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Career planning
or searching for a new job is never easy. Whether you're undertaking
this task on your own schedule or an imposed one, you need to carefully
make a plan. On this site we point to a number of reference materials
that help you cope with the stress of career change and give you
guidance on what to do next.
The first step
is to recognize that you're not the only person looking for a change.
If you are unemployed because of a layoff, don't take it personal.
Don't forget that your IEEE network is as close as the next Section
meeting. Make use of this network to talk about your situation and
get honest feedback about your experience, skills and the opportunities
that may be just down the road from your old company. Beyond the
Section network, IEEE-USA has created the Employment
& Career Strategies Forum. This is an online service that
supports the posting of timely reference material and discussion
areas where your questions can get answers.
The second step
is to write the plan that will guide your career to its next phase.
To assist you in building the plan, IEEE-USA has created the Career Planning Guide for IEEE Members. This guide can be downloaded from the
IEEE-USA web site. Additional resources are available as
E-Books and can be downloaded from IEEE-USA.
The third step
is to identify targets for your job search. This site has many information
sources that are organized by national and local listings. Take
the time to check out a number of these sites until you find the
ones that interest you. Not every available job is listed on a job
bank or newspaper. Many are never listed external to a company.
To find these jobs use your local IEEE network and find someone
that works at a particular company. Ask your contact to review the
internal listings and let you know if something is available. If
you can't find a company contact or need to develop a list of companies
in a particular area, Region 3 can provide a report
based on a number of query criteria. This report is in Excel format
and can be sorted to help you organize a targeted job search.
The final step
is to establish contact and make that important first impression.
The information sources on this site can help you make the contact
but from there it's up to you. Remember to research
the target companies thoroughly and know what they do and how they
do it. It's also a good idea to practice with a friend before an
interview.
Good luck with
your efforts and let us know how Region 3 can help. Remember, in
the IEEE Network, the person you help this year can help you in
years to come.
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