Background Check The success of a business endeavor involves a concerted efforts of financing, strategic planning, product design or service positioning, marketing, sales, and customer support. One of most important aspects of doing business is the people you deal with everyday - your employees, your partners and your competitors. Jesse And Al Should Read This! Instead of getting all bent out of shape over innocuous remarks made by the President of Mexico, perhaps the Lord and Prince of African-American Ideological Imperialism (that's Lord Jesse and Prince Al) should know just how Americans apply for those jobs they so vehemently claim Mexicans are stealing.The good folks at Careerbuilder. Success at Work: Techniques: Computer Literacy It's hard to believe that there are people in today's workforce who don't know how to use a computer. In today's society, being computer illiterate is equivalent to being functionally illiterate. The Secrets to Interview Success Many well qualified and extremely able candidates fail at job interviews simply because they are unaware of the conventions of the job interview and the expectations of the interviewer.Successful candidates, on the other hand, manage to impress prospective employers precisely because they know how to present themselves. Ready to Move -- Anywhere! "I have lived in this city all my life. My family is here. Business & Career: Know Your Ruling Star! "Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. Self-Knowledge: The Key To Finding The Right Career Direction Your career, like any journey, has a beginning, an end and a direction. For many people, the present direction of the career is probably not a result of entirely their own choices. 80,000 Americans Work in the Oil Change Industry There is a huge shortage, which effects franchises costs in labor, availability of labor and quality of workmanship. For instance 80,000 Americans are in Oil Lube Facilities alone and over 50% are franchised lube centers. Job Search - Understand Employers Think like an employerTo be successful in your job search campaign you must think like an employer or a recruiter. If you are going to do this right, you need to appreciate the ways that employers sift through the flood of resumes. Are You Suited for Self-employment? A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Businessshowed that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans have consideredstarting their own business. In fact, of more than 2,200 adults surveyed, over half (51 percent) said they wouldlike to launch their small business within the next 5 years. Is Job Loss Making You Sick? Job loss affects most of us like anyother loss in life. Yes, there are otherlosses that are greater, but this onecomes close too!From my experience, job loss canmake anyone sick! There can beterrible anger; anger which turns into depression. Choose Your References Wisely! So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task, right? Sure, you could contact three of your closest friends and ask them to be your references. 10 Ways to Speed-Up Your Job Search Effort Today everyone knows at least one person who has lost their job to down-sizing, right-sizing, cut-backs, production reduction or a mean, vicious "bogus leader" who could care less about your family, your life or your existence at the company. This may sound a bit overboard, but everyone has probably experienced the manager, supervisor or company leader from hell, and if you haven't just stick around. Take the Personal Out of the Workplace: Leave Your Troubles at the Door! Bringing your emotional baggage into the work place is inappropriate for all the reasons you may imagine. Yet employees, managers and business owners do it all the time. Home Healthcare Careers One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are:The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country. Students Searching for a Job Searching for a job has become easier than ever for those who are graduating from school and looking to enter the workforce. Many schools offer guidance services as well as networking opportunities for graduates looking for work after finishing school. Career Strategy When Your Boss is a Bully Q. Right after I accepted my new position, the manager who hired me quit. Creating a Feng Shui Power Office: 6 Easy Tips to More Successful Surroundings More and more people are looking to gain an edge in their working environments. One method that business people are increasingly turning to is feng shui.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
