PAUS 3211 students,I think this is a pretty decent piece havin.docx

PAUS 3211 students,
I think this is a pretty decent piece having to do with
relationships and career, so am taking the liberty of passing
along. It was in a 1995 issue of "Fast Company," a magazine I
really like that deals with all kinds of workplace issues. Check
it out at fastcompany.com
For those of you who are burdened with bouts with low self-
esteem, wonder what you have to offer others, or otherwise are
plagued by too many periods of self-doubt, this little piece may
help you see how wrong you are.
Bill Kahnweiler
Finding Your Currency
by Keith Ferrazzi| Fast Company, January 1995
If giving of yourself is crucial to building successful
relationships, then the next question to answer is "What do I
have to give?"
"What if I don't have much to offer?" You know, I'm shocked
and a bit sad by the number of people who ask that when I
explain that to build strong relationships -- the kind that will
consistently grow sales, boost your career, or just pack your
social calendar -- you have to give, give, give, and not keep
score .
So, I'm here to slap some of that "not enough" thinking out of
you. Everybody has a currency to give, or some capacity to help
somebody else fulfill their mission or vision of themselves in
some way. Trust me on this point: I've seen some pretty low
thresholds for what counts as currency.

Jokes can be a currency. If you can make people laugh, you're
helping them have a good time, and they'll be more up for doing
business or hanging out with you. Heck, sometimes just being
someone empathetic or decent to talk with is a currency in the
right (or wrong) environment. Yet, I'm confident that you
possess currencies much stronger and much more abundant than
these simple examples. You've just got to know how to find
them, something even I struggled to do for a while.
As a rookie consultant at Deloitte, straight after graduating
from business school, I had a pretty rough time. Let's just say
that my first annual performance review was not sparkling. But,
my supervisors and mentors knew that what I lacked in Excel
wizardry (the skill set I was hired for), I more than made up for
with my strategic insight and talent for building relationships
with senior clients. So they created a new job for me, and I
made a lot more money for all of us using my unique currency.
Since then, while I have made my living using my marketing
and sales skills, I've always been aware of my biggest currency.
No, it's not my amazing wit and absolutely stunning good looks.
It is my capacity to contribute to the success of people in my
network by introducing them to other people in my network for
mutual gain. It happens every day.
Often our most valuable currencies are things we do that seem
as natural as breathing -- natural to us, but to others, these
skills are a real rarity! If you know tax law, that's a currency to
a lot of us. Can you get someone upgraded at the NY hotel that
your brother manages? That's a currency too. Perhaps it's
something else. No matter what it is, you can find it by simply
thinking of what others can gain from you. Here are two quick
stories of how a couple young guys' currencies went from lost to
found.

The Chinese MBA Student
Our company, FerrazziGreenlight, was conducting a training
session called Relationships for Revenue and Career Growth for
the first-year students at the Yale School of Management. When
we got to the currency discussion, one international student said
in broken English, "What kind of currency do I have for my
classmates? For God's sake, I can barely even speak English."
So I asked where he came from. "China." Wow, I thought. You
come from China, perhaps the biggest future market on the
planet, where everyone from Fortune 500 executives to garage-
startup entrepreneurs need to know how to do business or miss a
huge opportunity. Still, you claim you don't have a currency?
What are you thinking? He wasn't. But once he thought about
his currency in terms of what others could gain from him, he got
it.
Next thing I heard, he was putting together a spring trip home to
China to visit a whole slew of companies and people he knew
there. He invited classmates who were interested, of course, but
he also called recruiters (people he wanted to hire him!) and let
them know that if they had anyone wanting to go on the trip, he
would welcome them.
What an amazing currency he has! Especially for someone who
"had nothing to offer" -- nothing to offer except insight and
connections into a market everyone covets.
The Surfer Dude
This August, we were out in LA, speaking to an audience of
500, when yet another claimed he didn't have a currency. After
probing just a bit, we found out that he loves to surf. I asked the
crowd, "How many people in here want to learn how to surf?
Now remember, this is LA. At least 85% shot their hands up.
Now, I wasn't really sure what athletic prowess or even
swimming abilities those individuals had, but the response was
promising. I turned to the guy and asked, "How often do you

surf?" "Every day," he said.
So was he willing to take one morning out of his week to teach
surfing to the first three people who call him the night before if
they're willing to show up? Of course he was, and it's that
simple.
Maybe he'll only have takers once a month because the reality
of this world is that too few people take us up on our offers, but
at least he's exercising his currency with a solid foundation
group. And the currency could, I suspect, turn into a nice small
business. Who knows? Not bad for someone who didn't have
anything to offer -- except years of experience doing something
everyone wishes they could do.
Here's the bottom line. For you to get to know the people who
can make you successful, they've got to want to get to know
you. And that means, frankly, digging deep and finding out
what you can do to make them more successful. So, no matter
what's on the line, be it your company's sales or your own
career, you've got to find and use your currency if you're going
to build relationships for success.
Action Challenge:
To find your currency, or discover additional ones, try
answering these questions:
What things do you say about yourself and your interests that
excite or intrigue people you meet? When did you help make
someone else a success at something? Of the times you were
able to give, which worked the best and which felt the best?
How can you purposely incorporate those currencies into your
sales and networking plans?
1.

When some people think about inventory theft, they imagine a
shoplifter running out of a store with goods stuffed inside a
jacket or bag. But that’s not what the managers at the Comfy
Sportswear store on San Francisco’s Lombard street thought.
No, they suspected their own employees were the main cause of
their unusually high shrinkage. One scam involved dishonest
cashiers who would let their friends take a pair of Nike’s
without paying for them. To make it look like the shoes had
been bought, cashiers would ring up a sale, but instead of
charging $50 for shoes, they would charge only $2 for a bottle
of shoe polish. When the company’s managers saw a drop in
gross profit, they decided to put the accounting system to work.
In just two years, the company cut its Lombard Street inventory
losses in half. Here’s how a newspaper described the store’s
improvements:
Retailers Crack Down on Employee Theft
Orange Register Today, October 10, 2014, San Francisco
By Sandra Smith, Orange Register Today Staff Writer
… Comfy Sportswear installed a chainwide register-monitoring
system to sniff out suspicious transactions, such as unusually
large numbers of refunds or voids, or repeated sales of cheap
goods.
In 200 words or less, explain how the register-monitoring
system would allow Comfy Sportswear to cut down on employee
theft.
2. When some people think about inventory theft, they imagine
a shoplifter running out of a store with goods stuffed inside a
jacket or bag. But that’s not what the managers at the Comfy
Sportswear store on San Francisco’s Lombard street thought.
No, they suspected their own employees were the main cause of
their unusually high shrinkage. One scam involved dishonest
cashiers who would let their friends take a pair of Nike’s
without paying for them. To make it look like the shoes had

been bought, cashiers would ring up a sale, but instead of
charging $50 for shoes, they would charge only $2 for a bottle
of shoe polish. When the company’s managers saw a drop in
gross profit, they decided to put the accounting system to work.
In just two years, the company cut its Lombard Street inventory
losses in half. Here’s how a newspaper described the store’s
improvements:
Retailers Crack Down on Employee Theft
Orange Register Today, October 10, 2014, San Francisco
By Sandra Smith, Orange Register Today Staff Writer
… Comfy Sportswear installed a chainwide register-monitoring
system to sniff out suspicious transactions, such as unusually
large numbers of refunds or voids, or repeated sales of cheap
goods.
In 200 words or less, provide what other control procedures the
company can use to reduce theft.
Page 1/34
How to Build a Portfolio*
144 Jobs with Portfolio Items
581 Possible Portfolio Items
101 Questions and Answers

about
Career Change
Written by the Participants
At the International Career
Development Conference in Irvine, California
November 2002
Page 2/34
1. Are there different ways to make career changes?
Understanding who you are, what values are important to you
and what skills you have are
the initial starting places for making a career change. Finding
this understanding can be a
very different journey for each individual. This can be done
solo as a self-initiated search or
one facilitated by another, or within a group.
Career changes can be by choice or forced by a certain
circumstance or environment.
Coming to terms with the motivation will help determine how
the change will be made.
Seeking help from the organization for which a person worked,
looking for community
resources, offered to both the individual or in groups, or paying
someone to help with the
search are options.
Changes can be made within the same field and within the same

title or change of both title
and field can be done. Understanding internal and external
factors will help to decide
which is the best, least fearful or most successful way to go.
2. Are there interviewers more open than others to ca-
reer change?
To make them more open, convey confidence supported by
specific examples of transfer-
able skills in prior work settings.
To make them more open, quote former co-worker’s expressions
of awe regarding key
accomplishments out of your main field of work.
To make them more open, cite examples of flexibility,
adaptability, and creative contribu-
tions in prior work settings.
Page 3/34
3. Are there signs in my current job which tell me I
should consider making a career change?
Yes. Consider your general mood and attitude as you start each
workday. Does your
mood drain your enthusiasm and negatively impact
productivity? Consider “what” the
problem is specifically. Is it the location, atmosphere, co-
workers, boss, type of work,
promotion opportunities, etc.? Is there anything to be done to
make a positive impact? Do
it. After making changes, monitor your mood - has it

improved? If yes, look for other small
changes you can make. If satisfied, stay. If not satisfied, look
for other opportunities to
make a career change. Develop a plan. Make the move.
Your boss or co-workers suddenly treat you differently.
You find no satisfaction from your work, despite a good salary.
4. Are there skills that are more transferable than oth-
ers from one job to another?
Learn to ask questions and listen attentively to answers. Utilize
whatever part of the infor-
mation that is interesting and which can prove valuable to the
job.
Develop supportive relationships to advise, critique and offer
creative ideas.
Take action in establishing goals, timeframes, and results.
5. Are those who make a career change more ambi-
tious than others?
Ambitious people who are looking for a new field often make a
career change.
People who are interested in other fields often change careers,
whether they are ambitious
or not.
Not necessarily, some people just want to find a new position.

/34
6. By what other name do we call career change?
Transition is one name.
Finding a new job.
Volunteer work; when changing your work and using new skills
but not getting paid to do it.
7. Can I anticipate a career change even though I do
not have the relevant experience?
Yes, check current industry trends. Regardless of the outlook,
develop three spin off
careers that with a little retooling or retraining make sense to
explore.
Yes, since most adults will make at least four career changes
during their career. Consider
the same job in a different industry or a different job in the
same industry.
Yes, refine and re-define skills; look for ways to repackage
skills.
8. Can the timing be off on a career change (too early
or too late)?
Yes, a career change can be too early if the skills,
education/experience and maturity of the
person are not developed. The financial and logistical
considerations must be carefully
thought out.

Yes, it can be too late if a person has stayed in their field too
long. Ageism is prevalent in
today’s world and if a person has not kept up with technical
changes, they will not be
prepared. Salary, benefits, etc. may have to be sacrificed. The
industry may have changed
due to downturns if economics. There may be a general lack of
opportunity,
No, a career change may take more time at certain economic
crossroads but can still be
accomplished with persistence and hard work.
Page 5/34
9. Do I define my new job by its title or by the tasks
involved?
Assess the functions that you enjoyed performing. By
combining them you will have a
cluster of skills.
Use friends or family, who know your well, and show them the
cluster. Ask each one for a
potential career title.
Research each title to discover which has more of the tasks that
you enjoy. Follow with
research interviews and also research on the Internet.
10. Do my values play a role in my desire to make a ca-
reer change?
Validate that your top five values will be met when making

career move.
Do this by making a list of your top five values
I.e. Creativity
Independence
Location
Flexibility
Conduct informational interviews or shadow people in the new
proposed career field to
research if indeed you own value requirements for your career
change can be
accommodated and honored.
11. Does a career change always bring with it a new
lifestyle?
It opens new possibilities in new fields and therefore a lifestyle
change can occur,
depending on your definition of lifestyle.
Develop new skills and experience that can change the way you
view life and the values
you cherish.
Realistically, a career change does not always bring with it a
new lifestyle. Lifestyles
change as those things you hold in high regard change.
Page 6/34
12. Does a career change necessitate having written
objectives and a concrete time line?

Yes, because writing the objectives provides criteria for the
decision. Use a decision
making tool that asks for a list of objectives. Then distinguish
the musts from the wants and
use a matrix to compare the objectives against three or four
alternatives.
Writing objectives and timelines quantifies the goal. It moves a
person toward a vision,
without which there is no movement.
If a person writes down their objectives, they will be 93% more
effective than someone who
doesn’t write them down. A study with the Class of 1960 at
Yale found that they had 7%
more millionaires who all wrote down their goals.
13. Does a career change usually bring a change in sal-
ary (either up or down)?
Yes, it can be down because there is a perception that there will
be a learning curve which
a company won’t be willing to pay for.
Yes, it can be up because the field/industry pays more.
Yes, it can be more because you are a good negotiator and you
have positioned the impact
you will bring to the job as warranting an increase in salary.
14. How can my new co-workers easily accept me after
a change?
Demonstrate willingness to learn by active listening and
following through on advice.

People like people who are open to learning from them.
Ask co-workers questions about themselves. They enjoy talking
about themselves. Give
lots of compliments about their skills and abilities.
When describing a former position, frame it in the context that
is transferable to the new
job. Talk about the things you did by relating them to the new
position.
Page 7/34
15. How can I be sure I am making the right choice?
Talk to a skilled career counselor who will guide you through a
number of different ways to
considering the upcoming change.
Try out the new kinds of work as a volunteer or by visiting a
workplace of people who do
what you want to do or by assisting someone in the job you
want.
Talk to several people who do the job and can tell you if you
would be a good match for it.
Discuss what the work is like and how it does/does not fit with
your personality.
16. How can I build my network to help me make a ca-
reer change?
Communicate with people already working in that field. This
can be done by informational

interviewing, asking questions via email and websites of
persons well known in the upper
echelons of the field. Some will provide guidance and
comments.
Join professional organizations and attend conferences,
Take courses through universities to increase specific skills and
network with others in the
same field – at all levels.
Be out there learning, asking, sharing and growing the size of
your network.
17. How can I compensate for the lack of experience
when I make a career change?
Show and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the new career with
evidence that you have
studied its parameters with passion,
Provide evidence that your education, basic skills and latent
learning will easily make up for
your lack of experience.
Demonstrate your imagination and the new ways that you can
engage in the new career.
Page 8/34
18. How can I discourage someone from making a ca-
reer change when it is obviously not the in their
best interest?

Develop a comparison between their abilities, skills and talents
and those required by the
new career.
Ask them to confirm their interest in the new career by talking
with people already in the
field.
Research the requirements and experience needed to enter that
career.
19. How can you lessen the negative impact of a future
career change on a resume?
List similarity from the career that was left to the career that is
being pursued. Confirm your
past strengths that will carry forward to the new career.
Develop a logical explanation showing support of strengths
from the previous career to the
new one.
With enough positive support, the career change will be noted
as good.
20. How do hobbies play a role or help people make ca-
reer change?
As hobbies are the “passion” or the “interest” people have in
their lives, they can provide
direction to a compatible career.
The same skills required for a hobby may be the best skills of
the person and the ones they
enjoy utilizing.

A person may seek a job that provides self-sufficiency but
allows time and energy for the
hobby.
Page 9/34
21. How do I bring up my desire to change careers dur-
ing an interview?
State that the desire to change careers reflects your best assets –
courage and a
willingness to suffer the pains of change in order to achieve the
new goal.
Ask the interviewer about his or her career changes and then
emphasize the commonality
between you – the desire to grow, earn more, or whatever you
recognize that you have in
common.
Show the interviewer how the apparent “major leap” actually
demonstrates a consistent
interest – how you have always been attracted to or connected
with a new kind of work, but
were just not paid for it. Demonstrate the logical, natural
progression of your choice.
22. How do I convince an employer who is reluctant to
hire people who are making a career change?
Provide the skill data (behavioral) that shows transferable skills
directly related to the job
applied for.

Directly address the employer’s needs and job requirements
with how your current skills
will meet their needs.
Provide with information and examples how you have been able
to learn new skills in past
jobs and how you will be able to do it in the new job.
Focus upon the related job skills that are common to all jobs.
Directly ask the employer what their reluctance is and address
it.
23. How do I deal with a career change on my resume?
Choose a functional rather than chronological format to
highlight transferable skills rather
than job titles.
List three or four broad categories of skills that the new
employer is looking for.
Describe three or four accomplishments under each of the broad
skill headings, taken from
all your former jobs.
Page 10/34
24. How do I know if I have the potential to make a ca-
reer change?
Interview individuals in the field you are considering moving
to.

Review your skills and hobbies/interests and apply them to the
new career.
Be positive, confident and know you can do it!
25. How do I react when my family objects to my
planned career change?
Ask searching questions to better understand their point of
view. Search out their feelings.
Present reason for you’re proposed change to help your family
better understand your
feelings.
Develop options as a family that might work for all involved.
Sometimes compromises will
have to be made.
26. How do I validate a career change?
Talk with a career counselor about your ideas/plans to make
sure you really need/want to
make a career change.
Interview someone with the job to get insight into the career
and to see the kind of working
environment it entails.
Investigate why you want to make a change to understand the
reasons – both negative and
positive – so you don’t make a mistake by changing careers.
Page 11/34

27. How does continuing education help me make a ca-
reer change?
You can confirm your interest in a topic by trying it out. (I.e.
Do I like geology?) You can
do pleasure and informational interviews with your professors.
You can sample a variety of approaches to the topic by taking
different courses within the
subject. (I.e. Do I like historic geology or do I like field
geology?) By taking more courses
in the chosen area, you can focus and develop your expertise.
You can take continuing education courses outside of work
hours to build a new career
content focus while still employed.
You may be able to convince your current employer that a
certain course you want to take
will help you build skills in your job and get them to pay for it.
You can get networking contacts from continuing education
instructors or other students.
28. How does technology impact career change?
Using websites and the Internet, it gives a wonderful range of
job searching methods, and
the tasks involved in certain job types.
By having computer skills, transition into many new job sectors
can be more easily
achieved.
Technology gives more independence through cell phones and

the Internet, allowing you to
contact any other part of the world at any time.
29. How important is flexibility when making a radical
career change?
It is important to keep your options open in order to really
obtain the benefit of a radical
career change.
Be certain to really look at yourself to know whom you are and
what you want to do. Know
to some extent where you would like to move in your next job.
Be receptive to ideas that may not be equal to your own. You
may inquire from others
about your strengths/weaknesses. See how that fits or doesn’t
fit with your own
perceptions.
Be willing to conduct informational interviews with people may
be in some of the jobs/
careers you are looking into . . .
Page 12/34
30. How long does it take to make a career change?
Development of a career plan can take time; begin at least two
years out.
Make a transition plan the day after you start work at a new job,
to be prepared!

A transition/career change plan is an ever-changing animal.
Keep it current!
31. How long should I be in a job before considering a
career change?
As soon as you are in the job, you should be looking for another
job (keeping your eyes
open).
There is not a set time limit for when any change should occur.
Change is a continuous process and can be defined many
different ways.
32. How many times can I make a career change in my
life without being judged as flighty?
Give employers the reasons/logic/motivation behind your
decisions and the possibilities are
limitless.
Tie together the skills and experiences you have had to
demonstrate your unique ability to
achieve in your new career.
Focus on your passion and gifts . . . employers will appreciate
your enthusiasm.
33. How much time should I allow (on average) to make
a career change?
Depends on how radical the change will be; some career
changes require additional
education and training. Time will be necessary to complete
courses of study.

For many people, one year to prepare, network, explore options
and plan is a minimum.
Check risk assessment as some people are more comfortable
with risk and change. For
those who don’t like change, baby steps may be more
appropriate than a radical change.
Page 13/34
34. How should I deal with stress during a career
change?
Connect to people in your life who will accept you where you
are and be supportive rather
than judgmental. If none are around, go out and find the
resources.
Create and practice a regimen of aerobic physical activity that
is doable and enjoyable.
Run, walk, swim, bicycle . . . three times a week for a 1/2-hour
or more.
Help others in a structured and regular way. Volunteer to
support a cause that is important
to you.
35. How should I present myself when faced with an
interviewer who thinks my career change is not real-
istic?
Ask the interviewer to clearly express his/her objections, and
answer each objection,

getting buy-in from the interviewer along the way.
Ask the interviewer for suggestions on steps to take in order to
be a viable candidate for the
position.
Ask if he/she has had experience with someone who has made a
similar transition in the
past, and what that experience was like.
36. If a career change requires a large geographical
change, should I plan on immediately moving my
family with me?
Gather information on the next location – availability of jobs
for spouse, affordable housing,
information on schools, etc.
Consider your financial situation – will the new job pay more
and is there money in savings
to pay the bills until settled in?
Look at options and discuss them with your family. Decide on
what is best for you all.
Page 14/34
37. If I am torn between 2 different career changes, how
do I choose between the two?
Determine your personality type/motivated skills/preferred work
environment/interest
themes and values.

Thoroughly investigate both jobs and compare the above
information to determine the best
fit. Conduct informational interviews with both
companies/possibilities.
Get feedback on what you learn by discussing with trusted
peers/family/friends/counselor
and ask for their opinions.
38. If I increase my visibility will it take less effort on my
part to undertake a career change?
Yes, but be aware that once you put yourself in the limelight
you are under more pressure
to succeed.
By creating more visibility for yourself decision-makers will
have a preview of how you
perform. Word of Mouth advertising is the best.
Some ways to increase your visibility are:
Volunteer on special committees/task forces/boards
Submit articles to company newsletters, local newspapers (get
published)
Organize a special event, community forum, company picnic
39. If I make a career change how long should I antici-
pate it will take me to feel really comfortable again?
It will depend on how quickly you learn the job skills needed
for the new career.
It will depend on how much self-confidence and faith you have
in yourself.

It will depend on how you get along with the boss, your co-
workers and your customers.
Page 15/34
40. If I make a career change once, can I do it again
later?
Yes, the first time is the hardest, making the next change less
risky.
Learning a new job takes longer the first time. The second time
the learning curve is faster.
You are more valuable to a company when you have held more
than one position. You are
more flexible and adaptable to change.
41. If I make a career change, how is my value or em-
ployability affected?
It is increased because specific values/skills that are important
will be utilized in the new
career.
It is decreased because a new career will require new skills to
be developed and until
proficient, the value is decreased. Once proficient however,
employability will increase
again.
No change because value or employability is not affected.
42. Is a career change a beginning or and end?

A career change is neither a beginning nor an end. It is just
opening a new chapter in an
individual’s stage of career development.
A career change can prove to be an enthusiastic experience to
challenge that will/should
stimulate a person’s being.
A career change fosters growth and provides understanding to
tapping into unexplored
brilliance.
Page 16/34
43. Is it a good or bad idea to make a career change in
the organization where I work?
It is a good idea, but only after spending some time evaluating
what is important to you in
your work and carefully evaluating the specifics of the potential
new position. If it seems
like a good match and the organizations key players will
support you, go for it.
Be sure to develop a support network at work (and maybe
outside of work) to help you
weather the storms of transition.
If you believe you’ve done the best you can in your current job,
it may be a good time to
transition to a new position where you can continue to develop
your skills and be
challenged by your work.

44. Is it easier to make a career change on the open or
hidden market?
It is easier in the hidden job market. Develop a list of
transferable skills that you currently
possess. From this list come up with specific examples of how
you have used the skills in
the past and how it correlates to the new career.
Confirm your potential by networking with individuals in the
field.
45. Is it more likely that I will change careers by seizing
unexpected opportunities that arise or by following
a careful plan I have made?
If using a combination of both, make contacts within the
industry/career and ask questions
when meeting contacts. Fill in any gaps in critical skill areas
and know what employers are
looking for.
There is a difference between sitting back and waiting for an
unexpected opportunity and
putting yourself in a situation which would increase the chances
of an finding that
unexpected opportunity. Be proactive!
Be open to unexpected opportunities that may be stepping-
stones to your final goal.
Page 17/34

46. Is self-assessment a “must” prior to making a ca-
reer change?
Yes, you must find out where you are before you can decide
where to go. A career change
is difficult or impossible if you lack the basic qualifications.
Formal testing is an assist but not required (Meyers Briggs,
Strong, etc.)
Make a list of qualifications required and the skills you have
before making a career
change.
47. Is there a special strategy when jobs corresponding
to your career change are not available or do not
exist?
Seek internships with the hope of creating the job later.
Research the market and talk to people in the field to discuss
your idea for a job that does
not exist.
Obtain a mentor.
Sell your job idea to a hiring manager to see if they can create
the job for you.
48. Is there a specific type of job that is better for career
changers?
Be careful of industries/fields that are experiencing a down turn
with lots of layoffs.
No specific job is best. If you have always wanted to do some

particular job an opportunity
may arise for you to try it.
One that confirms your values.
Page 18/34
49. Is there a time of the year when career changes are
best made?
Recognize that many changes occurring in the summer are based
on school calendars.
People are willing to change jobs when it does not bring total
upheaval for the family
members. This is a very important consideration,
Any time of the year is okay, excluding holidays and the
beginning of the year.
Study the industry to see when it is most open to change and
apply then.
50. Is there an ideal age to make a career change or can
I make it at any age?
There is no ideal age for changing a career. Changing careers
in mid-life is feasible
because people by the this time have developed many of the
skills employers view ass
critical, such as dependability, ability to learn on the job,
communicating within an
organizational structure, etc.
Changing careers early in life is feasible because young people

have lots of energy, are
closer (in time) to their formal education, and are eager to try
their wings in many new
ways.
Changing careers in later life is feasible because people are less
likely to move away, more
passionate about the things they choose to do and thus stay
committed to what they are
doing.
51. Is there an ideal time to begin discussing my plans
for a career change (family/friends/coworkers . . .)?
Discuss your plans when you need to develop your network.
Give family/friends/co-
workers notice of your dream career.
Reflect on plans with those close to you to find out if your plan
seems realistic for your skills
and personality.
Track down other career changers and mention your plans when
you feel positive about
yourself.
Find supportive individuals.
Network with those who hold roles as hiring managers/decision
makers.
Page 19/34
52. Is there any career change that is not possible?

Develop a list of any physical/mental/emotional limitations that
will limit or interfere with
your desired career change.
For any limitations, imagine how you could overcome any of
them.
Give a realistic solution for how you can implement the solution
for making your calling/
dream career change a reality.
53. Is there anything I should do now if my anticipated
career change is to take place in the long term (3 to
7 years)?
Interview people that are in occupations related to the
anticipated career change to learn
about and prepare for the change.
Obtain the training/education required for the change.
Develop skills required for the new position through
volunteering.
Document all the activities (portfolio style) that you
participated in to prepare for the
change.
Monitor the employers of your new position to learn who’s
growing, how the future is
changing and whom you might like to work for.
54. Is there likely to be a pattern when someone makes
several career changes in their life?

Develop a strong understanding and have a strong desire to be
well rounded in the field as
you make changes.
They see the job changes throughout the industry and learn the
different industry
standards.
They developed skills necessary to make transfers; they have
skill sets similar across
occupations and fields.
Page 20/34
55. Of motivation, courage, and determination, which is
most important when making a career change?
It is important to have motivation to make any change – a
strong driving force for something
better or more fulfilling in your life.
To make a career change you should be eager, hungry and
restless. Your restlessness will
create a desire for change.
Courage will come after you jump into the unknown – but first
you must have motivation to
jump and trust that you will survive.
56. Of resources (books, seminars, software . . ) or
people, what is more helpful when making a career
change?
Seek a career counselor to help you plan a course of action and

make you aware of more
options for resources than you may have been aware of.
Seek a process by which to explore career options/opportunities
through Career/
Counseling services.
Talk to people that are positive and supportive of the
opportunity for change. Develop a
career portfolio to keep your research and exploration results in
for reference. Network
with everyone.
57. Should I use the specific jargon for the field (indus-
try) I am approaching when I make a career change?
The only option is to use the jargon of the new field to show
you have the knowledge and
understanding to do the new position.
Using the jargon reflects that you are already a part of the
community of this field and that
you know the language, values, concepts and style of this new
industry.
Research the new field to be familiar with what you need to
learn. Then evaluate your
previous experience to see what you already have that can be re-
framed.
Page 21/34
58. Should I change only my field (industry) or only my
title (activity) or both?

Seek out/access/list your skills (what you can do), interests
(what you like) and work values
(what is important to you).
List the plusses and minuses of industries you’re considering,
activities (titles) you’re
considering and prioritize the list in order of preference.
Compare your skills, interests and values first with the industry
and then your chosen
activity. The answer will reveal itself.
59. Should I mention I am making a career change when
sending an unsolicited letter?
Yes, if you’re requesting an informational interview (meeting)
because it provides the
reason for your request.
No, if it’s in regard to a specific job opening because it reduces
credibility.
In lieu of sending an unsolicited letter, attend a meeting of the
professional association for
your career change.
60. To what extent does a career change reflect my mis-
sion in life?
It will reflect your mission if it allows you to take some action
(do something) everyday so
you’ll know for certain that you are working towards your
mission.
If you gain knowledge every day that helps you succeed in

accomplishing your mission,
then a career change is good.
Who will you be sharing your effort to accomplish your
mission? They should be peers,
supporters, and mentors who will all help guide you to your
mission.
61. What age is too old to make a career change?
No, develop a career change by taking advantage of your many
years of experience.
Convince your new employer that you age will make you a more
stable and reliable
employee.
Recommend that your employer will benefit from your
experience in your previous fields.
Page 22/34
62. What are the best sources of information on suc-
cessful career change?
“What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard Bolles.
Read relevant parts of this book, do exercises, review and
discuss with other career
changers or those whom you trust to be helpful.
Newspapers and Public Radio
Read and listen to current articles and talk shows. Newspapers

(especially) have articles
of interest and relevance to the local scene.
Career Counselors
Interview career counselors to find one who suits your needs
and budget to share your
goals and expectations.
63. What are the fields (industries) where a career
change is more accepted?
The Federal Government career positions are an industry area
where you can find
employees having held various unrelated types of jobs. This is
true especially in cases of a
“military spouse” or a “displaced spouse”.
Accounting is another area that is very broad and transferable.
In corporations dealing with
mergers or managerial funding, career change is constant.
64. What are the ingredients of a successful career
change?
Assessing your values, life goals, skills and interests.
Doing research and gaining knowledge and reality testing about
a new career to see if it is
truly a match for you.
Being gusty and comfortable with taking risks.
Page 23/34

65. What are the major difficulties I will encounter dur-
ing the first 3 months of my new job?
To be challenged which may make a person stronger, and well-
rounded but may cause
uneasiness at first.
Second-guessing the decision to make the change at first but
realizing that an “inverted
move” is always possible if unhappy.
Being uprooted from environment in which you were
comfortable, but knowing that growth
comes this way.
66. What are the major risks of making a change?
Acknowledging fear – false expectations appearing real will
prevent motivation for changes
thereby thwarting any thought or belief in change.
Leaving a perceived “comfort zone” and not realizing the
thought of change is an outcome
of unconscious competence that one is unhappy with a current
situation.
Reduced income perception will stop career change. Society
emphasizes and rewards
people who make money whether or not they are happy doing it.
67. What are the maximum number of career changes I
may reasonably make during my professional life?
One for every time you have learned all you can in a job, or the
management style or

culture doesn’t work for you.
As your family growth changes you are often ready to change
work as well. I.e. Young
children, wanting minimal travel, working spouse, need for less
money, children leaving
home, etc.
As many as you want and can manage.
Page 24/34
68. What are the most difficult kinds of career changes
to make?
The career change that requires a higher level of education than
what the individual
presently holds. It would require sacrificing time, income and
if applicable, time with family.
A new career that emphasizes, or highly prefers, sufficient
previous experience.
Nowadays, companies prefer to invest the least amount of time
and money in training
employees. Someone who comes equipped is more desirable.
Changing from a governmental organization to the private
sector. The job expectations are
different and the private sector does not provide as much job
security as a government
based organization does.
69. What are the rational and irrational needs for career
changes?

Increased annual income, dissatisfaction in current position, and
physical limitations are
rational reasons to change.
Fulfillment of a dream job, wanting to travel the world, and
wanting to see if it can be done
are irrational needs for change.
70. What are the steps for a successful career change?
Self-assessment, research and knowledge of the culture are
needed. Also, additional
schooling, strong transferable skills, and informational
interviews are needed.
71. What are the ten most common reasons people
make a career change?
1) Need. Being downsized or the job field shifting.
2) Changing Interest
3) Better Opportunities
4) Desire for increased job satisfaction
5) Personal growth
6) Love change
7) Want to broaden education/skills
8) More money
9) Better use of skill set/passion
10)Crisis in life/family
11) To remove self from the old environment
Page 25/34
72. What can I do during an interview to reinforce the

positive aspects of a career change?
Relate change to the company. All companies have change due
to economy, market
preferences, etc. and should understand and be able to relate to
the change. Give a
specific example in your own career to show how you were able
to successfully change.
Give examples of when failure to change broke or ruined a
company. Examples might
include Pan Am Airlines, Epson, etc.
Take the whole picture view. By changing and learning new
skills and information you will
be able to positively influence the company. Knowing your
network, knowledge and
research can help in change with management and other
business aspects.
73. What can I do in an interview to lessen the potential
negative impact of a career change?
Be proactive. Take the initiative to explain your rationale for
the career change. Do not
wait for them to question you or you will be one the defensive
and be perceived as trying to
justify it.
Translate your skills and describe how they are similar and or
relevant to the new career.
Connect the dots for them. Do not assume they will understand
and get it.
Explain that this is the result of an in-depth review and
discussions with others and you are

confident that this is a well-thought out decision.
74. What can I do to prevent my career change from
turning into a catastrophe?
Talk with people who are doing this career right now. You can
look into directories of
professional associates, ask your friends, colleagues or family
for leads.
Talk to the people who care for you about your choice and ask
for their support. Explain
the reasons to them.
Consider a Plan B. If everything else fails, you can fall back on
this plan.
Page 26/34
75. What do I do if I realize (in my new job) that I was
wrong to have made this change?
Seek counseling to discuss the reasons you made the change,
why you changed to your
new position, and what the source of your discontent is.
Evaluate the skills and tasks in your new position. What is it
that you specifically dislike?
Is the environment influencing your discomfort more than tasks
or skills?
Find your locus of control. What are those things in your job
that you dislike? Are they
within your control? If not, can you learn to tolerate them? If

you can change them, are
you willing to try?
76. What do most people who have made a career
change say after the fact?
People say they’re having more fun in the current career “It’s
more me than what I was
doing before. It’s hard at first, but the process is very
rewarding.”
It’s really important to be in action – talk to people, learn about
the skills you’ll need, listen
to everyone, but follow your heart.
Be realistic in your expectations of yourself; be kind to
yourself.
77. What does a career change have to do with voca-
tion?
Vocation is a calling – an opportunity and strong desire to share
your special gifts with the
world; vocation is connected to career change with many
people.
Career change is often prompted by a desire for fulfillment of
vocation around midlife.
Career change can facilitate a journey that culminates in
matching work with vocation.
Career change can lead to discovery of a new, previously
unconsidered vocation.

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78. What factors make a career change difficult?
Lack of the knowledge of the right combination of personality
traits, knowledge and skills for
the desired job. Not doing a thorough self-assessment will
make change very difficult.
Not having the financial and/or family support.
Lack of confidence and self-efficacy. Along with this is
attitude – do you bring energy and
positive focus – positive self-talk to meet your goals? Can you
come out of your comfort
zone and take some risks?
79. What is a career change?
Assessing your satisfaction with your present career and
exploring your feelings about
making a change.
Determining reasons why or why not you should make the
change . . . following a personal
goal.
Reviewing your skills, values and interests to see if you can
make the change.
Evaluating job/career change possibilities by investigating
availability of careers of interest
and honestly checking whether they are well matched to your
skills and values.

80. What is the advantage to an employer by hiring
someone who has recently made a career change?
The advantage to an employer is the person will be eager and
hungry to learn, and build
skills because they are new to the field/job.
The advantage is the person is self-motivated and able to
manage fear of the unknown
because they have managed and succeeded in the change.
Therefore more employers
want an employee with adaptive skills.
The advantage is the person may be a wealth of life experience,
and experience and
knowledge from another title and field that could inform the
employer.
Page 28/34
81. What is the difference between a minor career
change and a major/radical career change?
A minor career change is a change of job in some industry (i.e.
Teacher to a counselor in a
school).
A major career change involves a complete change in
environment, expectations, skills
used, reward structure and a steep learning curve.
You see yourself differently and others perceive your work
identity as different.

82. What is the secret of a “best” strategy when making
a career change?
Knowing yourself! Do some self-assessment and soul searching
to discover what you
really want in your career. Don’t be afraid to go after what you
want.
Talk it over! Discuss your ideas with friends, colleagues, and
family members. Meet
people in your target career and ask them about their
experiences. Get feedback on your
direction.
Skill up! Identify the skills and knowledge needed for your
career target. Inventory what
you already know and go after new learning via formal
education.
83. What kind of grief comes with making a career
change?
Letting go and giving up what is familiar or comfortable – even
it if is negative or harmful.
Moving into the unknown, no matter how exciting can be
uncomfortable.
Risk-taking can often bring a fear of failure.
Page 29/34
84. What kinds of jobs lend themselves more to career
changes?

All jobs lend themselves to career change, as you are building a
set of skills that can be
used in various careers.
Jobs that have a lot of growth or provide the individual a way to
learn many different skills.
Jobs in industries that have a lot of options.
Government jobs.
85. What makes some people more adaptable to career
change?
When the person is curious about their world and how they can
carry out what most
intrigues them.
People who are positive and optimistic find it easier to change
directions; the fear of the
unknown may be mitigated by remembering their past positive
changes in their lives.
If the person has taken action – a risk-taking proactive step – in
a direction or way that
moves them toward a change.
86. What reasons (positive and negative) cause people
to want to make a career change?
A vision of something better.
A need to manifest their authentic self so their work expresses
their values, interests and
purpose.

Boredom.
Page 30/34
87. What role does luck play in making a career
change?
Luck is achieved by laboring under the correct information.
Luck is the result when hard work meets opportunity.
Luck/success comes to those who hustle wisely.
88. What should I do or not do during an interview when
I am making a career change?
Present transferable skills using concrete examples that
demonstrate how you have used
the skill in the past and, if possible, how you might use it in the
new job.
Project the discussion into the future rather than letting the
interviewer keep probing your
past. For example, ask questions about the job and then explain
enthusiastically how you’d
tackle that aspect of the job.
Sell the advantage of hiring someone with a fresh perspective as
opposed to someone
whose thinking has been constrained from being in the same
field and job title.
89. What should I do when approaching a company

when I want to make a career change?
Research the job you are interested in and find out what tasks
and responsibilities are
involved.
Make sure that your skills and knowledge match the tasks and
responsibilities.
Demonstrate, using concrete examples, how you can do the job
based on your past experi-
ence.
Learn to communicate well and practice your answers to
interview questions so you won’t
stumble when asked why you are making this change.
Page 31/34
90. What skills are best to use when making a career
change?
Develop verbal communication skills because you will need to
present your story to the
employer better than your competitor.
Develop written communication skills because you will need to
write cover letters and
proposals to demonstrate your unique abilities.
Develop research skills because job duties and titles and
descriptions keep changing.

Develop Internet computer skills because technology is the new
way,
91. What steps should I take to ensure that I don’t lose
any of my current salary/benefits when I make a
change?
Stay within the same organization.
Avoid making a type “C” move.
Read “101 Salary Secrets” by Porot.
Research retirement plan options.
If you want the same salary, you will probably need to stay in
the same field and go for a
different title.
If you want to be risky, throw it to the wind and follow your
dream.
Page 32/34
92. What triggers change: negative factors (boredom,
frustration . . .) or positive (vocational interests, en-
thusiasm . . . )?
Change is triggered by values. The need to stay in a
geographical area that doesn’t
support a person’s current occupation may lead to choosing a
different career path to
survive. Investigate starting a new business or buying one or
taking a job that pays less.

Job Burnout. Look outside current work and investigate getting
paid for activities you would
do for no pay. Volunteer someplace first.
Fulfilling Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Making the “Dream
Job” come true, perhaps driven
by a person’s age. Just do it. Start by doing it on evenings and
weekends then transition
into full time eventually.
93. What type of companies are more open to career
change?
Large ones because they have more varied types of jobs.
Dot.coms because people will/may be called on to do different
jobs.
The entertainment industry because people move around
constantly.
94. When moving to another city is it necessary to an-
ticipate a career change?
Moving to another location often means that the supply/demand
for the field you’re
currently in may impact what you do. Therefore, it is important
to consider whether you
desire the same activity or job title you’ve previously held,
whether you want to stay in the
same field or do something entrepreneurial. The first
suggestion is to research the
location, the type of businesses and the type of people living
there.

Look for educational opportunities in the new area that could
help you enhance your skill
development for a new field. Just in case you cannot find the
type of career opportunity
you are seeking.
Find ways to “position” yourself. Join community and
professional associations, teach a
community education class, volunteer to add to your skills.
Find a position at a lower level
that could at some point offer you an opportunity to advance at
a later date. Job shadow.
Network like crazy. Find ways to give to the community and to
people. At some point, your
efforts will be rewarded. Or, do something over the Internet
where location may not dictate
the need for a career change,
Page 33/34
95. When my company experiences a major economic
downturn, should I jump ship quickly or go down
with the ship like the captain?
It’s always good to have a “Plan B”. Ask yourself what will I
do next if my job disappears?
Begin planning your next move.
A major economic downturn doesn’t necessarily mean the
company will close. Take action
to be visible to the people with decision-making power. Times
of change and chaos provide
excellent opportunities to create a new job for yourself at your
newly restructured company,

Be visible in your department and company. Ask yourself what
skills your department
company will need to survive the process. What skills do you
have now? What skills do
you need to develop?
96. Who is best to advise me on my career change?
Family – consult family members (particularly spouse) to
determine if career change would
best serve family needs.
Peers/Colleagues – plan informal meetings to discuss whether
needs for career transition
are realistic based on long-term knowledge of career change.
Professionals (currently in the career you wish to change to) –
arrange informational
interviews with professionals currently in field you wish to
transition to for particulars
regarding job flexibility, mobility, income, etc. to determine if
it meets your needs.
97. Will a volunteer job help in making a career change?
Yes, a volunteer job can help you make a career change in many
ways. It can give you
experience, networking contacts, and confidence. It can also
help you to decide if that
career really interests you or not (sometimes a career will look
good “on paper”, but once
you see it “in person”, it’s not that appealing).
When setting up a volunteer experience, it’s good to be clear on
your goals and

expectations, and express these clearly to the organization. Set
up a regular “schedule” for
your volunteer experience including start and end dates. These
can always be changed or
re-negotiated.
Page 34/34
98. Will I have to change my way of dressing if I make a
career change?
Confirm any promotion by dressing more professionally. Fulfil
the expectations of a CEO/
President etc.
Set an example if you are attempting to teach others how to
dress professionally.
Adapt to a new organization by fitting into the culture and
dressing like your colleagues.
99. Will I long for the job I left and be sorry I made a
change?
You will not long for the job you left if you research the new
company or organization
thoroughly. Interview people in that organization about
company culture, their own job
satisfaction, policies, etc.
Ask good questions in the job interview about issues that are
important to you and will help
you determine if the company and position are a good match for
you.

Clarify for yourself by writing down exactly what you don’t
like about your current job. This
often helps people get clear that the negatives do outweigh the
positives and that move is
imperative. The individual can use this document if later
experiencing any regrets, as
memories tend to be short for some.
100. Will I need to continue with education or an intern-
ship if I make a career change?
Yes, if you don’t have the knowledge or skill sets required for
the job.
Maybe, if you want to move into an area where “education” is
the currency.
Yes, an internship is helpful for getting inside an organization,
particularly in new areas.
101.After I have made a career change, how do I explain
it to a prospective employer?
Explain to the employer the reasons for your change and how
you will actually be perform-
ing better now.
Show how the skills you have are the skills that are needed for
the job.
Discuss the benefits of change and how it will be positive for
everyone involved.
This interview with Barbara J. Krumsiek, chief executive and

chairwoman of the Calvert Group Ltd., an investment firm, was
conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant.
Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times
Barbara J. Krumsiek, chief executive and chairwoman of the
Calvert Group, an investment firm, dislikes the idea of a “career
ladder.” She says it suggests “you can’t get past the person
ahead of you unless you push them off the ladder.”
Related
Corner Office
Every Sunday, Adam Bryant talks with top executives about the
challenges of leading and managing.
· More ‘Corner Office’ Columns »
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Q.Were there any surprises for you when you became the C.E.O.
for the first time?
A. I used an executive coach and got some advice on coming
into a new organization. The advice was to ask each executive,
“Tell me about your job, but now tell me about what you think
you do here that is not in that job description that you think is
really critical.” Wow, did I learn a lot about them, and it was
very informative in shaping the team.
I also asked this a lot my first couple years at Calvert: Tell me
one thing that’s going on at Calvert that you think I don’t know
that you think I should know.
Q. Tell me about your first management experience.
A. I’m not a trained business or organization development
person. I’m a mathematician. I was an analyst and had no one
working for me for the first seven years of my career. I
developed the business strategy for entering a new market,
working with all the other departments. Booz Allen, the outside
consultant who’d been helping the team launch this product,
recommended that I run this business. All of a sudden I went
from no one working for me to having 200 people working for
me.
Q.And how old were you?

A. Thirty.
Q. Talk about that.
A. I really admired and liked the team of people I was working
with. Being able to work with my peers is probably the single
most important attribute that helped me along my path or, as I
like to call it, my career obstacle course. In those days, I don’t
think it was really appreciated. That was my strength.
The biggest success was convincing or cajoling one of my
colleagues on that team who was probably 20 years older than
me to work for me and head systems operations. I still keep a
note from him. He probably worked for me for seven or eight
years until I moved on, and the note was thanking me.
He was promoted to vice president while he was working for
me. He said no one worked harder for him in his career than I
had worked to support him and move him forward. I keep that
note because it was very special.
Q. So where did you learn those skills?
A. I have to credit two early experiences. One is Girl Scouts. It
was a huge part of my life growing up in Queens. It was an
opportunity to learn selling through Girl Scout cookies. I
always vied for the top selling awards. I remember having a
troop leader have confidence in me that I could go off and lead
a group of girls to start the campfire or whatever.
The other was my education in girls’ schools. I went to Hunter
College High School, which was all girls when I went. It’s now
coed. I think it really drove home that girls could do anything.
I remember as a young teenager, my parents lived in a
neighborhood in Queens. At Christmas, we would always go
next door to the couple who were Russian immigrants to say
“Merry Christmas.” I remember the husband asking each of us
what we wanted to do — what our favorite subjects were, and
what we were studying. I said I loved math. He said, “Oh, girls,
women don’t do math.” I remember being — whatever I was —
13 or something, thinking very calmly to myself, “He doesn’t
know what he’s talking about.”
Q.Going back to that story of suddenly managing those 200

people. Can you analyze a bit more how you were able to do
that?
A. I’d rather put it in today’s context because I’m still
managing the same way. I think the key is that people who work
for me honestly believe that there is going to be a win-win here.
I’ll bring it back to my obstacle-course analogy. I believe that
the whole career ladder concept is a very disruptive concept
because what does it suggest? You can’t get past the person
ahead of you unless you push them off the ladder. It promotes
aggressive behavior.
When you think of an obstacle course, there are a lot of people
on the obstacle course at the same time, and my success doesn’t
impede your success. And I may be able to take a minute and
help you over that next obstacle and still get where I want to get
to.
I also think you have to be a little humble. You have to be
maybe a little bit overly confident to break into new things, but
a little bit overly humble about what you don’t know, and
admiring of the talents different people bring to the table.
Q. What’s it like to work for you?
A. I’m the kind of person who delegates everything.
Theoretically, there’s not one piece of paper at my desk. So
everything that happens at Calvert happens in the management
team, with a few exceptions, like strategy, brand image, and our
relationships with our boards and owners.
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On a day-to-day basis I feel I get paid to make a couple of
judgments. I get paid to identify what is really working right
now for Calvert. What are the couple of key things that are

succeeding. I want to stay close and on top of the two or three
things that are, at this moment in the economy and our business
cycle at Calvert, the most important things driving our good
results right now.
On the other hand, I get paid to identify the two or three things
that are really broken and I stay on top of those. So, if you’re
on either end of that spectrum, you’re going to see a lot of me.
Q. Let’s talk about hiring. What are you looking for, and what
do you ask?
A. I don’t ask a lot about expertise because by the time I see
them, their résumés have been screened. So I know this is a
talented person. I have folks interview with a lot of different
people, and I actually do ask them, after the person leaves, that
they rate them on about 10 different areas. How do you think
they understand our business? How do they understand social
corporate responsibility?
It actually works to rack up these scores. There will always be
somebody who thinks the candidate is a two, and there will
always be somebody who thinks they’re a 10. It gives me a little
window.
Everybody sees different things when they interview, and so I
can’t do it on my own. I have to get the input of the whole team
in order to move on even a gut feeling, and I’ve made mistakes.
Q. What are some other criteria?
A. This quality must be evidenced in everyone who comes to
Calvert: we need to find out whether they have some attachment
in their community. I don’t care if they’re active in their church
or did Habitat for Humanity projects. They need to show they
care about something outside of themselves.
Those people who have that kind of community really
understand that there’s a lot more to get from a career than just
a paycheck. We give one paid day off a month for volunteering.
In our investment process, we’re looking beyond the financials.
Q. What else do you ask?
A. What do you know about our company? Another question I
ask is, What makes it a good day? Wherever you worked before,

what made it a good day? And what I’m looking for is some
reference to customers. I’m looking for executives or associates
that understand that the customer is really the most important
stakeholder in our world, and has to infuse every decision by
thinking about the impact on the customer. Q. When you hired
somebody who didn’t work out, can you analyze why, looking
back?
A. Typically there was some external pressure to fill a job, and
really I have to remind myself that there’s no pressure so great
to fill a job. None. I don’t care how long it takes. Because the
mistakes were made from hiring too quickly. They’re not bad
people. They just weren’t right in our setting.
I’ll take a year to fill a key position. I’d rather live without it
than suffer the consequences. And it is very painful to hire
incorrectly.
Q. Anything unusual about how you run meetings with your
executive staff?
A. I think it can be a little jarring actually for people who are
used to perhaps a little more civility. I think we’re civil, but
we’re direct. I don’t like meetings if my direct reports leave the
room and turn to somebody and say, can you believe someone
said that? And so I try to explain to them by example that if you
find yourself doing that when you leave the room, or shaking
your head, or kicking yourself for not having said something, or
thinking that there were real problems with what somebody
said, next time you have to say it in the room. You have to, or
you will not be the most impactful member of this team.
When I first got to Calvert, there was a lot of that. And I had
one of my direct reports send me an e-mail, complaining about
something somebody else said. I just got back to them and said,
I’m not going to read this because I don’t see the person you’re
talking about CC’d on it. So if you CC them on it and send it
back to me, I will deal with it. Well, I never had to get it back,
because once the person really dealt with it, it was fine.
Q. What do you think business school should we be teaching
more of, or less of?

A. Weave ethics and responsibility through every course. Every
single course should have an ethical component. I think the
notion that ethics is a code of conduct or a set of rules or a set
of principles is one of the big culprits in the meltdown. Ethics
is how you think about things when it’s not written down.
I tell Calvert people you make decisions every day, hundreds of
them, that have ethical content. We couldn’t possibly write
codes of ethics to cover everything you do. So therefore, you’re
going to have to do the right thing. I’m counting on you to do
the right thing.
Q.What’s your career advice to new grads?
A. You are not going to know where you’re going to wind up,
so if you think it’s all about researching and finding the exact
right place for you, forget about it. I thought I was going to go
on and get a Ph.D. in math and teach. You never know. So I try
to help young people think about not putting too much weight
on it. Just try to get a job that looks interesting.
You want to be part of a good company. That’s important. But if
you can get a foot in the door at a good company and a job
that’s moderately interesting, it doesn’t have to be the last job
of your life. And you can learn an awful lot about who you are.
There’s no way that an undergraduate education teaches you
anything about the working world.
David Gijon’s Autobiography
David Gijon
Georgia State University
PMAP 3211
REFLECTIONS.
As I take some time to do some soul searching and reflecting
back into my past life, the events that marked my growing up,

the journey that has been my life. I relive all the time the
emotions and experiences which are still fresh in my mind
which have been reference points and the anchors that hold me
in place keeping me focused on the goals ahead of me and the
plans I have for my life as well.
The largest part of my life has been marked with times being
spent with my amazing family. Having such a huge family has
given me the opportunity to see things more ways than one. This
has shaped me to develop my perspective on people and gave
me the ability to step back and let the other person speak so I
can listen and acquire information about them so that I can fully
understand them as a person. I was born in beautiful Los
Angeles, California to wonderful and caring parents. My father
Jose Gijon and my mother Margarita Felix were both born in
Mexico and migrated to the US in search of better lives and for
the opportunity to better the lives of their families.
My parents are one of the most hardworking people that I know.
They are my heroes. My role models who have always
emphasized in me and my younger brother Ruben and our dear
last born sister Carolina, the importance of working hard and
pushing ourselves to attain the best out of our lives and to make
sure we live better lives than them. My parents started from the
bottom when first coming here but started progressing up
exponentially fast given the stakes they were thrown when
coming here. My father started from doing masonry work, to
eventually running a 30 man crew. He then expanded his skill
set by dipping his hands into roofing, plumbing, and
landscaping which happens to be his favorite work. He is now
retired but because of the passion for the job, he is still
improving and renovating houses from time to time. During this
whole time, I have been fortunate enough to pick up many
useful things that will help me as a future husband and father.
The skills he passed on to me will allow me to not only save on
expenses but allow me to pass on what I’ve learned to my little
ones. I have also accumulated skill sets which are highly sought

after by employers. My father to today still teaches me things
that will only make me a better me.
After much delegation and fighting, my mother left her family
of 10, and came to the US at the age of 18 years. She left with
the idea of making something of herself rather than staying in
Durango to work hard with little reward till she died there.
Coming here, she started off doing maid work at different hotels
in L.A. before being employed by several different wealthy
estate owners. It is here at these extravagant mansions that she
learned to pick up English. It is also here where she met my
father Jose. They ran into each other outside in the garden as
my dad was clipping roses and while she was running outside to
check on the children of the homeowner. Since then, they have
never stopped loving each other. Although they have never been
married, they still are together both support me and my siblings
to the fullest. This aspect of my life, I have learned the value of
commitment. Even though nothing was ever signed on paper,
they are committed to each other. I take this into every aspect of
my life, wether it be with my relationship with my current
girlfriend of 6 years, or it be with school. I must stay committed
to accomplish the goals I have set for myself.
My younger brother and I are currently best friends and the
greatest thing that we share is the passion for soccer. Although
soccer has not always shared the same admiration back towards
us, we have always decided that this is what we want to
continue to do until we can’t juggle a ball anymore. The
greatest lesson I’ve learn from picking up soccer is to never
give up on anything. I have had five knee surgeries and two
other ankle repairs which stalled my soccer career from ever
truly progressing into college soccer. It was a horrible time for
me and I honestly did not know what else I wanted to do. It is
here where I had to get up and realize not all was lost. I was
able to get back in shape and still get the chance to play from
time to time and be able to watch all my young cousins begin
their soccer journey of their own. Watching them has given me
the strength and realization that although I may not play at a

higher level one day, I will always have the game with me,
which is more than what I can ask for.
In school I’ve had very few mentors that guided me more than
that of my middle and high school soccer coach who motivated
and encouraged me and made me believe than anything is
possible with the right mind set . This was applicable for me
outside the field also. I carried this attitude into many job
interviews and different speeches I have given in college. He
always pushed us for more than 100% and made us achieve what
we could not have otherwise believed possible. He has always
been a great inspiration and motivator. He was also a great
public speaker and always had our attention when he was
making his speeches during preparation or after matches. He
was quite vocal and we all had to listen to him one way or the
other.
My work experience has seen me work in Chick Fila, and also
in the housing department of Gainesville. I have also been an
assistant at Remax and am really looking forward to getting my
real estate license this year to become a broker. I believe I will
do well with my experience from the housing department and
my family background in construction and houses from my
father telling us what to look for and the different types of
houses and the best ones too. I hope this input will give me the
edge I need as a real estate broker to differentiate me from the
other. I do believe it’s a good combination and hopefully it will
work out well.
One of the hardest jobs that I have had to do was at a company
called Kubota it involved tractor manufacturing which was
really labor intensive and basically all the labor was manual
labor. The work was in 12 hour shifts and included very few
breaks in between I was having to work at squat positions
holding 80 pounds on a regular basis. This job is what made me
realize that manual labor is the last thing I ever want to do with

my career. Although I love being outside working with my
hands, I realized through this job that getting a degree and
working just as hard but not actually breaking a sweat or an arm
is much more of a better route for me. I am currently an
economics and public policy major student. I do not have a
certain job that I am currently looking to attain but it involves
urban policy and perhaps being a planner of the city or
transportation sector. Being here, I believe will give me the
most satisfaction with having a career and I believe within the
next few years David Gijon will be out in the world working
hard to support his future family.
Career Profile--This assignment will be due towards the end of
the course. Because it contains multiple sections, students are
strongly encouraged to work on this throughout the semester
(unless you are one who loves the thrill of trying to meet a
deadline at the last minute).
This profile will contain the following elements:
1*Major Interests (work, personal, or both)
2*Major Skills (work-related)
3*Key Accomplishments (try to avoid being both bashful and
arrogant)
4*Motivators (things that turn you on, bring out the best in you,
etc.)
5,6*"Must haves" (imperatives) and "wants" (ideals) in a job
7*Preferred work environment (physical, interpersonal, or both)
8, 9, 10* Strategies you plan to use to assess if and to what
degree a job opportunity will satisfy your “Must Haves,”
“Wants,” and preferred work environment before deciding to
accept an offer for that job
11*Preferred decision making style(s) (with major decisions
that are important to you) and 12 their advantages and 13
shortcomings for you

14,15*Short (up to 2 years) and long-range (3-5 years)
aspirations
16*Reasons for being in school
*Resources used (see below for details)
In addition, provide the following:
1) An action plan that addresses how you intend to achieve your
short and long-term aspirations. This should be 17 a very
concrete, specific description of actions you will take, 18 when
you will take them, and 19 how you will measure your progress
towards your goals. In addition, 20 state the forms of resistance
or obstacles within yourself (for example, fear, procrastination,
denial, lack of motivation to change longstanding habits) that
may emerge when trying to implement your action plan and a)
21 how you intend to be aware of your resistance, and b) 22
what, if anything, you intend to do about it.
2) A description of the resources you used to create your
profile. All of the following are required, though you may use
others if you wish:
· 23 An informational interview[footnoteRef:2] with a person
who is in a career, job, and/or organization to which you aspire.
Include about a half page, typed double-spaced summary of
your findings from this interview. Don’t forget to write a thank
you note. [2: As the term implies, the purpose of this interview
is to acquire useful information about an organization, job,
and/or occupation of interest to you. It is not to sell yourself,
get your foot in the door, look for a job, or satisfy any other
self-serving intention. The book “What Color Is Your
Parachute” by Richard Bolles can assist in preparing for this
interview.
]

· Descriptions of the exercises, tools, concepts, and guides
found in all of the following 3 sources that you used to assist in
creating your career profile:
24-321) The course text. At minimum, you need to state an idea,
tool, or guideline from each chapter (a total of at least 9 ideas,
tools, and/or guidelines) that helped you in creating your career
profile.
33-372) The “Food For Thought” section on the course
Desire2Learn page. At minimum, you need to state ideas, tools,
and/or guidelines taken from no fewer than 5 of thedocuments
in the “Food For Thought” section that helped you create your
career profile.
3) Other resources you have discovered on your own.
In addition to informing the reader about the resources you
used, 38 also indicate the specific sections or parts of sections
in your profile where these resources were applied.
· 39 Information gleaned from a visit to GSU’s Career Services
office (2nd floor, University Center), their web site, or the
career services office of your college or department, if one
exists. If you elect to visit the office in person (which will
likely be more informative and helpful compared to a web site
visit), plan ahead make an appointment ahead of time. Students
who “drop by” are sometimes difficult to accommodate. Include
about a one page, typed double-spaced summary of what you
learned from this visit.
While I don't want to be overly rigid concerning length, this
profile should be no more than about 6 to 8 typed (12-point
font) double-spaced pages (excluding the write up of the

resource descriptions). Use any format that makes sense for you
(e.g., narrative, bullets, graphics that supplement text, other) as
long as you cover the above elements
sufficiently[footnoteRef:3]. [3: One potential risk of using
only or mostly bullets on this paper is that I will likely judge
your work to be less than “excellent” (that is, less than an “A”)
on one or more dimensions that comprise the “substance”
portion of your grade.
]

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