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Retail Management Careers - More Than Just A Retail Job

The manager of a retail store is the person who is in charge of scheduling employees, supervising shifts, and/or dealing with customer complaints. A retail management job pays better than a position like cashiering, and offers more power, which some people may find to be very attractive. Becoming a manager isn’t easy, but it is a possible goal to achieve if you love working in the retail industry.

To get a retail management job you first need experience. If you haven’t worked at the store in the past, you must have prior experience with management at another store. Otherwise, you need to work your way up the ranks from a lower position, like cashier. This process allows the current management to become familiar with you and your work habits.

If you have your eye on a particular store and you also have the management experience to get hired, you also need to make sure that there is a position open for you. If there is not, taking a lower position at the same store may work in your benefit when the next manager leaves. Not only will you know right away when there is a vacancy, but you will also allow the store management to become familiar with you and allow them the chance to consider you for management from the beginning.

Working your way up from the bottom may sound tedious (and it can be), but it can also be viewed as an audition and a learning experience. If you intend to become a manager, than consider the rules that you are supposed to be following in your current position. If you stick to the rules correctly and gently guide your fellow employees toward the same, you will stick out as a leader and as someone who can follow directions.

Gently guiding your co-workers may prove difficult, but this is not the time to turn to management for help. Suggest ways that they can follow the rules without trying to force them, and set a good example by following the rules yourself. These are both great ways to show that you have leadership potential and that you are dedicated to doing things right for the company.

If you want to be a manager, it also does not hurt to talk to current management about it. Let them know that you are interested in a position with more responsibility, and they may be willing to work with you through special training or offer you positions that allow you to show them that you are trustworthy and responsible.

People who want to be retail managers may be taken through a training program. These programs can involve many different things, but usually help you become better acquainted with the specific rules for your company as well as policies and procedures that managers need to know. A management program may also help you to become more familiar with leadership strategies and techniques so that you can function better within the company when the time comes for you to take control.

Becoming a manager in a retail store can be a challenge, but if you are ready to be challenged and are interested in a leadership position that will give you better pay and more responsibility, then management is a good place to look. Work hard, but work smart, too, and you will soon be able to set yourself apart from your coworkers as someone who steps forward, does what needs to be done, and is willing to work hard to succeed.

Working in retail you can work your way from the floor to the corporate office. Retail management jobs pay well, include benefits, and merchandise discounts. Retail jobs can be more than selling shoes and cashiering according to JobMonkey summer jobs writer Lisa Jenkins

Cell Phones and You, On the Move

With the technology available to us today we are no longer tethered to our homes and offices when we have the need to access our email or the Internet. With portable computers, hand held devices, and aircards we now have the ability to work or play from virtually anywhere in the world.

What Is An Aircard

An aircard is, simply put, a device that connects to your laptop via your USB or PCMCIA slot. The device becomes a wireless modem for your laptop, allowing you to have the same type of Internet access you would at home or in the office when plugged into your network or phone line. Mobile carriers that use SIM card technology will give you the ability to switch between using your SIM card in your aircard or in your cell phone, so long as you have the data plan enabled on it.

Where Can An Aircard Be Purchased

An aircard can be easily purchased from your mobile carrier for use on their network. Aircards purchased from your carrier will be locked to their network; this means that you can only use your aircard on their particular network. This can restrict you a bit when traveling, especially internationally, because you are tied to your “home” mobile network. You have the ability, additionally, to purchase an aircard directly from a retailer that specializes in mobile products. These aircards will be unlocked and can be used on any wireless network.

Locked vs. Unlocked

The main difference between buying locked or unlocked aircard will often be price. Mobile carriers can offer aircards that are locked to their network at heavily discounted prices. However, you will often need to be tied into a minimum of a one year contract with your carrier. Additionally, if you switch to another mobile carrier you will need to purchase a new aircard to ensure that you have one that works on your new network. Purchasing an unlocked aircard will, initially, be a more expensive investment but consider the benefits. You will not be locked into a length contract with your mobile carrier, giving you the freedom to switch between carriers; this can be especially useful if you are a frequent international traveler since it’s often more cost effective to use a local cellular provider when traveling in foreign countries. Depending on your mobile provider, you can often ask them to provide you with an unlock code for your aircard device; a quick phone call to explain your travel needs should take care of this with them.

Cost

Depending on if you opt for an aircard from your provider or an unlocked card from another retailer, your aircard can be purchased for under $300. Many providers will often provide the aircard to you for free if you agree to sign a two year contract with them. The biggest expense that you will need to keep an eye out for is going to be the cost of the data plan. If you plan on using your aircard frequently then it will be worth it to you to sign up for the unlimited data plan offered by your carrier. Choosing a plan with a low data allowance can get you into trouble with high bills at the end of your billing cycle if you happen to go over your limit. An unlimited data plan can often be found for about $49 a month.

Choosing An Aircard

Before making your decision to purchase an aircard consider talking to your mobile carrier to find out what they can offer you in terms of type of aircard and rate plans. It may be as simple as changing your plan to include unlimited data, many carriers will then offer the aircard to you at no additional cost. If you are considering going the route of purchasing your aircard from another retailer be sure to do your research on the products you are considering.

Find a fantastic selection of cell phone accessories and the perfect one you are looking for at http://www.wonderfulcell.com

What Is Structured Cabling For Computer LAN Networks?

:: What is structured cabling?

Modern computer LAN (local area network) wiring has the concept of structured cabling.

With today’s high speed networks, people realize that the networking system must be broken up into shorter chunks that allow workstation wiring to be concentrated, with each cable length short enough to support the high data rate.

Based on aforementioned reasons, structured wiring standard has been developed to help define a computer wiring system that stays within the maximum wiring distance for various LAN topologies. For example, the horizontal cable wiring length is 100 meters for 100BaseT networks.

:: What do we do to observe the 100 meters wiring standard?

In order to achieve the wiring concentration standard, telecommunication rooms (wiring centers) are placed at planned locations in a building. These telecom rooms are then interconnected to provide the total network connectivity for the building.

This can be explained in a three stories building. At one same corner of each floor, a telecom rooms is constructed; these telecom rooms are then connected by backbone wiring (cables run vertically through the floors and link all telecom rooms together).

On each floor, a telecom room concentrates all workstation cables for that floor. Each workstation has a wall mounted jack. The network cable is terminated at that jack and runs directly to the telecom room. The cable may run in wire trays or conduit, or be draped over supports such as a drop ceiling. For larger floors, more than one telecom room may be needed.

:: Horizontal Cabling

The horizontal wires, which run from workstations on the same floor to the telecom room, are then terminated on punchdown termination, or directly onto a patch panel. The punchdown terminations or patch panels could be rack mounted (19” or 23” racks), cabinet mounted or wall mounted.

In the telecom room, network equipment such as a hub or switch is connected to each station cable, which electrically terminates the cable run. The hub or switch then passes the computer signal on to other work stations or servers, or even to other telecom rooms for ultimate connectivity with the entire network.

:: Vertical Cabling (Backbone Cabling)

Telecom rooms on each floor are then connected together by backbone cabling (also called vertical cabling for floor to floor connections). These backbone cablings typically are done from floor to floor to floor.

Usually telecom rooms should be located directly above one another in order to minimize the cable runs length, but this also varies from building to building.

With the emerge of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, fiber optic cable is the most appropriate choice for backbone cabling since they provide much higher bandwidth than traditional Cat5, Cat6 or even Cat7 twisted pair copper cables. Another advantage of fiber is that fibers can run much longer distance than copper cable, which makes them especially attractive for backbone cabling.

:: The difference between backbone cabling and horizontal cabling

Since backbone cabling typically passes through from floor to floor, the cables used for backbone cabling have very different requirement than the horizontal cablings.

1. Fire ratings. Backbone cables must have standard imposed fire rating specifications. Typically this is OFNR (Optical Fiber Non-Conductive Riser) rated. If the backbone cable passes through plenum area (spaces in the building used for air return in air conditioning), the cable must be OFNP (Optical Fiber Non-conductive Plenum) rated.

2. Physical securing. Physical securing for vertical riser cables is also different than horizontal cables. So is the cable strength, since vertical riser cables need to have enough strength to support its own weight.

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic networking technologies and products. Learn more about apc pigtail, fiber optic pigtails, fiber pigtails on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site.

The Story Of Legacy Fiber Optic Connectors

:: Choices of connectors

Over the years, a large variety of fiber optic connectors have been designed for most fiber optic installations. Lightwave equipment manufacturers have never standardized on any one connector type, they actually provide a selection of connectors for their equipment interface.

It is very important to choose the fiber connector type for your applications. You should maintain a connector standard throughout a fiber optic project.

:: The components of a fiber connector

For most fiber optic connectors, the major components are ferrule, connector body, connector cap and strain-relief boot.

Ferrule

The ferrule is the center part of the connector. It contains the optical fiber in a center hole. Ferrule can be made from ceramic (Zirconia), stainless steel or composite material.

Ceramic ferrule is the most popular material since it has stable temperature characteristics. The most common ceramic is Zirconia which is a white hard ceramic material. Ceramic ferrule is used for both single mode and multimode connectors. It offers the lowest insertion loss and the best repeatability.

Connector Body

Fiber optic connector body can be steel or plastic. The body design differs from connector to connector. The connector body provides the mechanism to hold the ferrule and other parts together. It also provides the locking mechanism for connector mating. The most common locking mechanisms are push-pull, snap-in, thread on and twist-on.

Connector Cap

Connector cap often has the same material as the body: either steel or plastic. The cap can be screw on, twist lock or snap-on for connector mating.

Strain-relief Boot

Strain-relief boot is the part connecting the connector body and the fiber cable. It is often made from rubber. Although it looks minimal, it is actually one of the most critical parts in a connector. It provides strain relief on the optical fiber to prevent micro-bending, breakage and provides mechanical support for fiber and connector handling.

:: Legacy Fiber Connector Types

The following list shows the legacy connector types that have been deployed in numerous fiber optic networks for many years.

ST Connector

ST connector was once the most popular fiber connector. It was well-liked for both single mode and multimode fiber connections. The average insertion loss for a ST connector is about 0.5dB.

ST connector has a twist-on locking mechanism which is not susceptible to loosening in vibrating environment. It is most often used in LAN networks.

FC Connector

FC connector is popular for single mode applications. It has the lowest insertion loss and the best repeatability. It has a thread-on locking mechanism.

SMA connector

SMA connector is a pretty old connector type which is mostly used for multimode applications. Today it is still being using on medical equipment.

There are two types of SMA connectors on the market: SMA 905 and SMA 906. The only difference between them is that SMA 906 has a straight ferrule while SMA 905 has a step-down ferrule.

D4 Connector

The NEC D4 was probably the first connector to use ceramic or hybrid ceramic/stainless steel ferrules. It uses a smaller ferrule than SCs or FCs. It was widely used in telco networks in the 80s to early 90s and some may still be in use.

FDDI connector

Besides the SC Duplex, you may occasionally see the FDDI duplex connectors which mate to their specific networks. They are generally used to connect to the equipment from a wall outlet, but the rest of the network will have ST or SC connectors. Since they both use 2.5 mm ferrules, they can be mated to SC or ST connectors with adapters.

Biconic Connector

Biconic connector’s yellow body indicating a SM version - mutlimode versions were usually black. Biconic connector was developed by a team led by Jack Cook at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ.

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic networking technologies and products. Learn more about bulk single mode fiber, corning fiber optic cable, outdoor single mode fiber on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site.

The Growing Problem Of Cell Phone Addiction

As the number of people that have cell phones is rapidly growing, so is the number of people that are becoming addicted to their phones. When these phones were invented, they were intended to make life easier. Today there are some people that do not have a life because they do not know when to turn them off.

You probably know a person who is a cell phone addict. It could be the person who leaves his phone on in the hospital even if it is against the rules because he is afraid he will miss a call. Or the phone user who sends text messages all day from work when he should be doing his job. These same people will have an anxiety attack if they forgot their phones at home and cannot enjoy what they are doing until that phone is back in their hand.

Unfortunately, cell phone addiction may become more widespread as greater numbers of children are using cell phones. One study showed that Japanese children didn’t make friends with peers who didn’t have the phones. Another showed that three quarters of Hungarian children owned cell phones. A study in Italy showed that one quarter of the adolescents had multiple cell phones while in Great Britain 36% of college students surveyed admitted that they could not live without their cell phones. An unexpected result form the British study was that 7% of the students stated that they had lost a job or a relationship over their cell phone use.

There are questions as to whether cell phone addictions are actual addictions, such as an addiction to drugs would be. There are some similarities. Cell phone addicts use their phone to make them feel better. These users even seem to increase their phone use over time to get the same feeling that they had when they first began using them. There are also some anxiety issues when the user does not have his phone available. With regular addictions, there are usually some changes to the brain, from alcohol addiction to food addiction. There may have to be a study done on the brain of a cell phone addict for this trend to be considered an actual addiction.

Until then, you may have to look for the signs yourself if you are worried about a loved one being a cell phone addict. Again, the signs of an addict are someone that can not stay off his cell phone for any length of time. The person may become irritated if someone does not answer his voicemail or text message quick enough. He refuses to turn his phone off, even in areas where cell phone usage is restricted. If he has forgotten his phone at home, he can think of nothing else until he can get home to get it.

If this sounds like one of your children, there is something that you can do. If you have a premium cell phone plan, you can drop it back to the basics and limit the amount of time the child can spend on the phone. The youngster may not like it but will become adjusted to less cell phone usage as time goes by.

Cell phones do make life easier, but you should not lose sight of the fact that there is a life without them.

You just got a new cell phone or you want to personalize your current cell phone visit this article on cell phone accessories.

How To Use Employment Agencies To Find A Job Super Fast

If you’ve ever been unemployed and had to search for a new job, you know that the search for a new job is a job in itself. To maximize your time and resources and find a new job as quickly as possible, you could really use some help. After admitting you need help finding a job, you need to know where to get that help and how to apply it in the most useful way. The best way to do this is to get help is from employment agencies.

Employment agencies possess many different tittles, but they all have the same goal - to get you a job. Some people are afraid to use employment agencies because they think they are getting scammed somehow. The truth is you don’t have to worry about getting “ripped off” by these companies because they don’t make money until you do. Once the agency finds you a job they get a percentage of what your income will be so they will be working their hardest to find you a job with the highest paying income possible.

Employment agencies can also go by Staffing Agencies, Staffing Companies, Personnel Agencies, Temporary Employment Agencies, Recruiters, Recruiter Agencies, Employment Placement Agencies, etc. Remember: although some employment agencies title themselves as “Temporary Employment” they also have full time jobs that they need to fill, so don’t rule out agencies that use this term. Some companies are going to start you off in a temporary job and move you forward as they see how reliable you are (this is also known as TEMP - TO - PERM), so don’t blow off a job just because they offer you a job that starts out as “temporary”

Just one agency typically has 4-5 people assisting you in finding work. Every day, this group of people calls their clients telling them what an astounding employee you will be and tells them about all the skills you have to offer for their company. If the company is interested, then your agency sets up a face-to-face interview for you. At this point, it’s your turn to make sure you impress the employer and don’t make a liar out of the agency. You can see how much one agency can assist you in finding a job super fast, so, you need as many agencies as possible helping you. The more people there are assisting you, the faster you can find the job you want.

Now the ball is in your court. Every day, you need to send out a 100 resumes a day to 100 employment agencies. Can’t find that many employment agencies? Start with the local yellow pages and find every employment agency you can. This includes agencies from any place offering any type of work. Even if it’s in a different industry or out of your preferred area, the agency may like what they see and recommend you to other agencies or companies.

By the end of the week, you can have 2,000+ people working just to find you work. If you don’t have a job by then, it is just like washing your hair - you have to repeat. Send out 100 resumes to 100 employment agencies a day until you have a job. Keep sending your resume out until an agency or company says there interested or simply says “STOP SENDING US YOUR RESUME”. No matter what, keep sending out your resume until you get a response. Persistence and perseverance is the key.

Did you know it takes 9 months for the average American to find a job? Can you afford to wait that long? Brad Rhoton has been Vice President of local and national employment agencies all over the US for over twenty years, and has used his experience to write a book called How to Find a Job Super Fast. Now you can use Brad’s time-tested tips to find a job in days instead of weeks: http://www.JobsSuperFast.com

Cell Phone Rates: Which Are The Best?

Cell phone rates are as varied as the companies that provide service. To compare rates, you first need to decide what features you want in your plan ranging from how many minutes you want per month to free text messaging. You should also take into consideration the area in which you live, as some service providers may not be able to connect with your region.

Alltell is one of the most popular service providers and is available in most areas. The company now offers the My Circle program which allows you free unlimited calls to any network anywhere. One rate for an individual plan was $49.99 which included 750 anytime minutes with a $.40 rate for additional minutes. There were unlimited night and weekend minutes and mobile-to-mobile minutes. My Circle with this plan included five people.

For a comparable plan from Sprint, this company offered 700 anytime minutes at a rate of $69.99 a month. This plan included unlimited nationwide direct connect and unlimited nighttime and weekend minutes as well as mobile-to-mobile. Additional minutes had a charge of $.45 per minute..

T-mobile, another popular wireless provider, had a rate of $49.99 for 600 minutes. They offered unlimited nighttime and weekend minutes as well as unlimited mobile-to- mobile. The company offered MyFaves unlimited minutes. Myfaves is similar to My Circle and includes unlimited calls to five people. Additional minutes were only charged $.20 per minute.

Verizon only offered 450 minutes in their individual plan at a rate of $39.99. This plan included free nighttime and weekend minutes but mobile-to-mobile calls were charged at a pay-as-you go rate. The company also charges you for text messaging. The rate for additional minutes was $.45.

For a 900 minute individual plan, Alltell charges $59.99 and increases MyCircle to include 10 people. All the rest of the anytime minutes and rates remain the same. Sprint offers 900 minutes at a rate of $69.99 while T-mobile offers 1000 minute plan at $59.99 while the rest of the both of their plans remains the same. Verizon offers a 900 minutes plan at $99.99 and their rate for additional minutes decreases to $.40 per minute.

The highest rated plan that Alltell offers is 6000 anytime minutes at a rate of $199.99 per month. The number of people in MyCircle increases to twenty and the rate for additional minutes drops to $.20 per minute.

Sprint offers a plan for 4000 anytime minutes at $199.99 per month. The only difference in the rest of this plan from the less expensive one is that the rate for additional minutes falls to $.40 per minute.

T-Mobile offers a 5000 anytime minute plan at a rate of $139.99 per month. The rest of the plan remained the same as the less expensive plans.

Verizon offers an Unlimited plan for $139.99 a month. This plan allows you unlimited calling anytime anywhere, which eliminates all charges for additional minutes. This plan also offers all other services such as text messaging for free.

By comparing the above rates, it seems that for regular individual service Alltell may be the wireless provider that you may want to choose, while for the maximum amount of minutes for a reasonable price, you may want to go with Verizon. In the long run, the choice is yours.

You just got a new cell phone or you want to personalize your current cell phone visit this article on cell phone accessories.

Webkinz Phenomenon - Educational Benefits!

The Webkinz phenomenon is producing positive feedback from children and parents alike! These plush toy pets are affordable, offer a variety of associated online activities at no additional cost and have educational benefits to boot!

Webkinz, produced by the Ganz gift company, are marketed similarly to Beanie Babies. And speaking of the Beanie Babies this is an equal if not greater craze never seen before or since until Webkinz! However, Webkinz targeted age group is 6 - 13 years of age in contrast to the Beanie Babies that appealed to more of an adult market.

The marketing strategy is modern and smart. The purchase of one toy earns you a one year membership to the Webkinz World website. Nevertheless, a majority of sales are repeat customers. Children are collecting numerous webkinz.

Webkinz animals are available in a two different sizes. Lil’Kinz which are about two thirds the size of their sister product the full size Webkinz. Lil’Kinz are a little less expensive, approx. $11 as compared to approx. $15. Also, Webkinz are available in domestic animals, wild animals and pretend animals alike. There are a number of special issue Webkinz which are retired after a short release and can be sold for a large profit providing the tag is intact.

Your experience begins with the purchase of a webkinz stuffed animal of choice for approximately $11.99 through $15.99. Each pet has a unique identity in it’s name given by the owner. When you register your pet on the site it receives an online room, food, starter furniture, and starter cash. You can earn cash by playing online games and then purchase clothing for your pet and items to decorate its house. You can also send gifts to other Webkinz World members.

The genius in this strategy is that it gives younger children access to the internet on a safe fun site. This toy peaks the interest of children and parents alike being that we are living in an internet culture. It provides a gateway to the internet for a child which is a hugely significant part of the adult culture.

There are various educational benefits to taking care of your virtual pet online. The concept of care taking maintenance is exercised in that the child feeds, bathes and plays with their pet in order to increase it’s happiness. The child also must learn to prioritize “spending” and earn the “cash” needed to purchase items for their pet. Socially, the child can interact with their friends using Clubhouse Chat where they can instant message other webkinz members using a highly restrictive content instant messaging.

Finally, the games are educationally geared appealing to logic and problem solving skills. A feature game titled Quizzie’s Question Corner allows a child to pick from standard school subjects and answer trivia questions in order to earn Kinz cash!

Webkinz Pets are a smart, fun and apparently highly appealing! They take traditional play into the computer age in an affordable package. The associated website is rich with educational activities for children and the traditional stuffed animal is huggable and portable!

I have an extensive background in Finance and Fiscal Procedure. I also have a web business where I offer Computer Learning Software for Kids. I am very interested in the product itself as well as the subject matter that it involves. Please use the link above to visit us at The Software Spot! Thank you, Allison Merlino

Where In The World Is Windows Update Agent 5.8.02469?

Ha! Alas, those who choose not to regularly update their software got a rather nasty surprise when trying to install one of the latest versions of Windows Live Messenger. If you do not have your computer set for automatic updates, you may be one of the unfortunate souls who gets the message “You must install the critical update “Windows Update Agent 5.8.02469” when trying to install Windows Live Messenger. And judging from the amount of forum requests and frantic questions at numerous answer forums, you are definitely not alone. So where in the world is this elusive Windows Update Agent 5.802469?

Since it can seem a bit intrusive for some and just downright annoying to others, many people opt to turn off the automatic update feature on their computer for whatever reasons. Recent versions of Microsoft Windows, including Windows ME, 98, 2000, XP, and Vista all have this automatic update feature included. It is important for you to keep your computer updated because Microsoft issues patches and updates for security issues on a regular basis. If you choose to manually update, be sure to visit the Microsoft update site on a regular basis. You can choose which updates you wish to install, but the critical updates are the ones you should be most concerned about.

Since updates patch gaping holes in Microsoft Windows, do not be surprised to find that you are suddenly a victim of a virus, Trojan, worm, or some other such nastiness if you choose not to make sure that your software is updated. You may wonder how you have fallen victim to such things when you have not done of the traditional ‘wrong’ things (such as opening unknown attachments or downloading illegal software) that normally cause these problems. Simply put, you may have neglected to keep your Windows software updated and someone may have exploited one of the known security vulnerabilities in the software. It is also most likely the reason you cannot find Windows Update Agent 5.8.02469.

Now that you understand the importance of updating your Windows software, if you do not have your computer set for automatic updating, you can regularly check for updates by going to windows update – your operating system will be detected automatically. You can then scan your computer for updates and the results will return any critical and/or security updates your system may require. Choose the critical updates and any recommended updates you may want and then select ‘Install’. For those who are missing the elusive Windows Update Agent 5.8.02469, you will probably find it hiding out here.

So, where in the world was Windows Update Agent 5.8.02469? Perhaps, it was hiding right under your nose all the time. Many of our computer issues can be solved by taking care to perform a little maintenance and care on a regular basis. So the next time you try to install a new software program and get an annoying error message, it may just be that you have not been as diligent about keeping your software current as you should have been.

Visit Computer Juice to get more info on windows update agent 5.8.02469, windows update agent 5.8 and windows update agent.

Career Reinvention

There are times in everyone’s career that you feel like running away and starting all over again, and I’m here to say that you can do it!

I’ve reinvented my career five times including being a disc jockey in radio, public relations director in professional sports, community relations director in television, regional marketing manager in finance, and now I’m a global technical project manager in high tech.

If you’d like to change careers but worried that your salary would decrease, take comfort in knowing that each time I changed careers I received a pay increase!

Reinventing your career means repackaging your skills, qualifications and accomplishments so that you can transition into a new job role, company or industry. Here are five steps to help you transition into a new career more quickly, easily and maybe even with a higher salary!

1. Where’s your passion? The first step is to identify where you want to go. In which industry would you like to work? Advertising? Finance? Health Care? When I wanted to stop being a disc jockey, I knew that I wanted to go into television. And after a successful career in television, I then set my sights on getting into Corporate America. I wasn’t sure what kind of job role I wanted (or could get!), but the first step was determining the industry where I wanted to work.

If you’re not sure where you want to go (just that where you are now is definitely the wrong place!) then read trade magazines, industry publications and classified ads in your local newspaper. Visit a bookstore and browse through books and magazines to see what grabs your attention. The key is to figure out what lights your fire and inspires you.

2. What are your transferable skills? These are skills that transition from industry to industry, or from job role to job role. Examples include: managing projects, teams, clients or budgets, as well as negotiating contracts, or proposing and implementing ideas that generate money, save money, or help the company be more competitive.

Other transferable skills include personal characteristics such as demonstrating leadership or risk taking, training or mentoring team members, being goal driven, results oriented, a problem solver, or having the ability to influence senior managers. These are great skills to have, and they transfer from industry to industry. All kinds of industries and companies value employees with these types of skills and characteristics.

3. Matching your transferable skills to job roles. Read job descriptions posted on-line at CareerJournal, CareerBuilder and Monster, as well as the classified ads in industry magazines, trade journals, and local newspapers. If you want to work for a specific company then check out their website’s on-line job postings. Learn the skills and qualifications required for various job roles.

Match your transferable skills to those jobs you want to go after. If there’s a gap between the required skills and the skills that you currently have, then look for ways to gain that experience such as taking on an extended assignment in your current job, freelancing, consulting, or even volunteering.

Also, attend industry conferences, trade shows, business networking events and association meetings. Talk to people who work in the industry to learn about their career path, responsibilities, and advice for how to break into the business.

4. Blow up your resume. The first thing I always did before I transitioned into a new career was blow up my resume. Trying to piece together a resume that highlighted the skills I used to get my last job with the skills I need to land my next job is like trying to weld together Lexus parts on a BMW. It doesn’t work. You need a brand new resume.

Showcase only those jobs, responsibilities and successes that relate to the job you want. The hiring manager doesn’t care about every job you’ve ever had. They just want to know, Can you do their job? You may also want to get a professional resume critique to help you customize your resume and identify your transferable skills.

5. Attitude is the key ingredient! I’ve found that getting a new job really boils down to two things: confidence and passion. I’ve never walked into an interview having met all of the job requirements. In fact, for the television interview, I lacked the two biggest requirements which were a minimum of two years experience in television, and a tape to show my TV work.

To compensate, I focused on my transferable skills which were being highly creative and a solid copywriter. That got my foot in the door for the interview. But to get the job offer and beat out the other 4 job candidates, I was passionate about the company and the job! I also told the hiring manager that I absolutely knew that I could do the job!

There’s a kind of quiet confidence that we all have down deep inside. A confidence that comes from knowing what we’re capable of doing. When you transition into a new job role or a new company, you need to show the hiring manager that you have confidence in yourself and know that you’ll be successful in the job. When it comes to reinventing your career, it’s not just your talent but your attitude that counts!

Sherri Thomas is President of Career Coaching 360, an international speaker, and author of

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