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Looking for a career change

Veteran

Ralph Cox Lambertville, MI

I have spent years in restaurant and grocery business. I have been an assistant manager through senior area director.
I really want to put my management and leadership experience to work.
I have enjoyed both human resources and inventory management

18 November 2019 2 replies Networking

Answers

Advisor

Henry ("Dr. Hank") Stevens Fort Lauderdale, FL

Hello Ralph! Thank you for your service!

What a wonderful question and opportunity you have! Now it is time to step back from the daily grind and re-ask yourself, "What do I WANT to do with the rest of my life?"

As a vocational counselor and human resources professional (for many years), I find that most every applicant and employer wants to focus on experience and education. That is too bad because whether looking to fill a position or seeking other employment, the real question is, from the employers' perspective, "What are the TAlENTS necessary to do this job?"; and from the applicants' perspective, "What are my TALENTS and how do they fit in with the demands of the job?"

If you are nodding your head so far, then consider this: having a "good education" means that you CAN learn. Having an appropriate exposure to past like-experiences means . . . . well . . . . not much. But, if you have the talent (which cannot be taught) then you have the necessary building blocks that neither education nor experience can provide.

One simple example: If you were to be hiring for a receptionist position, do you want someone who is an introvert or an extrovert? Would you want someone who is shy or outgoing? I think the answer apparent as extroversion and an outgoing nature cannot be taught in the classroom or from experience.

All of which baits the question, JUST WHAT ARE YOUR TALENTS?

Almost the first thing I do, when taking on a new client, is have them take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). That provides an initial assessment of someones' inherent talents. At the bottom of this note, I have provided you with a link to a FREE assessment tool. It helps you come to grips with defining YOUR talents and provides some good ideas about the career direction someone with your combination of talents should look into.

If you want my thinking about the results of this assessment (also FREE to Vets!), please provide me with the letter and numbers associated with each of them. It should look something like I 20, N - 45, T - 28, & J - 10. Feel free to contact me off this channel at hlstevens42@GMAIL.com

TALENT trumps education and experience every time!

Here the link: http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx

Advisor

ACP AdvisorNet Staff New York, NY

Hello Ralph,

Thank you for reaching out on ACP AdvisorNet. I think it sounds like it would be a great idea to come up with an "action plan" for leveraging your experience as you consider making a new career move.

Check out this article for a great example of steps to take that will make that next career move as successful as possible:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/8-steps-to-an-utterly-successful-career-change

Once you have a focused course of action you would like to take, explore networking with people who are in roles or fields that interest you. With their insight and feedback, you will have a jumping-off point when the time comes to take the next step.

Please feel free to utilize our community page or LinkedIn to find individuals to speak with!

To help leverage your presence on LinkedIn and make those connections, take a look at this article:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ultimate-linkedin-cheat-sheet-michael-quinn/

Please reach out with any other questions you might have, Ralph!

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