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January 23, 2005

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Michelle Reese
For the Tribune

Take a leap from a job to a new career

The New Year is here and some workers may be ready to try on a new career.

"January is a big time," said Linda Baugh, president of American Career Executives. "Just like people who say, ‘I’m going on a diet or I’m going back to the gym,’ people say, ‘I’m just going to change jobs.’"

A year ago, Susan King found herself with a chance to make such a career change. She had spent 20 years in human resources, most recently with a company doing layoffs over a five-year span.

"I volunteered for a layoff," she said.

Her self-described "early retirement" came on the heels of taking several months of classes in real estate school.

She was laid off in September 2003 and began work in a Re/Max office on Nov. 1 2003.

This month, she’ll become her require schooling and reinventing yourself. Career coaches say job seekers need to look deep into their skills set to discover how their knowledge now can transition into a new job.

American Career Executives Vice President Pamela Roe Ehlers said many of her clients consider a career change when seeking a new job, but not all of them take that step.

"If it is a very severe 180 degree change then they need to be realistic that they may have to take a step back, own boss as she opens a real estate franchise, Help-U-Sell Starz AZ, in Queen Creek with a partner.

"I just love what I’m doing now," she said. And she’s good at her job. Before leaving Re/Max, she was one of the top sellers in her office.

Making a job change is not an easy task. Not only does it require a lengthy job search, but it could maybe in compensation level. Obviously, you can’t expect to go from a senior level person in one industry to having the same level of pay and responsibility in a completely different industry."

More often, Frink is seeing managers move from big corporations to nonprofit groups when they’re faced with a job layoff or a possible relocation.

The mid-life crisis is usually a myth, Frink and Vanyo said.

"Usually people make career changes either at the beginning of their career or toward the end," Vanyo said. "Most people who are in their 40s are putting kids through college or still paying off mortgages and cannot afford to make a career change at that point."

But if someone is serious about making a change, Vanyo suggests he or she do their homework through networking, research and schooling, if necessary.

Some people are willing to take a risk, Vanyo said.

She’s seen people move from corporate positions to teaching positions or running their own business. One client is looking to change from an electrician to a financial planner.

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